Picture Books for Kids in Foster Care

Best for: 4 to 10-year-olds. This book, which is part of the Kids Are Important series, helps foster kids understand the why, what, and how of foster care: why they were placed in foster care, what they can expect from their new foster family, and how they might feel. There is an emphasis on helping the child understand that she is not “bad” because she is in foster care.

Best for: Kids ages 3 and up. This is a cute story about a dog who has been moved from home to home-- and even into an animal shelter. He feels unloved, anxious, and worried that his troubles are his own fault. After all that moving, he finally finds a stable, loving family and discovers that he really is a good dog and deserving of a love.

Best for: Kids ages 4 and older. Maybe Days was written to help kids cope with the uncertainties that accompany life in foster care: How long will I be here? Will I go back to my first home? Will I stay here? It includes a helpful section for the grown-ups, too.

Best for: 3 to 8-year-olds. A little girl finds herself spending her first night in a foster home. She looks out the window and befriends a star, who comforts her and helps her process her emotions as she adjusts to her new foster home. This is a great book for helping young children understand and cope with their emotions.

Best for: Kids ages 4 and older. This story is appropriate for any children-- including foster children-- who have experienced trauma. It explains in simple words the symptoms that accompany the time after a trauma and underscores the importance of talking about it with an adult they trust.

Best for: Kids ages 3 and older. The Invisible String is a book about love connecting us to the people we love, even when they’re gone. It’s ideal for helping children cope with separation anxiety and also helping them understand that even if their birth parents can’t care for them, they are still attached to them through love.