Adoption BooksNeed a winter read? If the cold and blustery winter weather outside has you going stir-crazy on the inside, then grab your favorite blanket, a hot cup of tea and dive into an adoption book!

Adoption memoirs can be heartwarming, honest tales of adoption, as seen through the perspective of the both an adoptive parent and an adopted child. Here is a list of some popular adoption memoirs recommended byAdoptive Families magazine:

  • Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother, by Jana Wolff
  • A Ghost at Heart’s Edge: Stories and Poems of Adoption, by Susan Ito and Tina Cervin
  • The Language of Blood, by Jane Jeong Trenka
  • Touched by Adoption, by Nancy A. Robinson

What about books to help you talk about adoption with your children? Research consistently shows that it is best to tell children about their adoption from the beginning, even though they may not understand the true meaning of their adoption for years. There are many wonderful adoption books to read to your children. These books will help to lay the groundwork for the child to understand adoption and to open up discussion on the topic.

Take cues from your child. Some may be more curious about adoption than others. Learning more about developmental stages can help parents understand where their child is cognitively and emotionally so that they can continue to communicate in developmentally appropriate ways. All children are different, so pay attention to your child’s maturity level and explain things in an age-appropriate way.

Adoption is not something you will have one conversation about and never revisit. You’ll continue talking about it throughout your child’s life. It’s important that a parent doesn’t wait to talk about adoption because a child may never bring it up. Adoption can be confusing, and he or she may be afraid to ask. Your child needs to know it’s ok to talk about it with you whenever they want. Books can help open the door to healthy conversation.

Here are a few great books to help you talk to your children:

  • Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis
  • Real Parents, Real Children by Holly van Gulden
  • Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew by Sherry Eldridge
  • W.I.S.E UP Powerbook by Marilyn Schoettl
  • Raising Adopted Children by Lois Ruskai Melin
  • Talking with Young Children About Adoption by Mary Watkins and Susan Fisher

What about a book for birth mothers who need to talk about adoption with their other children? Sam’s Sister is a great book that talks about the difficult decisions a woman might face when she learns she is going to have another baby.

Just as there is no fit-all parenting book, there is no fit-all adoption book. Read a variety, and find what resonates with you and your family. For other adoption book resources, check out:

Do you have a favorite adoption book? American Adoptions is interested in knowing what’s on your top adoption reading list. Share your favorites with us at MediaSpecialist@AmericanAdoptions.com.