Books about Adoption That Will Change Your Experience
Do you need some books about adoption?
People talk about “adopting a baby” or “adopting a child.” What they need to remember is that you are making a lifetime commitment. You are promising to love that baby’s baby–your grandchild.
You are promising to go to the hospital when that “baby” wrecks his first car. You are making a lot of promises, but are you ready for the unique challenges and rewards of adoptive parenting?
Understanding your child is the way your love will grow. There are often invisible wounds of abandonment or attachment that children carry.
Books About Adoption to Help Raise Your Child
They may struggle with attachment, exhibit challenging behaviors, or require specialized techniques to feel completely secure in their new homes.
Learning from others who have been there ahead of you and who have studied these behaviors can be a game-changer.
The right books about adoption can guide you through this journey, offering evidence-based strategies, practical wisdom, and the comfort that you are not isolated in navigating the complexities of adoptive parenting.
Why These Books about Adoption Matter
“Learning about trauma-informed parenting and adoption completely shifted my understanding of my daughter’s behaviors,” explains Allie J. “What I thought was defiance was actually her nervous system attempting to keep her safe from perceived harm.”
“The most effective adoptive families are the ones that prepare in advance before things go wrong,” says Dr. Michael Thompson, child psychologist.
The Connected Parent: Real-Life Strategies for Building Trust and Attachment
by Karyn Purvis, Lisa Qualls
This step-by-step guide offers personal tools for forming secure attachment with children of troubled pasts. Dr. Purvis’s research-based methods help parents understand causation of misbehavior and respond with connection instead of correction.
The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become
by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
The best-selling authors introduce the four essential elements every child needs: feeling Safe, Seen, Soothed, and Secure. The book shows how connected and engaged presence can rewire a child’s emerging brain for connection and resilience..
Raising a Secure Child: How Circle of Security Parenting Can Help You Nurture Your Child’s Attachment
by Kent Hoffman, Glen Cooper, and Bert Powell
Based on four decades of research on attachment, this book shows parents how to be both a safe haven and a secure base for their children. With the Circle of Security approach, thousands of families have been helped to have more connected relationships.
Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew
by Sherrie Eldridge
A perspective written from an adoptee, this book presents a clear and perceptive picture of the adoptee experience and helps parents to understand the unique emotional needs of their child.
The Adoptive Parents’ Handbook: A Guide to Healing Trauma and Thriving
by Barbara Tantrum
The book addresses the unique needs of adoptive families, from sleep disturbance to food intolerance, as well as transracial adoption understanding. Tantrum shares practical skills based on trauma-informed practice.
In Their Voices: Black Americans on Transracial Adoption
by Rhonda M. Roorda
A required reading for transracially adopted families, the book is filled with insightful comments on racial identity formation and the need for cultural connection. Roorda’s conclusions debunk the “colorblind” parenting approach.
Building Your Foundation of Books About Adoption
Start with one or two books that resonate with your circumstances.
Your child did not only gain a family when he was adopted—he gained advocates, healers, and champions who are dedicated to learning about his specific needs. These books will assist you in becoming the parent your child requires.
To see children’s books about adoption, check out these: The Child Wanted Two Moms Because Adoption is the Best.