There are so many wonderful books available, but how do you know what to read with your child? What if some books set off a trauma trigger? Following is a list of books that I have previewed, and loved.



"Little Heroes #2: Adoption and Foster Care"

Designed to help parents and children understand the foster care and adoption process. This issue is a true story about two brothers, Robert and Phillip, who are in the foster care system and how they come to find themselves in different adoptive families. A warm tale about separation, love, and family, Little Heroes #2: Adoption and Foster Care is great for resource centers, libraries, adoption and foster care agencies, and families who have adopted children both domestically and from overseas.

Other Little Heroes books dealing with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and Sensory Integration Disorder are also available.


"The Star: A Story to Help Young Children Understand Foster Care" by Cynthia Miller Lovell

The Star is a story about a young child named "Kit" who was placed in foster care. The story follows Kit as she enters her new foster home and deals with a variety of emotions and questions. During the first night in the foster home, Kit looked into the sky and noticed a bright star. The star speaks to Kit and offers comfort and explains that Kit is not alone in his/her feelings and emotions. The star continues to be a comfort to Kit as he/she goes along his/her foster care journey.


"Let’s Talk About It: Adoption" by Fred Rogers

Mister Rogers addresses, with sensitivity and insight, the questions children have about being adopted. He shares an important message: the secure feeling of belonging in a family comes from being loved.

"Who’s In A Family?" By Robert Skutch

Family is important, but who's in a family? Why, the people who love you the most! This equal opportunity, open-minded picture book has no preconceptions about what makes a family a family. There's even equal time given to some of children's favorite animal families. Single parent families, and same sex parent families are represented as well. A good tool for children in foster care.

"Zachary's New Home: A Story for Foster and Adopted Children" by Geraldine M. Blomquist, Paul B. Blomquist, Margo Lemieux

Children in foster care and adopted children have usually suffered painful separations from their families for reasons they may not understand. They are often very confused, angry, and sad. This appealing and comforting story explores their experiences, problems, and emotions. Foster and adoptive parents, counselors and therapists will find Zachary's New Home to be a useful tool for understanding these children and helping them to cope with their many losses and to feel happier about the present and optimistic about their future.


"I Don’t Have Your Eyes" by Carrie Kitze

For the child who looks different from their parents for what ever reason...foster care, step parents, adoption. This multicultural book will empower your child to look beyond the physical features they have on the outside because inside our hearts, we are the same.
This book also is a great tool to teach young elementary students about differences. Use it with the free activity download below for a fun and powerful activity that talks about outside differences and inside sameness.

"Who Am I?" by Stacie Cahill

Has your life been touched by adoption?? Have you or a friend adopted a child?? "Who Am I?" is a children's picture book that will be a helpful resource in providing a child with a complete understanding of the miracle of adoption. Each child will feel special and more secure as a result of learning what each letter in adoption represents. Children at a young age have so many questions regarding their identities and the circumstances surrounding each adoption experience. They typically want to know why their birthparents could not keep them. They want to know why they were adopted into their families. The pages in this book are bright and colorful, which help create a cheerful and fun tone, in which a child feels good when learning about adoption. The child will better understand God's love in building families through adoption. Children will learn to celebrate adoption, and will view adoption as another wonderful way, in which to build a family.

To find books dealing with specific abuse topics, go to this website. It contains a very comprehensive list of titles dealing with physical and sexual abuse, in both fiction and non-fiction. Be sure to preview these books before using them with your child. You know your child best, and what he can and can not handle.

You can find many adoption related books at the Adoption Shop.

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