Adoption Books

My daughter is also adopted from China. She just turned 9 years old and I got her this book for Christmas. We just read it together tonight and it is really beautiful. The paintings in the book are just amazing and she felt as though the story was about her and told how she felt. She LOVES the book. I highly recommend it. It's a special book to keep forever.

My daughter, age 7, was completely entranced by this book and then suddenly she said, "Mom! This girl is just like me! Except I don't play soccer. "Three Names of Me is a gorgeous book that fills us with a sense of China-home and instills such hope and love for the future. It would be quite impossible to convince my daughter this book wasn't intended solely for her. Especially after reading Ada's symbol for her first name; the one beyond "her remembering" - Ada chose a beautiful red star. My daughter's middle name is Mei-Xing, which means beautiful star. Mei-Xing is certain Three Names of Me was written just for her. It is her new prized possession.

This book was very appropriate for our family. My daughter is 7 years old, and I adopted her from China when she was 10 months. She is very curious about her origins, including her birth mom. This book directly addresses the fact that in addition to a Chinese name and, in many cases, a newly given name when adopted, you also have a third name which was "whispered" by your birth mom. So my only caveat would be to read this book before reading it with your child to be sure that you are both ready to deal with the questions and emotions that are surely to follow.

We purchased this book along with several others that address Asian adoption. We have kept this one back to give to our daughter when she is a bit older and can grasp the concept of adoption better. Until then, we are using books geared more toward toddlers and early elementary school aged children.

This book is lyrical in its beauty - telling the story of a young Chinese adoptee in powerful but spare words and beautiful artwork. Might be best for the 9 and up group - my eight-year-old is not emotionally mature enough for this book yet, but I can tell it will be important later on.

Flying across the world to become part of a new family can be scary but wonderful at the same time, as told by a little boy in this story. I liked that it does star a boy rather than a boy, like many adoption stories do. The story is written in simple understandable language and the illustrations are soft but filled with detail to interest young readers. The little expresses some of his feelings about adoption and I am sure many young adopted readers will find themselves relating with his thoughts. This is a good one.

My 3 year old daughter adopted from China loves this book, she is a little too impatient for the written story nightly but requests the book over and over for the pictures-while she makes up her own story to go along with the pictures. She loves going on about the mommy and daddy in the story and how she had a picture book sent to her and then she flew on a plane just like in the story. She makes this story her own.

Children adopted overseas adore this story, regardless of their country of origin. It is especially helpful for children adopted at an older age.

Having a home and a permanent family is wonderful, of course. But older children don't know that when they come home. They are often angry at being uprooted and taken to strange new places, where people speak a foreign toungue. They are understandably frightened. So many new things in the early days assault their senses that days can seem like a lifetime.

This soothing story eases the pain of that transition. It helps them to know that they are wanted, waited for, and loved, even before they arrive. It eases the terrible pain of the transition. If you buy no other adoption story for your internationally adopted child, make it this one. Alyssa A. Lappen

I have an adopted daughter from Korea and we have many, many books on adoption. This is the best one I've found - it describes so well the experience my daughter, and we had, and makes me cry every time I read it. I've found it helpful not only for her but for her friends and classmates to understand her experience.

As a parent of two wonderful Korean boys, this book is a fantastic story of a child's travel to be with his forever family. I read this book for the children's story at my church on my son's first Coming to America Day (the anniversary of his arrival) and the response was wonderful. My sons really enjoy listening to this story and it has provided an avenue for us to talk about their adoption adventure and the plane ride from Korea to the United States. I high recommend this book. It is a must own book for parents of international adoptees.

Having suffered abandonment as a child...along with many of the contributing writers in TOUCHED BY ADOPTION; I felt the anguish while reading the poems and essays which brilliantly express the loneliness and pain which so many orphans experience. This collection should be read by orphans and anyone thinking of adopting. It is a revelation to find so many who are able to write of the deep emotions connected with the giving up or taking in of another human being. Kudos to Nancy A. Robinson who so valiantly collected and edited this powerful study.
William R. Holman. (Roger Bechan) THE ORPHANS' NINE COMMANDMENTS. TCU Press. 2007.

I read this book over Christmas and found it to be in keeping with the season. I enjoyed the poetry and the story "Stupid" by Sarah Freligh. I recommend this book for everyone!

As an adoptive aunt, I found this book compelling reading. More important, my adopted niece recognized herself within the pages and was moved by the experience. This was a perfect gift for Patty, and I highly recommend it to others!

Terryl Paiste, Fairfax, Virginia

Creates a wide range of emotions. I find that I want to read just one story and ponder it for a while before reading the next one. They are all so moving! Many will be blessed by Touched By Adoption.

Ms. Robinson has amassed a large collection of work from 75 respected poets, authors and playwrights, all of whom have one thing in common--an adoption connection. Some, like the father of former basketball star Issac Berg, and myself, adopted children, many internationally. Others, like Paula Friedman of California, were birthparents. Still others were themselves adopted as children. It is a privilege to have my work included in this edition, whose writers hail from many racial and religious backgrounds, yet sing in chorus: We can all learn from one another, and from the adoption experience. Alyssa A. Lappen

I enjoyed When The Roses Bloom. It's an easy read and one that's sure to lift your spirits and lets you believe in the innate goodness of people. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

This book is just wonderful. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. The book just ended way to soon.

I,Barb, read the book cover to cover in one day. Only had to stop occasionaly when tears blurred my vision. The story was both sweet and sad but easy to read and had a happy ending. Looking forward to Alfred's next book.

I liked the book very much and am looking forward to the next one. Good job!

You should make this into a movie! What a great story that keeps you captivated and you really feel like you have a personal relationship with the characters.

Having had the privilege of communicating with the author and learning of the experiences of others who have adopted, I can tell you he speaks from the heart of a loving parent. It matters not that his daughter is not "biological", it matters that he loves her as a father should love a child, and it is evidenced in this simple yet beautiful story of parents for their adopted child. In language the youngest of children can grasp, it explains that a parents' love isn't dependent on any aspect of their children--their race, color of their hair, shape of their eyes, abilities or lack of them--that a real parent loves their child. Period. A must-read for adoptive parents, adopted children, and those outside the process who question how someone can love a child "not their own".

I don't own this book, but I looked at much of it through the Search Inside feature and I think it's absolutely precious! The idea of two brown bears with an adopted panda bear, I mean, how CUTE is that! The idea is clever and adorable, and so are the pictures. I know any child, adopted or not, would love this charming story.

This book started out as a bedtime story for my daughter, Julianna. She was born in Anhui, China in 2003 and my wife and I adopted her at 9 months old. The book is a subtitle and positive adoption story about a panda bear that is looking for her real parents. By the end of the book she discovers that her parents are her adoptive parents because they love and care for her.

This is a great book for adopted kids and adoptive parents. I think it will help us with any insecure feelings we as adoptive parents have about not being the "real" parents, or worrying about our adopted kids not seeing us as the "real" parents in the future. There was a great need for this book, and we're so glad it was out there!

Around the same time that we were nearing the final stages of the horror film compendium that we were collaborating on, HORROR 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies, Mr. Fuller shared his POLLY PANDA book with me. My girlfriend - who has an adopted brother from Vietnam - read it over my shoulder and by the time we had finished, was weeping tears of joy. "He really gets it," she said, and I couldn't agree more. Danny has managed to distill what it really means to be a family - that it is LOVE rather than blood that creates the connections that last. There is handmade charm to the illustrations and the simple storyline mines deep emotions and should spark conversations between parents and their children, as well as promoting understanding for youngsters when they see that their friends' parents look "different" than they would have expected.

I can't recommend WHO ARE MY REAL PARENTS? enough.

For parents interested in or beginning the adoption process, this book answers questions you would never have known to ask while clarifying the mysteries of the adoption system. For parents like me who have finalized two adoptions, it informs me of a wealth of options that are (or should be) available to help me and my children and gives me the strength and courage to seek those options. Thank-you to Babb and Laws for providing what I believe will be used as a workbook of knowledge in implementing services for children. I sincerely hope every family and professional that works with "special needs" children will take the time to read this wonderful, informative book. These children are our future...and Babb & Laws give us the much needed information to help them on their journey! Again, many thanks and blessings to the authors, Eileen W.!!!

Love is not all a child needs to make an adoption work, and the authors show us this truth in their vast personal and professional experience in adopting special needs children. Prospective adoptive parents of special needs children, both domestic and international, will greatly benefit from the important information and insights into critical emotional, educational and criminal issues dealt with in this wonderful book. I heartily recommend it to everyone.
Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?

Adopting and Advocating for the Special Needs Child is well written, interesting and knows its audience (written in layman's terms). This book should be given to all parents of foster children who are considering adoption.

This book should be required reading for everyone considering "Special Needs" adoption. I recommend the book be read before you start the process. It's a wealth of current information. This book is written so well that you will enjoy reading it.

If you are going to read only one book on adopting children with special needs let this be the one. With their vast personal and professional experience in adopting special needs children, Babb and Law clearly explain the most important information and most critical emotional issues which pre-adoptive parents need to consider. My husband and I have adopted three special needs children. This book helped us understand how to advocate for ourselves as we moved through the process of adoption, how to advocate for the children both before and after the adoption and how to address some of the many complex emotional issues faced by a family which chooses to care for and love special needs children. My hearfelt thanks go out to Rita Law and Anne Babb for this wonderful gift of book.

Brilliant, Insightful and a Must read for those touched by adoption. It is wonderful to read the different perspectives and beautiful stories. I highly recommend this book.

This compilation of essays - beginning with birth mothers, then adoptive mothers, and finally the adopted daughters - goes above and beyond the usual "magazine style" articles on the quirks or perils of the adoption process. I was incredibly pleased and impressed by the diversity of Wadia-Ells' collection. Lesbian women, multi-racial families, and a variety of socio-economic backgrounds all lend to this book a wealth of perspectives. The contributors are thoughtful, often in emotional pain, honest about their experiences, and each one is a talented writer.

The one thing that did emerge most clearly from this work was the overall tone that adoption was an incredibly painful thing for all parties involved. The more positive essays were from the adoptive moms - birth moms and adopted daughters were obviously struggling to make sense out of their experiences. I suspect that there are numerous people on all sides of the fence with incredibly positive adoption stories, but pain often prompts us to find an outlet and for many women, writing is the answer. I do not regret for a moment reading this wonderful collection, but at the same time I seriously wonder whether adoption is something I'm able to emotionally tackle after experiencing Wadia-Ells' book.

This is one of the few books written about adoption that has brought tears to my eyes with the emotional intensity shared by the writers in their stories from all perspectives of adoption. I would recommend this book to anyone touched by adoption, or who is considering entering into the world of adoption, whether through adoptive parenting, placement, counseling, or reunion.

This collection of stories written by adoptees, adoptive mothers and birthmothers gives the reader a visceral insight into the truths and heart aches of surrender, adoption and reunion. Being an adoptive mother myself and having met our wonderful birthmother many years later gives me personal insight into the adoption experience, but reading this book has greatly increased my understanding and empathy for all members of the adoption and birth families. I don't know how prospective adoptive parents will feel if they read this collection, whether it is too much to cope with and sort out for their personal decision. Ideally, knowledge is power, and the more a person knows about an important subject, the better.
Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?

PACT PRESS: "The Adoption Reader brings together thirty-two autobiographical writings of birth mothers, adoptive mothers, and adopted daughters. Readers are taken on a journey into a world of women's deepest challenges to identity - traveling from the isolated plains of separation to the fertile grounds of connection -- offering a beneath the surface look at the discovery, excavation and assimilation of inner experiences. This is a book about women connecting with many parts of themselves through the lens of adoption. The collection presents a case for redefining what joining and separating mean and discovering new sources of adoption pride."

I bought this for my 34 year old son who had to have his colon removed. He was very depressed before the surgery so I sent him this book. It was very helpful and uplifting for him and he was so grateful to read about the experiences of another man going through all of this. He told me "If he can do it, I can too". I am so grateful that this book was written, because it has made a huge difference in his outlook; when you realize what others go through, sometimes your situation doesn't seem so bad; plus being a man and having that kind of surgery is devastating; but he is doing very well after the surgery, and I feel this book helped him get through it very much. So grateful for this wonderful book!

You won't read a more inspiring story, regardless of whether you have IBD or not. The amazing story of Rolf Benirschke, who fought back from IBD to succeed in both the NFL and his post-football endeavors, is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. As a 14-year survivor of Crohn's disease myself, I can say without equivocation that I would not be here typing this now if not for the inspiration I got from this book. I came to believe that all things are possible if you have the determination and courage to face and overcome your challenges.

As an added bonus, the author showed his kindness and generosity by autographing and returning my copy, which stands as one of my most prized possessions.

In this inspirational story, the former placekicker for the San Diego Chargers tells of his own journey with IBD and subsequent surgery. His bravery and humanity come through crystal clear although its obvious Rolf is simply trying to help others via his experience and not blow his own horn. Nevertheless, no reader can help but admire the perserverance, both personal and professional, of this fine human being.

This book is a must for anyone dealing with either Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease. I put off buying this book because I have Crohn's disease, but I must tell you it was one of my biggest mistakes. If you, or someone you love, is dealing with IBD get this book. So many of Rolf's feelings and thoughts were the same thing I was thinking when I first had to deal with this disease. Rolf is an inspiration, he proves that you can live your life with these diseases and live it to the fullest.

As a young woman with an ostomy, I was very inspired by the personal account in this book. Rolf showed me that I could go on with my life and go back to a normal exercise pattern. The personal photographs that he shares helped me explain what happened to me to my children. I would recommend this book for anyone who is having a hard time coping with their ostomy. It turned my whole point of view around!

This is honestly the best book I have ever read. April Lurie, you are a terrific writer. I really appreciate your work! Thanks. Also, if you have any books very similar to Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn, I would love to know.



Thanks for reading!

- Katie Jenkins

i have read this book 3 times in one day. u my think thats crazy but it just shows u how good this book is. a twist of reality, romance, and confilcts is what makes the recipe complete and this book has got it all.

Dancing in the streets of Brooklyn by April Lurie is based on some true events. A little piece of information I thought was interesting is that April Lurie grew up in Brooklyn, New York along with her character Judy.

Fourteen-year-old Judy Strand is the main character in this book. When Judy was younger, her father abandoned her and her mother. Judy's mom, knowing she would be the sole provider for her family, she set out for America for more opportunity. Before they started their journey, Mrs. Strand had two children, one of which died of pneumonia on their way to America. Judy had no idea that she had a younger sister until, nosing around in her mom's closet.There, she found a photo of a little girl and a birth certificate for an anonymous person. When Judy finally got the guts to ask her mom who this girl was, her mom started to weep uncontrollably. I'm not going to let out the secret of why she was crying..... You'll need to read this book and figure out for yourself the "Big Secret".

Lurie has a great talent for word choice. She is so descriptive; I had a visual of what was going on in the story at all times. Here is a great example; "I awoke to loud voices mixed with aroma of fish balls and creamed cabbage. Ma was fretting like she did when she burned something." You're probably wondering why she was fretting, but I can't give away the whole thing!!

I think this is a great book for ages 9 to 12 both boys and girls as it has many concurrent story lines. This is a very dramatic book for active readers. Why don't you read it and see for yourself. Have a great time reading!

Wow this is the best new author I have read in a long time. I read the entire book in one sitting because I could not put it down. The characters were so realistic and I felt like I could relate to each of them in one way or another. I recommend Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn to anyone looking for an exciting novel to read over the holidays.

"Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn" is a warm, beautiful story with authentic characters that have remained in my memory. Lurie avoids melodrama to tell Judy's story with sincerity and compassion. The author's roots in Bay Ridge give the book an authenticity that's refreshing. Not your typical wartime book, "Dancing" shows that while the years were difficult, they were innocent as well. Readers easily feel Judy's joys and sorrows as she comes to terms with the secrets of her past.

A stunningly vibrant book. Each photograph tells its own story. It is a book you will open again and again.

I was thrilled to be able to give this book to my Ethiopian-born daughters for Christmas. The book is beautifully done. There is a hilarious forward by Melissa Fay Greene, who wrote the bookThere Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Her Country's Children. Along with pictures of the staff and children at Layla, there are street scenes in Ethiopia, and some thoughtful commentary here and there.

The book is especially precious to me because two of my daughters were living at Layla House at the time the photos were taken. I spotted their faces in several places in this gorgeous book, and they were thrilled to see many photos of dearly loved friends. Though the book is personally interesting to us, any family adopting from Ethiopia would be interested in the views of Ethiopia that this book shares.

The proceeds from this book go to the GRACE FUND, a fund dedicated to giving grants to families adopting older children who have waited a long time for families. Not everyone is able to adopt older children, but I truly believe that we all can help get kids into families where they belong, thanks in part to wonderful projects like this.

Faces of Layla combines extraordinary photography with thought-provoking words. The chapter headings by Jennifer Armstrong expertly and succinctly prepare us for the vibrant and far more upbeat than you'd expect reality of a third-world orphanage while Melissa Fay Greene's introduction offers a thoroughly candid and intimate view of what it feels like to adopt a child -- frightening, beatific, always surprising. Emma Dodge Hanson's photographs redress the decades of images that reduce orphans from poor countries to objects of pity to reveal that these children are like kids everywhere: hopeful, wildly energetic, sometimes sad, and unfailingly beautiful through the sheer life-force of their young selves. When I look at a group of kids listening with real attention to their teacher or breaking into wild laughter on the playground, I understand much more about their proximity to us than their distance from us--Faces of Layla is a moving and human book that closes the gap between seemingly distant realities and offers the chance, rare enough in life as in art, to make a true connection.

We have two daughters from Ethiopia, and though they are not from Layla House, they were adopted through Adoption Advocates International. This is a beautiful book and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

I would recommend this book to anyone, but in particular it is a must-have for those who are even remotely connected to Ethiopian adoption. We are currently waiting to bring home our two children (who are currently at Layla), and what I love about this book is that it makes our adoption seem very real to our friends and family members who previously showed little interest in, or understanding of, our adoption. I've had more than one person slowly flip through the book without saying a word, and then hand it back to me with tears in their eyes as Ethiopia, and the children at the orphanage, suddenly become very real to them. Ethiopia can seem very far away, and the concept of millions of orphaned children very abstract, to those of us in the Western world. The photos and narration of this book draw the reader closer to these resilient children who remain hopeful for their futures despite the tragedies that they have faced.

As a previous commenter noted, all of the proceeds from the book go directly towards a fund that makes adoption possible for the children who have been waiting the longest for a family.