The following books are presented to help you prepare for your adoption. Reading the books is an important part of your home study and the reading should be completed by the time your home study is completed and ready for approval.
RECOMMENDED READING
Dear Birth Mother, Thank You for Our Baby, by Kathleen and Phylis Speedlin
Raising Adopted Children: Practical, Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent, by Lois Ruskai
Adopting After Infertility, by Pat Johnston
Open Adoption
A Letter to Adoptive Parents…On Open Adoption, by Randolph Severson, Ph.D
Lifegivers: Framing the Birth Parent Experience in Open Adoption, by James Gritter
Reaching Out: The Guide to Writing a Terrific Dear Birthmother Letter, by Nelson Handel
The Open Adoption Book, by Bruce Rappaport
The Spirit of Open Adoption, by James Gritter
Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft, by Mary Hopkins-Best
General Adoption and Parenting
Adoption is a Family Affair: What Relatives and Friends Must Know, by Patricia Irwin Johnston
Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self, by Brodinsky, Schecter, and Nenig
Choosing Assisted Reproduction, by Susan Cooper and Ellen Glazer (Embryo Adoption)
How it Feels to be Adopted, by Jennifer Krementz
Raising Great Kids, by Dr. John Townsend (Christian-based parenting book)
Filling in the Blanks: A Guided Look at Growing Up Adopted, by Susan Gabel (ages 10-14)
Talking with Young Children About Adoption, by Mary Watkins and Susan Fisher
Books on Child Development
Touchpoints: Guide to the First Six Years of Life, by T. Berry Brazelton
Your Baby and Child: From Birth to Age Five, by Penelope Leach
Children’s Books
A Blessing from Above, by Patti Henderson (good for embryo adoption)
A Koala for Katie, by Jonathan London
A Mother for Coco, by Keiko Kasra
Did My First Mother Love Me, by Kathryn Ann Miller
God Gave Us You, by Lisa Tawn Bergren and Laura J. Bryant
Families are Forever, by Deborah Capone (www.simpleasthat.com)
Horace, by Holly Keller (Reading Rainbow book)
Is That Your Sister?, by Catherine and Sherry Bunin (for families with children who are adopting transracially)
Just in Case You Ever Wonder, by Max LucadoThe Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco (September 1994)
Let’s Talk About It: Adoption, by Fred Rogers
Little Miss Spider, by David Kirk
A Little Story About a Big Turnip, by Tatiana Zunshine (ages 2-8)
Meagan’s Birthday Tree: A Story About Open Adoption, by Laurie Lears
Never Never Never Will She Stop Loving You, by Jolene Durrant
Oliver: A Story About Adoption, by Lois Wickstrom
Our Twitchy, by Kes Gray and Mary McQuillan
Sam’s Sister, by Juliet Bond (for children whose parent is placing a child for adoption)
Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born, by Jamie Lee Curtis
Through Moon and Stars and Night Skies, by Kristine Wise
Transracial Adoption
Cross-Cultural Adoption: How to Answer Questions from Family, Friends, and Community, by Amy Coughlin and Caryn Abramowitz
I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Bi-Racial Children in a Race Conscious World, by Margaret Wright
Kinki Kreations: A Parent’s Guide to Natural Black Hair Care for Kids, by Jena Renee Williams
Inside Transracial Adoption, by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall
Developmental and Behavioral Issues
Adopting the Hurt Child: Hope for Families with Special-Needs Kids, by Keck and Kupecky
Attaching in Adoption, by Deborah Gray
Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awaking Love in Deeply Troubled Children, by Daniel Hughes
Can This Child Be Saved? Solutions for Adoptive and Foster Families, by Foster Cline
Childhood Speech, Language, and Listening Problems: What Every Parent Should Know, by Patricia McAleer Hamaguchi
Facilitating Developmental Attachment: The Road to Emotional Recovery and Behavioral Change, by Daniel Hughes
Help for the Hopeless Child: A Guide for Families, by Ronald Federici
Helping Children Cope with Separation and Loss, Revised Edition, by Claudia Jewett
Parenting From the Inside Out, by Daniel Siegel
Parenting the Hurt Child, by Keck and Kupecky
Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the Adopted Child, by Holly Van Gulden
Relationship of Learning Problems and Classroom Performance to Sensory Integration, by Marie Di Matties and Norma Quirk
Sensory Integration and the Child, by Jean Ayres
The A.D.D Book: New Understandings, New Approaches to Parenting Your Child, by Linda Thompson and William Sears
The Challenging Child, by Stanley Greenspan
The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Ed. Child, by Pete WrightThe Myth of the First Three Years: A New Understanding of Early Brain Development, by John Bruer
The New Language of Toys: Teaching Communication Skills to Children with Special Needs, by Sue Schwartz, Ph. D
The Out of Sync Child: Coping with Sensory Integration Dysfunction, by Carol Stock Kranowitz
INTERNET SOURCES
Adopt Shoppe – unique adoption gifts, books, and resources.
Focus on the Family – supporter of our Snowflakes program since July 1999.
Hannah’s Prayer – Christian support network for couples facing “infertility challenges.”
Tapestry Books – exclusively devoted to selling books on adoption. This is a great resource!!