Books About Adoption

For children adopted at any age and from any country, All About Adoption explores the what, how, and why of adoption, as well as the many feelings kids can experience as they grow up. For parents, an extensive afterword discusses the unique practical and emotional dimensions of adoptive children and their families, with suggestions for ways to answer the most challenging questions.

This original song is for those who might like to mark a special anniversary in their family’s life — adoption day. The thoughtful lyrics emphasize the joy and wonder that come along with welcoming a new family member.

Horace, a leopard, is the adopted son of tiger parents. As Horace grows older, he begins to wonder whether he really belongs with his adopted family, especially since he has spots and they have stripes. After running away and experiencing some misadventures, Horace realizes that his spots make him special — and that no one loves him as much as his parents do.

“I don’t have your eyes, but I have your way of looking at things…” begins this uplifting book celebrating the differences within families as well as the similarities that connect them. Lovely illustrations depict children and parents from a wide variety of backgrounds sharing special moments together.

"Why was I adopted? What was it like where I was born? How did you find me?" Children have many questions about adoption. With a perceptive text and dynamic photographs of adopted children and their families, this book answers several questions about adoption for young children and celebrate the joy that comes with adding to a family.

In this view of China adoption from a child’s perspective, eight-year-old Ying Ying Fry, a Chinese-American girl growing up in San Francisco, returns to her orphanage to remember what it is like and to write a story to help other adopted children will understand where they came from. Kids Like Me in China combines real-life photos with the feelings of an adopted child as she meets caregivers and befriends children in the city where her life began. A child of two countries, Ying Ying is determined to claim both as her own.

This book encourages families to talk about feelings — especially ones surrounding adoption. Rogers presents a simple look at three adoptive families and explores the birthparent dynamic through the perspective of the children and adults involved. Let's Talk About It shows that a range of emotions occur in all families, and imparts the message that love exists within every family.

Children are sometimes upset to discover that they have been adopted. This book helps young children understand adoption and explores emotional issues and questions from kids of preschool through early school age. Written by a psychotherapist and child counselor, this is part of a series that promotes positive interaction among children, parents, and teachers.

Pablo can’t wait to visit his abeulito for his birthday. His grandfather decorates Pablo’s special tree, planted when he was adopted. Pablo’s special tree and its surprises are presented in rich illustrations and gentle text.

Rosie’s Family is a story about belonging in a family regardless of differences. Rosie is a beagle who was adopted by schnauzers. She feels different from the rest of her family, including her brother, who is the biological child of her parents, and asks many of the questions that children who were adopted have.

Join Rosa as she navigates her mother’s grief over her impending open adoption, meets the family who will adopt her baby brother, and learns ways to cope with her own feelings of loss. Like so many birth siblings, Rosa embarks on a quest to accept that, even though she won’t live with her brother, she will always be Sam’s sister.

A beautiful adoption story, Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born speaks to the universal childhood desire to know more about the excitement, awe, love, and sleeplessness that a new baby brings to a family. Spanish version also available.

Mom and Dad recount the exciting day when they adopted their baby. This is the perfect book to encourage retellings of your child's homecoming story.

Mr. Goose lovingly builds a nest and hatches a scaly-skinned, spiky-tailed ‘green goose’ who calls him Mama. Mr. Goose is a wonderful parent and showers his child with unconditional love and acceptance. However, the other chicks quickly point out the baby’s differences. The little green goose tries to find a mother who looks like him, but soon comes to realize where he truly belongs.

Based on the author’s life, this simple yet profound book is about the pair of moccasins that a child receives from his foster mother. Through the moccasins, the child’s mother encourages him to take pride in his Ktunaxa (First Nations) heritage. Earl Einarson dedicates this book to “all foster parents who give of themselves and provide love when it is most needed.”

In this enchanting story from Grace Lin, a king and queen try to find the cause of their mysterious heartache. Finally, an old peddler discovers that someone far away is tugging at their hearts with an invisible red thread. In order to discover who that someone is and cure their heartache, the king and queen must follow the red thread to its end. Based on an ancient Chinese belief that an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to be together, this beautiful book will resonate with adopted children and families alike.

The Tummy Mummy’s journey is guided by a wise and majestic owl who leads the reader along a path of deeper understanding, honoring all members of the adoption triad. The Tummy Mummy will inspire children of adoption as it sensitively and beautifully portrays the thoughts and feelings of birthmothers and adoptive parents.

A little girl is very excited because now she has a baby brother — an adopted baby brother. A few years earlier, she too had been adopted. Like the children in this story, adopted kids learn that their adoptive parents wanted them very much, and love them very dearly. As preschool and early-grades children read these book, they will be encouraged to explore their own feelings and find answers to a wide array of questions.

We Belong Together explores the ways that people can choose to come together to make a family by showing one perspective on the adoption experience.

As the parents explain how they waited and searched and hoped for Enrique, the illustrations show the boy during several milestones of his life, beginning with his high school graduation on the title page and moving back through his life with his adoptive parents: catching the school bus, getting measles, fishing with his father.