An Adoptee’s Top 14 Children’s Adoption Books
I’m both an adoptee and an adoptive parent. I have read most children’s adoption books out there. These are the top choices I recommend for adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents. If a book is not on the list, feel free to contact me privately to ask why. Adoption is a sensitive topic and books used to educate adoptees at a young age are critical to how they will grow up thinking about adoption. Also positive adoption language is ever changing, so while books might be ok at one point in time they may not “age well” to be reflective of the current young adoptee needs.
Every book on this list is “adult adoptee approved” (at least by this adoptee). Know that I will continuously be updating this list (hence why it’s at 14 and not 10). Hope you enjoy!
1.) Surrounded by Love: An Open Adoption Story
Written by Allison Olson (Connection to adoption: Adoptee and Adoptive Parent)
A lovely book that celebrates open adoption. The birth mom is a main character and shown in the book equally with the adoptive parents. Book is balanced showing the love from both the birth mom and adoptive parents to the young adoptee.
2.) The Tale of Mallory Mouse: From Foster Care to Adoption
Written by Laura Khoury (Connection to adoption: Adoptive Parent and former Foster Parent)
This adorable book discusses adoption from foster care in a thoughtful, sensitive, and loving manner. It shows the love of the birth mom, foster family, and adoptive parents through a cute mouse’s story. It’s a great way to explain adoption from foster care while including the role of the foster family.
3.) The Story of You: A Child’s First Story of Their Open Adoption
Written by Lindsay McKenzie (Connection to adoption: Adoptive Parent)
Sweet story about two mothers connect to each other through adoption in their love for the baby. This book does a great job of portraying both the birth mom and adoptive mom in a positive light. Would be ideal for a single mom adoptive parent, but great for all adoptive parents.
4.) Tell Me My Story: What Does Adopted Mean?
Written by Raquel McCloud (Connection to adoption: Birth Mom and Former Foster Youth)
Walks through a typical conversation that an adoptee might ask their adoptive parent with sweet, kind, and loving responses. Great for educating a young adoptee especially if they do not tend to ask many questions about their adoption.
5.) Adoption is Both
Written by Elena Hall (Connection to adoption: Adoptee and Social Worker)
Perfect!! All adoptees should have this on their shelf growing up. It opens conversations and lets young adoptees know that it is okay to have mixed emotions about adoption. By an adoptive parent reading this to their child it builds a bond that allows the adoptee to feel more open about how they are feeling with their parents.
6.) What Makes Us a Family
Written by Tali Sason (Connection to adoption: Adoptive Parent)
Great for transracial adoption. Does an excellent job of walking through family differences across many different families. Showing differences, love, and understanding throughout the book.
7.) Love Without Wings: An Adoption Fairytale
Written by Adam Swain Ferguson (Connection to adoption: Adoptive Parent)
A must have for LGBTQ+ adoptive parent households! It’s a magical fairytale with two royal fathers. It with capture adoptees imaginations and educate them on adoption as well. Birth mom is a beautiful fairy both illustrated and written about in a positive light.
8.) The ABCs of Adoption: Kid Conversations about Adoption
Written by Raquel McCloud (Connection to adoption: Birth Mom and Former Foster Youth)
Educational and factual alphabet book that walks through common adoption terminology from A to Z using current positive adoption language and imagery.
9.) Marie Discovers Her Superpowers (Adoptees Like Me series)
Written by Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leika (Connection to adoption: Adoptee, Adoptive Parent, and Adoption Therapist)
Tackles the tough topics that an adoptee often brings home to their adoptive parent, that are difficult to address. This book can help give adoptive parents some tricks for how to handle this tough moments when kids saying insensitive or hurtful things to your adoptee. It’s a great resource directly from an adoption therapist professional.
10.) Being Adopted
Written by Amy Wilkerson (Connection to adoption: Adoptee and Social Worker)
This book covers SO many different types of adoption (i.e., LGBTQ+, transracial, international, closed, open, foster care, etc.). If you are wanting to education your adoptee on all types of adoption or if you are struggling to find a book that highlights your adoption situation, this is a great book.
11.) Learning About My Friend’s Adoption: An Open Adoption Story
Written by Allison Olson (Connection to adoption: Adoptee and Adoptive Parent)
Finally education for non-adopted kids! A good resource for children, that are not adopted, to better understand adoption. This book is trying to take the “heavy lift” off of young adoptees needing to explain and teach friends/family about adoption. Great for any parent trying to teach their child about diverse families.
12.) Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born
Written by Jamie Lee Curtis (Connection to adoption: Adoptive Parent)
This book is a classic. It’s been around now for years. It’s captivating for kids and helps to show the adoptive parent excitement around the birth and adoption of young adoptee.
13.) I’ve Loved You Since Forever
Written by Hoda Kotb (Connection to adoption: Adoptive Parent)
Beautiful book! While it does not come out and say that it is an adoption book, it does a good job of showing the immense amount of love from the parent to the child. This is great for any household and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love Hoda Kotb!
14.) Welcome Little One
Written by Sandra Magsamen (Connection to adoption: None)
Not an adoption education book, but similar to the book above, it does a good job showing how welcomed and loved this child is in their family. It does not mention adoption, but is very applicable around showing how excited everyone is for the new child to join the family. Good idea for a baby gift for new adoptive parents.