I cannot believe in the amount of time I have been blogging about foster care and adoption that I have not written about Dave Pelzer.

If his name is not familiar to you, then his books probably are. He is the author of bestsellers “A Child Called It” and “The Lost Boy" along with four other titles.

I had the privilege to hear Mr. Pelzer speak at the International Foster Care Organisation (no, that’s not spelled wrong) conference a few years ago. Initially he was supposed... more

A Theory of Relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard is an adoption book in a different way. First of all is that it is a work of fiction, but based on a true story.

The plot line of the book is that a couple dies in a car accident and leave behind a little girl. A will had been written naming the baby’s uncle (Gordon) as the guardian of the baby (Keefer). After the death another lawyer comes forward and says that the baby’s parents were changing the... more

One night, while going through the library, the title of a book caught my attention. “What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day.”

The first thought that came to mind was about friend, and former blogger, Julie. I’ve known Julie for about four years now, and what would like crazy to most people is an ordinary day for Julie. Her issues with LuLu are just plain out there. I admire her as a mom and as a person. I’ve spent time with LuLu and I know how tiring parenting her can be. Most of us don’t deal with... more

I have blogged, fairly openly, about the fact that I was physically, emotionally and sexually abused. I am working on these issues and am exploring having EMDR done to help with some of my anxieties. While talking with my counselor, she recommended the book, "The Four Agreements" by don Miguel Ruiz.

I got it in an audio version and have been listening to it on my MP3 player when I am walking. It is great uninterrupted time when I don’t have to think about anything... more

While doing all the paperwork for Hannah’s adoption there was a list of books and other things we could do to earn “credit” for pre-adoption education. On the list was a book that I was a contributing author to. Honestly, I had forgotten about writing for it since it was an easy topic for me to write on, and required very little effort on my part, although I did find it amusing that I could get credit for reading a book that I contributed to.

The book is, “Adoption Parenting: Creating a Toolbox, Building Connections” by EMK Press. It is a fantastic book,... more

I received a copy of Adopted Teens Only: A Survival Guide to Adolescence from the publisher. For the most part I really like this book. It is written as a book for teens to help them understand adoption issues and the feelings they have as they struggle for independence and identity.

Here’s a little bit about the author, Danea Gorbett. She’s an adult adoptee who met her birth father when she was a teenager. It was a tenuous relationship. She became a psychologist... more

I love to read and my kids have developed that passion as well. You will often find both of them with books in their hands. Reading with your kids is always a good thing, especially if this is not something that your child is used to. The books listed below can give some great messages to your kids, along with having that special one on one time that kids love to have with their parents.

Corduroy by Don Freeman

I love... more

My husband gave me this book by Deanna Favre, and I was a little less than thrilled. I didn’t tell him, but I had no intention of reading the book, since I considered it “the breast cancer book.”

I was pleasantly surprised when I read the book that it’s not all about breast cancer. In fact, I learned quite a bit about Brett and Deanna Favre, and being a Packer fan, I was quite interested in learning about Brett.

There were several things that were informative... more

I was browsing through the bookstore the other day and stumbled across two books that are great for foster care adoption. One is specifically an adoption book, but the other is not.

First I’ll tell you about the non-adoption book.

I am a fan of the author Jan Karon. She wrote a series of books called “The Mitford Series”. I have read every one of them. The two main characters in the book are Father Timothy Cavanaugh, and his neighbor turned wife, Cynthia Coopersmith. A secondary character, but very much... more

I blogged briefly about this book by Dr. Robert F. Newby, PH.D. The full title is “Your Struggling Child: A Guide to Diagnosing, Understanding & Advocating for Your Child with Learning, Behavior or Emotional Problems”. It is a long title for a great book.

I am only a few chapters into it, and I think it is a must have for almost every parent, and especially for kids from foster care or with any type of trauma in their history. I very rarely read “work” books... more