Adoption Books

This book will speak to the hearts of all who cherish the true love of parents for their child and in the process, validate non-traditional families of all sorts.

While You Were Sleeping, written by Stephanie Burks, is a story that lovingly describes the day that two women learn that a birthmother has chosen them to adopt a newborn baby boy. While their future son sleeps through his first hours of life, his new mothers experience all of the joy and anticipation of their new life together. It shows the excitement of the new parents as they hear of their son's birth and drive to the hospital to meet him for the first time. Charming and colorful illustrations by Kelli Bienvenu convey the warmth of this story from beginning to end, showing the moments that the adoptive parents meet their newborn son, sing him lullabies and arrive home, where the family pets are introduced to the newest member of their family.

Reviewer is the Author's sister. No bias here :)
As a parent of two and an aunt of an adopted child and a teacher, I have tried to expose my children to a variety of books dealing with "family." I have books about blended families, single parent families, children being raised by grandparents and many more.

"While You Were Sleeping" is a beautiful addition to my collection. Not only does it touch on the anticipation and joys of being an adoptive parent, it also fills an important gap in my collection. One that shows adoption through the eyes of a lesbian couple.

Stephanie Burks has done a wonderful job of sharing her experience with this beautifully illustrated picture book about alternative families and adoption. A must have for your home library.

This book was intelligently written by Charlene Giannetti. I think that it is very informative to adopted kids. My mom bought this book for me after telling me I was adopted. It inspired me to search for my birthmother when I am older. I, and other adopted kids, should be the ones to review this book because we know how it feels to be adopted. To make a long story short, this book is very good, and if a parent is having trouble explaining their kid's adoption, then is the book to explain it.

As a parenting expert on 10 to 15-year-olds I often talk to audiences of middler schoolers. Last week in Maryland a 5th grade girl came up to me and whispered, "I'm teased all the time because I am adopted." How many others don't whisper this confession? That's why this book is so valuable. Who Am I? is written for young readers in a voice that goes to the heart of their issue and the soul of early adolescence. I have bought it for every mother and father I know who has adopted a child. It is wonderful! It will help every child come to terms with an identity issue that is complicated for those in adoptive families---a must have.

my daughter loved the book!!! she hasn't been able to put it down!!! it was exactly what we expected!!!!
thanks

this is the bomb! if you never herd of the cheetah girls befor this is your chance! the cheeta girls are five girls who are trying to make a record deal and tring to live in 9th grade whith out fanting.this book is about the group meber named Dorinda she is going throe some rough times when the super star mo money moniqe comes to town and wants dorinda to be one of her back ground dancers but thi is a world wide tour and dorinda will be leaing behind the cheetah girls and her foster mom

will she say yes?

This book is a must have for every household! Carla's wit and crafty rhymes will inspire both young and old. Also a great gift idea.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm not Jewish, but there are still some wonderful parts I can use, and the rest made me really appreciate what it means to be Jewish. Carla's poems are so funny and/or sweet--it makes me want to be invited to a bat mitzvah because I now have just the right poem for a card!

"The Wild Horse, An Adoptor's Manual" is an excellent guide to gentling a wild horse. Step by step procedures are presented in terms a novice can follow. Illustrations and photos provide clear, concise techniques for approaching the horse, what to do in emergencies, how to re-halter and continue on through leading, training and groundwork. All too often adoptors find they do not know what to do, get discouraged if their techniques don't work, feel they have failed and no longer want the horse in which case both adoptor and horse suffer. Potential adoptors should read this book BEFORE adopting. There are tips on choosing a mustang and preparations for penning and housing are carefully detailed. It is a shame that this book is out of print. Every adoptor should receive a copy when adopting a wild horse.

This book is the best book that I've read about wild horses so far. I don't think that the authors could have put any of the information clearer. A great book to read for those who are thinking of or already have a wild horse. *Also has information where to obtain a wild horse and a few helpful websites.*

"WRITE FROM THE INSIDE/Dig for Treasure, Discover Yourself, Leave a Legacy" by Lissa Ann Forbes is an extraordinary book. The title and subtitle are perfect - they say it all. But only by reading the book can you truly appreciate how special it is.

The book is based on the premise that every human being has a unique story to tell - the story of his or her life. We all know it and feel it, and sometimes admit it. But then, we don't do it, because we don't feel we can. Lissa not only feels we can but knows we can and, furthermore, feels that we should write such a book. She knows that deep down in our hearts, we want to leave such a record, so that we will be remembered.

Lissa has developed a special way of helping you write such a book and walking you through it. She does not promise to help you write a "best seller." She just promises to help you write your own story, by recalling bits and pieces of it in no particular order.

Her approach is anecdotal rather than chronological. It does not require literary plotting, from beginning to end. Her approach is not abstract but concrete. Her book, for example, contains 36 chapters, with clear, descriptive titles.
* A Thousand Words Paint a Picture
* Start Where You Are
* Capture It Now
* Do It Anywhere! Just Do It!
* Make a Date With Yourself

In each chapter, she asks you questions that will help you remember things in your life. She then shows you what these questions helped her remember about her own life and puts this information down in story form.

The stories are given intriguing titles that match the chapter titles:
* Picture This
* What If My Parents Come Home Early
* The Night Lyrics Came to Me
* Come Imagine With Me
* Where the Music Took Me

Her questions and stories are designed to stimulate your memory and imagination, leading to 36 stories of your own, revealing different aspects of your life.

The book is extraordinary because Lissa is not only an excellent teacher but a fine writer. Her writing is simple, clear, economical. It is easy to understand. It has soul, substance. Reading her book is time well spent. She is honest about her life. She has something to say. Her stories speak to the heart, mind and soul. She shows you how to be honest about your life and how to have the courage to do so.

She also provides mentoring and publishing services, so your stories can be put between covers and become a book.

Lissa has a powerful personal reason for writing her book and for wanting to help others now with theirs. She was adopted when she was two years old. That has driven her to dig for the treasures of her life, discover herself, and leave a legacy. It is why she wants to help others find and tell their stories.

Rolf Gompertz, author of
TO LIFE! TO LOVE! In Poetry and Prose, A Spiritual Memoir

Are you looking for a guide to begin writing your own stories? "Write from the Inside" is a great place to start.

Do you need some insightful questions to ask a loved one to begin capturing their stories? This book has loads of thought- provoking ideas.

Would you like a book by your bed that will make you feel good? "Write from the Inside" is perfect. Read a few pages a day or go cover to cover. This book is hard to put down. It is well written and heart warming.

The format of stringing the "jewels" of personal stories together with insightful questions and inspiring quotations creates a sparkling piece that is equally a teaching tool and a pleasurable read. Through the expressions of her own experience, Lissa inspires the novice and the experienced writer alike because she truly "writes from the inside."

this journal prompts you with questions regarding your adoption journey- really well thougth out and a great addendum to my own private journal that i have been keeping. i did not find it overly religious or preachy- is very open to most world religions given the way it's written. would recommend it to anyone adopting and would appreciate prompted questions related to their personal "spiritual journey" of adoption.

As the mother of three adopted children from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, I have tried several ways to capture the emotions and experiences of each of our adoption journeys. This is really a unique tool for those of you who want to share your feelings about your adoption journey, and yet have a difficult time knowing where and how to begin. Unlike a standard "Lifebook" you purchase where you are asked to complete questions which record facts, Kevin's journal steers you to record emotions which is really what we are all trying to capture in the first place. This journal guides you through the entire process with very specific statements for you to address, prompting you to do far more than record the facts of your child's adoption but through probing statements and open ended starters it encourages you to share your feelings about the deeper meaning of the process. Starter statements such as "What most captured your attention in your new surroundings was..." and "If my child's caregivers or others were there, I tried to communicate my feelings toward them by..." really get you to think about the little details and to commit them to paper. Those are the things your child might very well treasure when they are older. For those of you who are not techies or bloggers, this can be a wonderful momento for your child. It is appropriate for either domestic or international adoption and is not a short pamphlet but a 73 page book in which you can record every single thought and emotion. After reading it myself, I thought it would be something most parents would love to do and would be very helpful to those who need a push to get started or who don't have confidence in their own writing abilities. Kevin is an adoptive father himself, with a son adopted from our son Matthew's orphanage in Aktobe, Kazakhstan. He has written a memoir himself of his adoption journey titled "Hello Aibek!".

This is a great book!!!!! I also like pollet's other book Nobody was here.....Both books really tell the humors and drama of middle schoolers

"Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends: ABC" is an alphabet book, but no ordinary alphabet book. This a lift-the-flap book, filled with all the fun of Sunny Patch. Each flap reveals something new --- Aa / Bb for Adventurous Ants (Ted and Ned) and Bobbling Bounce, Ss / Tt for Surfing Squirt / Tea Time and more.

From what I can tell, a lot of the images (if not all of them) in this book are lifted from other "Miss Spider" books. That's okay though --- readers who are fond of the series will probably recognize familiar images. And if your child is just starting to learn the alphabet, this may be a book he or she can really connect with. From the back of the book --- "Learning your ABCs has never been this much fun!"

Badly needed, important and helpful resource for parents of special needs adoptees negotiating an adoption contract in the best interests of their children.