Books About Adoption

A list of books dealing with adoption for both parents and children.

Adult Books

Adamec, Chris. Complete Idiot's Guide to Adoption. Simon and Schuster. 1988. 386 p. $18.95

Adoption expert Chris Adamec shows you how to prepare for adoption, survive the adoption process, and raise a happy, healthy adopted child.

Adamec, Chris. Is Adoption for You?: The Information You Need to Make the Right Choice. Wiley. 1998. 208 p. $14.95.

Adoption expert - and adoptive parent - Christine Adamec gives you the information you need to make this important decision.

Alexander-Roberts, Colleen. The Legal Adoption Guide: Safely Navigating the System. Taylor. 1996. 188 p. $12.95.

This guide helps you protect your new family by walking you through every aspect of an independent adoption - from locating a qualified attorney to interviewing potential birth mothers.

Alperson, Myra. The International Adoption Handbook: How to Make Foreign Adoption Work for You. Henry Holt. 1997. 181 p. $14.95.

This step-by-step guide, which provides the necessary hard facts and information - as well as support through the experiences of the author and others - will help smooth the way.

Alperson, Myra. Dim Sum, Bagels and Grits: A Sourcebook for Multicultural Families. Farrar, Strauss. 2001. 266 p. $14.00.

This book is extremely important for anyone who is considering or has already adopted internationally. It discusses the importance of balancing birth culture and adoptive culture within the family; finding a community where your children see other ìkids like themî; shaping a multicultural home, with appropriate traditions, religious observances and role models; developing alternative approaches to the family tree; and facing and addressing anti-ethnic and anti-adoption prejudices.

Alpert, Barbara. Child of My Heart: A Celebration of Adoption. Penguin Putnam. 1999. 179 p. $12.00

In this beautiful celebration of the joys of adoption, Michelle Pfeiffer, Pearl S. Buck, Robert Fulgham, Dave Thomas, and Rosie OíDonnell, among numerous others, both well-known and little-known, share their personal observations and experiences, revealing how adoption has touched and changed their lives.

Babb, L. Anne. Adopting and Advocating for the Special Needs Child: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. Bergin & Garvey. 1997. 253 p. $35.00.

This book bridges the gap between the desire to help a waiting child and the reality of Americaís special needs adoption system. It is designed to be used by adoption professionals and adoptive parents, to help them get started , keep going, and locate whatever additional information and support they need.

Barth, Richard P. and Berry, Marianne. Adoption and Disruption: Rates, Risks, and Responses. Aldine de Gruyter. 1988. 247 p. $26.95.

With a focus on optimizing the potential of older child adoption as a key element in child welfare services, this book analyzes the personal and social values of adoption, and the changing characteristics of adoptive children and families, while providing models of psychosocial adjustment to adoption.

Blau, Eric. Stories of Adoption: Loss and Reunion. Newsage Press. 1993. 131 p. $16.95.

This book offers a rare opportunity for the reader to share the inner feelings of adoptees, birthparents, and adoptive parents who experience

Brodzinsky, David M. Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self. Bantam Doubleday. 1992. 213 p. $12.95.

Being Adopted uses the voices of adoptees themselves to trace how adoption is experienced over a lifetime.

Brodzinsky, David M. Children's Adjustment to Adoption: Developmental and Clinical Issues. Sage Publications. 1998. 142 p. $24.95.

This book is a welcome addition to the current literature on the psychological issues associated with adoption. It will be valuable for professionals in the fields of clinical and counseling psychology, developmental psychology, nursing, social work, health services, and family studies.

Brodzinsky, David M. and Schechter, Marshall D. Psychology of Adoption. Oxford University Press. 1990. 396 p. $39.95.

Theoretical, empirical, clinical, and social policy issues offer new insights into the problems facing parents of adopted children, and the children themselves.

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Carp, E. Wayne. Family Matters: Secrecy and Disclosure in the History of Adoption. Harvard University Press. 1998. 304 p. $ 27.95.

This book cuts through the sealed records, changing policies, and conflicting agendas that have obscured the history of adoption in America and reveals how the practice and attitudes about it have evolved from colonial days to the present.

Cox, Susan Soon-Keum. Voices from Another Place. Yeong and Yeong. 1999. 152 p. $12.00.

This is a collection of essays from a generation born in Korea and adopted

Crumbley, Joseph. Transracial Adoption and Foster Care: Practice Issues for Professionals. CWLA Press. 1999. 158 p. $18.95.

This author, who is a well respected authority on transracial adoption and foster care, describes specific ways that practitioners can work with transracial families to ensure that children develop positive racial and cultural identities.

Culligan, Joseph J. Adoption Searches Made Easier. FJA, Inc. 1996. 368 p. $34.95.

The author's sole purpose of writing this book is to make adoption searches easier. He is a licensed private investigator and has worked on many high profile cases. This book teaches the many techniques used when he investigates adoption cases.

Dorow, Sara. I Wish for You a Beautiful Life: Letters from the Korean Birth Mothers of Ae Ran Won to Their Children. Yeong & Yeong. 1999. 135 p. $18.95.

Ae Ran Won is a home for unwed mothers in Seoul, Korea. Most of the birth mothers choose adoption for their babies, and each is asked to write a letter to her child. Here is a glimpse at some of those letters, an invaluable gift from the birth mothers of Ae Ran Won to Korean adoptive families everywhere. You will not walk away untouched by this book.

Edited. An Educator's Guide to Adoption. Celebrate Adoption, Inc. 1999. 22 p. $7.50.

This guide addresses both casual comments and curriculum that can be problematic for adoptive families - this good common-sense approach can also be applied to other non-traditional families.

Edelstein, Susan B. Children with Prenatal Alcohol and/or Other Drug Exposure: Weighing the Risks of Adoption. CWLA Press. 1995. 105 p. $12.95.

Designed primarily for professionals, this book offers practical suggestions, recommendations, and food for thought for preparing, counseling, and working with \those who are considering adopting an infant or child who has been prenatally exposed to alcohol and/or other drugs.

Eldgridge, Sherrie. Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Parents Knew. Random House. 1999. 223 p. $11.95.

This book gives voice to childrenís unspoken concerns, and shows adoptive parents how to free their kids from feelings of fear, abandonment, and shame.

Mr. Elgart writes a book that is at once very personal and supportive about adoption. He shares his own stories, and those of others who have been where the readers are in their struggle to have a family and in their decision to adopt.

Evans, Karin. Lost Daughters of China. Penguin Putnam. 2000. 270 p. $23.95.

This author explores the emotional and political complexities of an international phenomenon that creates families across the boundaries of culture and geography. She casts light on an important untold story, delving into the underpinnings of an age-old cultural preference for boys, the machinations of the one-child policy, and the growing pains of modern China.

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Federici, Ronald S. Help for the Hopeless Child: A Guide for Families with Special Discussion for Assessing and Treating the Post-Institutionalized Child. Dr. Ronald S. Federici and Associates. 1998. 180 p. $ 26.95.

No one knows the effects of institutionalization on the neuropsychological development of children like Dr. Federici. His guidelines for evaluating and managing newly adopted institutionalized children are invaluable to adoptive parents and adoption professionals.

Field, Christine. Should You Adopt? Baker Book House. 223 p. $ 11.99.

As a former attorney and an adoptive parent, Christine Field is well equipped to sort through the legal concerns and help you work through the myriad of questions you will have before embarking on the adoption journey.

Foge, Leslie and Mosconi, Gail. The Third Choice: A Woman's Guide to Placing a Child for Adoption. Creative Arts Book Company. 1999. 141 p. $14.50.

The guide begins with an overview of the adoption process in this country and then gives input and consideration to women first finding out about their pregnancies.

Franklin, Lynn C. May the Circle Be Unbroken: An Intimate Journey Into the Heart of Adoption. Harmony Books. 1998. 290 p. $24.00.

This is both a poignant memoir of a woman who reunited with a child she gave up for adoption and a no-nonsense book that gives readers an intelligent and well-informed approach to adoption.

Freundlich, Madelyn and Peterson, Lisa. Wrongful Adoption: Law, Policy, & Practice. CWLA Press. 1998. 85 p. $18.95.

This book examines wrongful adoption in four parts: adoption practice in relation to disclosure of childrenís health and other background information, cases that have shaped the ìlawî of wrongful adoption, key policy and practice issues, and recommendations for quality practice.

Gediman, Judith S. Birth Bond: Reunions Between Birthparents and Adoptees: What Happens After....New Horizon Press. 1991. 285 p. $13.95.

This book covers the what, where, why, how and when reunions occur and most significantly what happens after the reunions.

Gilman, Lois. The Adoption Resource Book. Harper. 1998. 576 p. $14.95.

This book contains all the information a couple or an individual needs to investigate adoption alternatives, arrange for and complete a successful adoption, and raise an adoptive family. The author provides details about agencies, home studies, paperwork and legal issues.

Glatz, Janet Clayton. Fostering or Adopting the Troubled Child: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. Audenreed Press. 1998. 151 p. $13.95.

This comprehensive, easy to use reference written by an experienced foster parent of seriously troubled boys and girls ages eight to seventeen is an authoritative resource for parents as well as seasoned childcare professionals.

Godwin, Laura and Raymond. The Complete Adoption Book. Adams. 1997. 551 p. $15.95.

This is the most comprehensive and authoritative adoption resource available. Written for prospective parents as well as adoption professionals, this book will guide you through the entire process, making it straightforward and easy to understand.

Gold, Michael. And Hannah Wept: Infertility, Adoption, and the Jewish Couple. Jewish Publication Society. 1988. 251 p. $17.95.

This book provides technical information as well as emotional support from a Jewish perspective for situations ranging from pregnancy loss to genetic engineering.

Gritter, James L. The Spirit of Open Adoption. CWLA Press. 1997. 314 p. $18.95.

In this beautifully written, highly spiritual book the author shows us that adoption can be so much more. With a primary emphasis on benefiting adoptees, open adoption serves children first by reversing the traditional hierarchy, treating adoptive families as resources for birthfamilies.

Groza, Victor, Ileana, Daniela and Irwin, Ivor. A Peacock or a Crow: Stories, Interviews, and Commentaries on Romanian Adoptions. Williams Custom Publishing. 1999. 195 p. $22.00.

This book is highlighted by stories and personal accounts of the journeys of adopting families. One meets birth families and gets a first-hand feel for severe economic conditions that Romanian families deal with.

Gritter, James L. Adoption Without Fear. Corona Publishing. 1989. 170 p. $8.95.

Seventeen couples tell their emotion-filled experiences with open adoption.

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Hallenbeck, Carol A. Our Child: Preparation for Parenting in Adoption. Our Child Press. 1988. 238 p. $24.95.

This is an instructors guide developed in part by RESOLVE for the purpose of easing the transition from pre-adoptive individuals to a family.

Hopkins-Best, Mary. Toddler Adoption: The Weaver's Craft. Perspectives Press. $15.00.

Explores the unique challenges of parenting a child who arrives in his forever family older than infancy but younger than school age. Issues such as cognitive and emotional immaturity are discussed. Practical tools for smoother transitioning and encouraging attachment are included.

Jacobson, Denise Sherer. The Question of David: A Disabled Mother's Journey Through Adoption, Family, and Life. Creative Arts. 1999. 213 p. $14.95.

This memoir reveals a first-time motherís most intimate emotions, fears, and uncertainties about being a competent mother. These are universal truths all first-time mothers have with the added dimensions that her child is adopted and she has a significant disability.

Jarratt, Claudia Jewett. Helping Children Cope with Separation and Loss. Harvard. 1994. 232 p. $12.95.

Here is a compassionate, step-by-step guidance for any concerned adult who wants to help a child talk about, cope with, and recover from a loss. In this revised edition of a best-selling work, this author offers warm advice, specific techniques, and innovative ideas for helping children overcome the sadness, anger, and anxiety they feel during a difficult time.

Jewett, Claudia L. Adopting the Older Child. Harvard Common Press. 1979. 308 p. $16.95.

Hundreds of thousands of children in this country are without permanent homes right now, waiting in foster homes and institutions for families who could adopt them. The author of this book explains just what is in store for those who decide to open their hearts to a waiting child.

Johnston, Patricia Irwin. Launching a Babyís Adoption: Practical Strategies for Parents and Professionals. Perspectives Press. 1997. 256 p. $15.00 & $22.95.

Here is your guide to getting ready for adoption...to the psychological pregnancy that will help you prepare a place in your heart, in your home, in your relationship, in your family, in your life for a child who will be all yours.

Johnston, Patricia Irwin. Perspectives on a Grafted Tree: Thoughts for Those Touched by Adoption. Perspectives Press. 144 p. $14.95.

This book has been arranged in ten sections. The works of 65 authors, some widely recognized and some never before published, from 22 states and four countries are featured. Poets include birth parents, adoptive parents, adoptees, other members of families expanded by adoption, and friends of those touched by adoption.

Johnston, Patricia Irwin. Adopting After Infertility. Perspectives Press. 1992. 317 p. $14.00.

This book takes a look at the lifelong impact of the choice to adopt by couples who have experienced infertility. Johnston works through the process of examining different styles of adoption and considers the placement of children of various ages and abilities and ethnicityís as family building options. The book also talks about adoption and its impact on the family over lifetimes.

Johnston, Patricia Irwin. An Adoptorís Advocate. Perspectives Press. 1984. 84 p. $6.95.

Some of this bookís purposes include correcting misunderstandings about infertility and traditional adoption, bringing out into the open carefully concealed fears and doubts that preadoptive parents experience, helping couples and counselors understand the emotional processes that connect infertility and adoption, and to offer some suggestions for improving the system for the benefit of all concerned.

Jones, Cheryl. The Adoption Sourcebook: A Complete Guide to the Complex Legal, Financial, and Emotional Maze of Adoption. Lowell House. 1998. 208 p. $15.95.

This is an invaluable step-by-step guide through the maze of adoption, from making the initial decision through bringing home a new baby, and beyond.

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Kaeser, Gigi. Of Many Colors: Portraits of Multiracial Families. University of Massachusetts Press. 1997. 142 p. $19.95.

Based on an award-winning photo exhibit, this book documents the feelings and experiences of Americans who live in multiracial families.

Keck, Gregory C. and Kupecky, Regina M. Adopting the Hurt Child: Hope for Families with Special-Needs Kids. Pinon Press. 1995. 255 p. $ 20.00.

This book explains how trauma and interruptions affect childrenísí normal development and often severely undermine their capacity to function in a loving family and in society.

Kinn, Gail. Be My Baby: Parents and Children Talk About Adoption. Workman. 134 p. $27.50.

This book is infused with the conviction of adoptive parents that they and their children were meant to be. In their own words, parents consider and speak about how their families came together, and how theyíre coming along.

Klatzkin, Amy. A Passage to the Heart: Writings from Families with Children From China. Yeong and Yeong. 1999. 341 p. $19.95.

This is an invaluable resource for any family who has adopted or is planning to adopt from China. It gathers together more than one hundred articles published over the past few years in the regional newsletters of the leading Chinese-adoption support group, Families with Children from China, and similar organizations across the United States, Canada, and Britain.

Klose, Robert. Adopting Alyosha: A Single Man Finds a Son in Russia. University Press of Mississippi. 1999. 165 p. $22.00.

This is the first book to be written by a single man adopting from abroad. The narrative of his quest serves as a firsthand instructional manual for single men wanting to adopt. It details the prospective fatherís heightening sense of anticipation as he untangles bureaucratic snarls and addresses cultural differences involved in adopting a foreign child.

Knoll, Jean and Murphy, Mary-Kate. International Adoption: Sensitive Advice for Prospective Parents. Chicago Review Press. 1994. 198 p. $12.95.

The difficult times, promising moments, and eventual joy of international adoption are all accounted for in this honest and encouraging guide. Excerpts from an inspiring journal show a real mother-to-be filling out forms, confronting racism and red tape, packing baby gear, visiting a foreign place, and returning home with a beautiful baby girl.

Koenig, Mary Ann. Sacred Connections: Stories of Adoption. Running Press. 2000. 128 p. $27.95.

Features 24 stories of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. These are people from all over the world who share the experience of finding the sacred connections in their lives.

Koh, Frances M. Adopted from Asia: How It Feels to Grow Up in America. East West Press. 1993. 95 p. $17.95.

A collection of rich personal stories of eleven adopted Korean-born children. Their stories are moving and insightful accounts of what it means to be adopted from Asia and to grow up on America.

Komar, Miriam. Communicating with the Adopted Child. Walker. 1991. 282 p. $12.95.

Adoptive parents and professionals dealing with adoptees have welcomed this guide, which offers practical help in grappling with a wide range of difficult issues facing these children at different stages of their lives.

Krementz, Jill. How It Feels to Be Adopted. Random House. 1999. 107 p. $15.00.

In these wonderfully straightforward accounts of what it means to children to be adopted, nineteen boys and girls, from eight to sixteen years old - and from every social background - confide their feelings about this crucial fact of their lives.

Lancaster, Kathy. Keys to Adopting a Child. Barronís. 1994. 194 p. $6.95.

This book will show you new options in adopting a child, tell you how to work with adoption agencies and agents, describe confidential, open, and semi-open adoptions, discuss adopting different types of children, and more.

Lancaster, Kathy. Keys to Parenting an Adopted Child. Barronís. 1996. 196 p. $6.95.

Practical, expert advice is offered on the rewards and challenges connected with raising an adopted child. The author presents techniques for raising happy, well-adjusted children; blending adopted children into the family; answering children's questions about adoption; and much more.

Lifton, Betty Jean. Lost and Found: The Adoption Experience-Updated Edition With a New Afterword. Harper & Row. 1988. 321 p. $9.95.

This is an eloquent exploration of the psychological issues faced by adoptees and by all children who have been separated from a parent and denied the right to know their true origins.

Lifton, Betty Jean. Journey of the Adopted Self: A Quest for Wholeness. Basic Books. 1994. 328 p. $16.00.

This book has become a bible to adoptees and to those who would understand the adoption experience. It explores the inner world of the adopted person. It shows how both the symbolic and the literal search for roots becomes a crucial part of the journey toward wholeness.

Lindsay, Caroline Hassinger. Nothing Good Ever Happens: An Adoption Love Story. Child and Family Press. 1996. 107 p. $14.95.

This is the first-person story of an adoption that took 10 years to complete. The story recounts the adopted childís story of her struggle to become secure with her new parents and her relationship with friends, siblings, and other relatives, as well as social workers, counselors, teachers, psychiatrists, lawyers, and judges.

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Martin, Cynthia D. and Groves, Dru Martin. Beating the Adoption Odds: Using Your Head and Your Heart to Adopt. Harcourt Brace. 1998. 590 p. $16.00.

You can do adoption right with the help of this authoritative and refreshingly candid guide. The authors combine their extensive personal and professional experience with adoption to help you take charge of the adoption process.

Martin, Deborah L. An Annotated Guide to Adoption Research. CWLA Press. 1998. 358 p. $24.95.

This compendium presents approximately 850 abstracts of qualitative and quantitative adoption research conducted and/or published from 1986 through 1997. The research encompasses clinical and nonclinical samples, case studies, longitudinal studies, epidemiological studies, grounded theory, experimental, and single subject research.

Maskew, Trish. Our Own: Adopting and Parenting the Older Child. Snowcap Press. 1999. 284 p. $23.95.

An adoptive mother draws on her own experiences, extensive research, and interviews with adoptive families, grown adoptees, and professionals to create a memorable collection of practical tips, advice, and real-life stories for anyone who is adopting, or hopes to adopt, an older child.

Melina, Lois Ruskai. Raising Adopted Children: Practical, Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent. Harper. 373 p. $13.00.

Lois Melina brings the adoption community this new up-to-date version of her best-selling book. Wonderful resource to draw from concerning all stages of the adopted childís development.

Melina, Lois Ruskai. Making Sense of Adoption: A Parentís Guide. Harper & Row. 1989. 277 p. $12.00.

Children who are adopted have predictable and often unspoken concerns about themselves and how they joined their families. In this guide, the author helps parents anticipate and respond to those concerns in ways that build self-esteem.

Minshew, Deborah H. & Hooper Chrisan. The Adoptive Family as a Healing Resource for the Sexually Abused Child: A Training Manual. CWLA Press. 1990. 87 p. $14.95.

This training manual helps adoptive families prepare for the challenges of parenting sexually abused children, including teaching them how to integrate the adoptee successfully into their own family system and advice on the management of inappropriate sexual behavior.

Moorman, Margaret. Waiting to Forget: A Motherhood Lost and Found. W.W. Norton and Co. 1996. 214 p. $13.00.

This is Ms. Moormanís memoir of two very different pregnancies, twenty-five years apart. The first, when she was sixteen, was secretive and profoundly traumatic. Without the resources to rear a child, she relinquished her newborn son for adoption. The second, when she was forty-one, was an experience of almost transcendent joy, but soon she found herself afraid to be apart from her baby daughter.

Morrison, Grace. To Love and Let Go. Pillar Press. 1983. 221 p. $14.95.

Eloquent in its simplicity, this book reveals the fallibility of deeply caring foster parents who sometimes fall victim to their own feelings and consequent failure of insight/foresight. It describes the problems inherent in the juvenile court system, schools and other bureaucracies.

National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE). How to Make Adoption an Affordable Option. 1997. 76 p. $5.95.

This book is for people who would like to consider adoption but are reluctant because they believe that the process is too expensive. In this booklet, youíll find out about expenses common to most adoptions, as well as those that are unique to the adoption of waiting children, to independent adoptions, and to international adoptions.

Newman, Janis Cooke. The Russian Word for Snow: A True Story of Adoption. St. Martinís Press. 2001. 232 p. $22.95.

This is one womanís story of going to Russia to adopt a little boy and experiencing the passions of falling in love with a child. It is a heartfelt unforgettable story.

Oliver-Rehorn, Marcy. The Adoption Directory. Cherub Publishing. 1998. 136 p. $12.95.

This directory encompasses all types of adoption services and methods available which enables you to make an informed decision on which professionals you should include in your adoption plan.

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Pavao, Joyce Maguire. The Family of Adoption. Beacon Press. 1998. 138 p. $14.00.

This book demonstrates that there are predictable and understandable developmental stages and challenges for all adopted people. It shows us why adoptive parents, as well as all who work with children, must come to understand these stages as normal - though challenging - for adopted children.

Peck, Cynthia V. and Wilkinson, Wendy. Parents at Last: Celebrating Adoption and the New Pathways to Parenthood. Clarkson Potter. 1998. 160 p. $27.50.

In words and photographs, this book celebrates 32 couples and individuals who persevered in their quest to become parents, often in the face of formidable odds.

Pertman, Adam. Adoption Nation: How the Adoption Revolution is Transforming America. Basic Books. 2000. 258 p. $25.00.

Provides valuable insights into the pleasures and perils of adoption. The author lays out the ways in which policymakers should revise our laws to improve the process of adoption and remove the obstacles that keep the children who most need permanent homes from getting them.

Petertyl, Mary E. International Adoption Travel Journal. Folio One Publishing. 1997. $24.00.

This wonderful journal was designed with your special trip in mind. With six separate separate sections organized in meaningful categories and fill-in-the-blank format, you will find this unique journal an invaluable keepsake to record your trip of a lifetime.

Rappaport, Bruce M. The Open Adoption Book. Macmillan Publishing. 1992. 195 p. $13.95.

Documenting answers with extensive personal experience and research, Dr. Rappaport paints a reassuring yet realistic picture of the open adoption process. The result is a highly informative, deeply moving book that will help many people realize the greatest joy life can offer.

Register, Cheri. Are Those Kids Yours?: American Families with Children Adopted from Other Countries. Free Press. 1991. 240 p. $24.95.

This book addresses many central questions about international adoption: why children are in need of adoption outside the country of their birth, why parents choose to adopt from other countries and much more.

Reitz, Miriam and Watson, Kenneth W. Adoption and the Family System. Guilford Press. 1992. 340 p. $36.00.

The authors of this book utilize family systems theory to construct a practical treatment approach for working with families on the myriad issues and Interrelationships that surround adoption.

Robinson, Grace. Older Child Adoption. Crossroad Publishing. 1998. 179 p. $17.95.

Thirty families share their experiences and insights on family-making with children adopted over the age of two.

Roles, Patricia. Saying Goodbye to a Baby: Volume 1-The Birthparent's Guide to Loss and Grief in Adoption. CWLA Press. 1989. 92 p. $ 12.95.

This moving book deals with birth parent grief at many different stages. Contents include the original adoption decision, living with the decision, the adoption triangle, searching and reunions, guilt and anger when looking back, and when to get counseling.

Roles, Patricia. Saying Goodbye to a Baby: Volume 2-A Counselorís Guide to Birthparent Loss and Grief in Adoption. CWLA Press. 1989. 34 p. $10.95.

This manual for the professional gives guidelines and practical information on how counselors can help birth parent clients who choose the adoption option - before, during, and after the decision.

Rosenberg, Elinor B. The Adoption Life Cycle: The Children and Their Families Through the Years. Free Press. 1992. 209 p. $ 27.95.

This is the first book to take into account all the issues surrounding the adoption debate. The author throws light on what adoption means for adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents at every stage of life.

Rosenberg, Shelley Kapnek. Adoption and the Jewish Family. Jewish Publication Society. 1998. 298 p. $19.95.

This book takes an informed look at the adoption process from a Jewish perspective, and will prepare readers for the many unforeseen challenges that may arise.

Russell, Marlou. Adoption Wisdom: A Guide to the Issues and Feelings of Adoption. Broken Branch Productions. 1996. 204 p. $14.95.

This guide offers insight and understanding of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. It includes chapters on adoption awareness, the basic truths of adoption, search and reunion, and an ideal adoption. This is a book for anyone who wants to know more about the realities of adoption.

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Sandmaier, Marian and Family Services of Burlington County. When Love is Not Enough: How Mental Health Professionals Can Help Special-Needs Adoptive Families. CWLA Press. 1988. 82 p. $9.95.

Family Services of Burlington County is a private, nonprofit mental health agency in New Jersey. Since 1983, they have provided counseling and therapy services to families and children during and after the adoption process. This book grew out of its wish to share with other clinical services the knowledge and skills gained in serving several hundred families.

Schaefer, Carol. The Other Mother: A True Story - A Womanís Love for the Child She Gave Up for Adoption. Soho Press, Inc. 1991. $12.95.

This story is a remarkable portrayal of what it is really like to relinquish a child for adoption.

Schaffer, Judith and Lindstrom, Christina. How to Raise an Adopted Child. Crown Publishers. 1989. 310 p. $18.95.

This is a comprehensive "how-to" book that anticipates nearly every possible situation adoptive parents may encounter. Recognizing that adopted children differ in many ways from birth children, the authors tell parents what they need to know before - and after - adoption.

Schooler, Jayne E. The Whole Life Adoption Book. Pinon Press. 1993. 216 p. $15.00.

This book will give hope and direction to those considering adoption and to those desiring to improve and develop the adoptive family relationship at any stage.

Silber, Kathleen and Dorner, Patricia Martinez. Children of Open Adoption. Corona Publishing Co. 1989. 193 p. $10.95.

For nearly a decade, open adoption has been rapidly gaining ground, replacing the sealed records and the secrecy and shame that were for so long attached to the subject. Examining scores of actual adoption experiences, they focus, in separate chapters, on infants, preschoolers, school-age children, and teenagers.

Silbert, Kathleen and Speedlin, Phylis. Dear Birthmother. Corona Publishing. 1991. 193 p. $10.95.

This book explores some of the myths in adoption and details the evolution of open adoption, from letter exchanges to face-to-face meetings and ongoing contact. This book has had a tremendous effect on adoption practice nationwide, resulting in a significant shift from traditional adoption to open adoption.

Smith, Jerome. The Realities of Adoption. Madison Books. 1997. 158 p. $ 14.95.

Here social worker and professor Jerome Smith examines the many controversies associated with adoption practice, which has changed dramatically in the past twenty years. He discusses issues such as openness in adoption, the role of the birth father, transracial adoption, and children's rights.

Smolowe, Jill. An Empty Lap: One Coupleís Journey to Parenthood. Simon and Schuster. 1997. 275 p. $14.00.

Honest and intimate, this book is as much a window on a marriage as on a high-stakes baby chase. Compelling, beautifully told and as insightful as a novel, it ís filled with emotions that anyone who has yearned for a child will recognize.

Sullivan, Ann. Adoption and Privatization: An Issue Brief. CWLA Press. 33 p. $8.95.

This issue brief presents background information on privatization and examines the key issue of monitoring; considers the privatization of adoption; addresses the relationship between privatization and managed care.

Sullivan, Michael R. and Schultz, Susan. Adopt the Baby You Want. Simon and Schuster. 1992. 272 p. $10.00.

With more that two million Americans wanting to adopt and fewer babies available than ever before, the process of adoption is lengthy, expensive, and virtually impossible for many. However, there are healthy babies out there and Michael Sullivan will show you how to find them.

Sweet, O. Robin and Bryan, Patty. Adopt International: Everything You Need to Know to Adopt a Child from Abroad. Farrah, Straus and Giroux. 1996. 365 p. $16.00.

This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step advice on everything from selecting an adoption agency to traveling abroad to pick up your child to adjusting to a new life at home.

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Tessler, Richard. West Meets East: Americans Adopt Chinese Children. Bergin & Garvey. 1999. 189 p. $ 18.95.

This book was conceived as an opportunity to document some of the issues confronting Americans who adopted children from the Peopleís Republic of China in the 1990s. The book is based on a survey of 526 parents with children from China that was conducted in 1996.

Turner, Carole S. Adoption Journeys: Parents Tell Their Stories. McBooks Press. 1999. 237 p. $23.95.

This book chronicles eleven stories of adoptive parents - from married couples struggling with infertility, to single women, a gay couple, and foster parents - all of them helping to reshape what ìfamilyî means today.

Van Gulden, Holly and Bartels-Rabb, Lisa. Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the Adopted Child. Crossroad Publishing. 1999. 279 p. $14.95.

A leading authority offers practical advice for parents on how to talk with their children about adoption and how to help them through the rougher times of growing up adopted.

Varon, Lee. Adopting on Your Own: The Complete Guide to Adopting as a Single Parent. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2000. 392 p. $15.00.

Helps you decide whether adoption is right for you, leads you through the various stages of arranging and financing the adoption, weighs the advantages of international versus domestic adoption for the single parent and much more.

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Verrier, Nancy Newton. The Primal Wound: Understanding the Adopted Child. Gateway Press. 1993. 231 p. $15.00.

This book in its application of information about pre-and perinatal psychology, attachment, bonding, and loss, clarifies the effects of separation from the birthmother on adopted children.

Wadia-Ells, Susan. The Adoption Reader: Birth Mothers, Adoptive Mothers and Adopted Daughters Tell Their Stories. Seal Press. 1995. $16.95.

With eloquence and conviction, more than thirty birth mothers, adoptive mothers and adopted daughters explore what is a deeply emotional, sometimes controversial and always compelling experience that affects millions of families and individuals.

Watkins, Mary and Fisher, Susan. Talking with Young Children About Adoption. Yale University Press. 1993. 257 p. $15.00.

In this insightful and sympathetic book, a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist, both adoptive mothers, prepare parents for conversations with their children about adoption.

Webber, Marlene. As If Kids Mattered: What's Wrong in the World of Child Protection and Adoption. Key Porter Books. 1998. 238 p. $15.95.

This is a remarkably comprehensive and clear-eyed portrait of child welfare and adoption in North America. Marlene Webber, a respected Canadian writer on social issues and an adoptive parent, traveled the continent, meeting modern adoptive families and learning their stories.

Wheeler, Kathleen and Werner, Doug. Adopting in China: A Practical Guide/An Emotional Journey. Tracks Publishing. 1999. 143 p. $11.95.

This book is a resource guide for people interested in adopting in China - what to do, who to see and how much it will cost. It simplifies and explains important information about a sometimes mysterious subject. It is also a personal story of a middle-aged coupleís quest to become parents - why and how they made the decision and what went on before, during and after the trip to China.

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Adler, C.S. Youn Hee & Me. Harcourt Brace. 1995. 183 p. $5.00.

Caitlin finds out that bringing her adopted Korean brother'ís eleven-year-old sister into their home requires patience and understanding, but gradually they become a real family.

Angel, Ann. Real for Sure Sister. Perspectives Press. 1988. 72 p. $12.95.

A racially mixed family of adopted siblings prepares for the arrival of a biracial baby named Stevi.

Bang, Molly. Goose. Scholastic. 1996. $10.95.

Adopted by woodchucks at birth, a baby goose never feels she truly belongs - until the day she discovers she can fly.

Bauer, Cat. Harley Like a Person. Winslow Press. 2000. 248 p. $6.95.

Fourteen-year-old Harley, an artistic teenager living with her alcoholic father and angry mother, suspects that she is adopted and begins a search for her biological parents.

Blomquist, Geraldine. Zachary's New Home: A Story for Foster and Adopted Children. Magination Press. 1990. $8.95.

Zachary still remembers his ìrealî parents and finds that adjusting to life as Marie and Tomís adopted son is sometime a painful reality.

.Boyd, Brian. When You Were Born in Korea. Yeong and Yeong. 44 p. $16.00.

This keepsake book for children from Korea explores what their lives might have been like before they came to the U.S. The book helps answer questions about why the children needed a home, where they lived, who took care of them, and how they came to live with their new families.

Brodzinsky, Anne Braff. Mulberry Bird: An Adoption Story-Revised. Perspectives Press. 1996. $16.00.

Although she loves her baby very much, a young mother bird chooses adoption because she is unable to give him the home which he needs.

Burlingham-Brown, Barbara. "Why Didn't She Keep Me?": Answers to the Question Every Adopted Child Asks... Langford Books. 1998. 169 p. $12.95.

Every adopted child, no matter how well loved by adoptive parents, seeks some kind of answer to the question that is the title of this book. Here are some real-life answers meant for anyone whose life is affected by adoption, especially those already involved in the adoption triad.

Bunin, Catherine and Sherry. Is That Your Sister?: A True Story of Adoption. Our Child Press. 31 p. $14.95.

An adopted six-year-old girl tells about adoption and how she and her adopted sister feel about it.

Bunting, Eve. Jin Woo. Houghton Mifflin. 2001. 30 pages. $16.00

Davey is dubious about having a new adopted brother from Korea, but when he finds out that his parents still love him, he decides that having a baby brother will be fine.

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Caines, Jeannette. Abby. Harper Collins. 1973. $5.95.

Abby loves her baby book and hearing again and again about how she was adopted. It hurts her feelings when her big brother doesnít want to read it with her. But when Abby makes her hurt known, Kevin shows his true affection - he'll even take Abby to school for show and tell.

Caldwell, V.M. The Ocean Within. Milkweed Editions. 1999. 275 p. $6.95.

When Elizabeth, an eleven-year-old foster child, is adopted by the boisterous, openly affectionate Sheridan family, it is Grandma who decides to use a fresh approach in trying to help her connect with her new family.

Czech, Jan M. An American Face. Child and Family Press. 2000. $8.95.

Adopted from Korea by American parents, Jessie excitedly waited for the day he will get his American citizenship and, he thinks, an American face.

Cole, Joanna. How I Was Adopted. William Morrow. $5.95.

A young girl tells the story of how she came to be her parentsí child through adoption.

Coran, Pierre. Family Tree. Carolrhoda. 1997. $15.95.

A girl describes her relatives from Great-grandmother Allegra through aunts and uncles to her cousins and her own special place on the family tree.

Cronin, Gay Lynn. Two Birthdays for Beth. Perspectives Press. $14.00.

After waiting for months for a second birthday celebration because she is adopted, a young girl is initially disappointed - until she realized how lucky she is.

Curtis, Jamie Lee. Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born. Harper Collins. 1999. $6.95 and $14.95.

A girl asks her parents to tell her again the cherished family story about her birth and adoption.

D'Antonio, Nancy. Our Baby from China: An Adoption Story. Albert Whitman. 1997. $13.95.

Photographs and simple text tell the story of one familyís journey to China to meet their new daughter.

Doherty, Berlie. The Snake-Stone. Orchard Books. 1996. 166 p. $17.99.

While searching for his birthmother, fifteen-year-old James, a championship diver, discovers who his real parents are and where his real home is.

Dorow, Sara. When You Were Born in China. Yeong and Yeong. 1997. 42 p. $16.00.

This memory book for children presents a realistic portrayal of adoption in China. It helps children understand the one-child policy, how difficult it is for birth parents to say goodbye, what orphanage life was like and the joy adoptive parents feel when the meet their child.

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Gabel, Susan. Filling in the Blanks: A Guided Look at Growing Up Adopted. Perspectives Press. 1988. 158 p. $15.00.

Appropriate for children adopted as infants and those adopted at an older age; for parent couples and single adoptors; for those whose adoptions were facilitated by agencies or those which were independent; for domestic or international adoptions running the spectrum from traditional and closed to the most innovative and open.

Gabel, Susan. Where the Sun Kisses the Sea. Perspectives Press. 1989. $15.95.

A little boy living in an orphanage dreams of finding a forever family where all the children share the same family name.

Giannetti, Charlene. Who Am I? And Other Questions of Adopted Kids. Price Stern Sloan. 1999. 95 p. $4.99.

It's not always easy being adopted - especially during the teen years when you begin to have lots of questions about yourself and your adoption. In this book, youíll hear straight talk from other adopted kids and young adults who understand how confusing it all can be.

Girard, Linda Walvoord. We Adopted You, Benjamin Koo. Albert Whitman. 1989. $5.95.

Nine-year-old Benjamin Koo Andrews, adopted from Korea as an infant, describes what itís like to grow up adopted from another country.

Girard, Linda Walvoord. Adoption is for Always. Albert Whitman. $10.95 and $4.95.

Although Celia reacts to having been adopted with anger and insecurity, her parents help her accept her feelings and celebrate their love for her by making her adoption day a family holiday. Includes factual information about the adoption process.

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Henderson, Patti. A Blessing from Above. Golden Books. 1999. $9.95.

Momma-Roo longs for a baby to fill her empty pouch. Her dream comes true, but not in the way she expects.

Herbert, S. Latisha. The Visit. CWLA. 1991. $12.95.

A young girl experiences mixed feelings of joy and sadness when visiting her birth siblings who are in a different foster home.

Herbert, Stefon. I Miss My Foster Parents. CWLA. 1991. $12.95.

A brother and sister express their sadness and fear at leaving their foster parents to live with new adoptive parents.

Herbert, Stephanie. Being Adopted. CWLA. 1991. $12.95.

A young girl hopes to meet her birth mother, while acknowledging the love she feels from and for her adoptive parents.

Hicks, Randall B. Adoption Stories for Young Children. WordSlinger Press. 1995. $8.95.

This is a touching and fun story about adoption for children. Told from the perspective of a five year old boy, we meet his many friends and neighbors. They all come from different walks of life, but they have one thing in common - their families were all created through adoption.

Johnston, Julie. Adam and Eve and Pinch-Me. Penguin. 180 p. $4.99.

Fifteen-year-old Sara Moone, abandoned at birth and shunted from one foster home to another, finds that she cannot remain aloof from her latest family.

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Karvoskaia, Natacha. Dounia. Kane/Miller. 1995. $13.95.

A very young girl doesnít dare touch, speak, or talk her first night in her new home. But she is sure she will dare the next day.

Kasza, Keiko. A Mother for Choco. Penguin Putnam. 1992. $5.99.

A lonely little bird named Choco goes in search of a mother who looks just like her and finds a mama bear to love. A heartwarming story about love and adoption and single parenthood.

Katz, Karen. Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale. Henry Holt. $15.95.

This is a beautiful and colorful story about a mom and dad who have dreamed of having their own child, and their journey to go and pick up their little baby. This book has a magical quality about it and is truly a bedtime story to be shared between parent and child.

Keller, Holly. Horace. William Morrow. 1991. $4.95 and $13.95.

Horace, an adopted animal with spots in a family of stripes, realizes that being part of a family depends on how you feel and not how you look.

Kirk, David. Little Miss Spider. Scholastic. 1999. $12.95.

On her very first day of life, Little Miss Spider searches for her mother and finds love in an unexpected place.

Koch, Janice. Our Baby: a Birth and Adoption Story. Perspectives Press. 1985. 30 pages. $12.00.

This book explains how babies are created by birth parents and how some parents adopt babies to be their very own.

Koehler, Phoebe. The Day We Met You. Simon and Schuster. 1997. $5.99.

Mom and Dad recount the exciting day when they adopted their baby.

Koh, Frances M. A China Adoption Story: Mommy, Why Do We Look Different?. East West Press. 2000. $15.95. Ages 5-10.

Kraus, Joanna. Tall Boy's Journey. Carolrhoda Books. 1992. 48 p. $5.95.

When Kim Moo Yong, a Korean orphan boy, is adopted by an American couple and makes the long journey by plane to their house, he finds it a strange and terrifying experience, until he begins to adjust to his new way of life.

Lewis, Rose. I Live You Like Crazy Cakes. Little, Brown. 2000. $14.95.

A woman describes how she went to China to adopt a special baby girl. Based on the author's own experiences.

London, Jonathan. A Koala for Katie: An Adoption Story. Albert Whitman. 1993. $4.95.

On a trip to the zoo, Katie gets a special present that helps her realize how much her adoptive parents love her.

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McCully, Emily Arnold. My Real Family. Harcourt Brace. 1994. $13.95.

Sarah, convinced that she is adopted, runs away from the Bear Family Theater to find her ìreal parents.

McCutcheon, John. Happy Adoption Day!. Little, Brown. 1996. $15.95.

Parents celebrate the day on which they adopted their child and continue to reassure the new addition to their family that they are wanted, loved, and very special.

Miller, Kathryn Ann. Did My First Mother Love Me?: A Story for an Adopted Child. Morning Glory Press. 1994. $5.95.

Morgan's adoptive mother reassures her that she is loved by reading a letter written by her birthmother. Includes a section: ìTalking with your child about adoption.

Miner, Chalise. Rain Forest Girl: More Than an Adoption Story. Mitchell Lane Publishers. 1998. 48 p. $12.95.

A young girl describes her experiences before and after she leaves her mother and grandmother in Brazil to live with the American family who adopts her.

Molnar-Fenton, Stephan. An Mei's Strange and Wondrous Journey. DK. 1998. $15.95.

Six-year-old An Mei tells the story of how she was born in China and came to live in America.

Nystrom, Carolyn. Mario's Big Question:Where Do I Belong-A Child's Guide Through Adoption. Lion Publishing. 1987. 44 p. $8.95.

In this helpful and reassuring book, Mario finds answers to many of his questions. Carolyn Nystrom is an adoptive parent and has cared for foster children from a variety of backgrounds.

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Patterson, Eleanora. Twice Upon-a-Time: Born and Adopted. EP Press. 1987. $6.95.

Describes, in simple text and illustrations, both the biological and social beginnings of adopted children.

Peacock, Carol A. Mommy Far, Mommy Near: An Adoption Story. Albert Whitman. 2000. $14.95.

Elizabeth, who was born in China, describes the family who has adopted her and tries to sort out her feelings for her unknown birth mother.

Pellegrini, Nina. Families Are Different. Holiday House. 1991. $16.95.

This is the story of a girl named Nico who is concerned because