Adoption Books Bibliography

You can order books from the National Adoption Center's online bookstore, where every purchase supports the work of finding families for waiting children. For older, out of print book titles, check your local library.

Adoptive Parenting

Eldridge, Sherrie, Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew, New York: Dell Publishing, Inc., 1999

Hopkins Best, Mary, Ed.D., Toddler Adoption: The Weaver's Craft, Indianapolis: Perspective Press, Inc., 1997

Melina, Lois, Raising Adopted Children: A Manual for Adoptive Parents, New York: Harper & Row, 1986

van Gulden, Holly and Bartels-Rabb, Lisa M.,Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the Adopted Child, New York: The Crossroads Publishing Company, 1995

Watkins, Mary, Ph.D. and Fisher, Susan, M.D., Talking with Young Children About Adoption, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993

Wolff, Jana, Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother, Vista Communications, 2000

African American Children

Hopson, Darlene and Derek, Different and Wonderful: Raising Black Children in a Race Conscious Society, New York: Prentice Hall, 1991

Kunjufu, Jawanza, Developing Positive Self-Images and Discipline in Black Children, Chicago: African American Images, 1997

Robbins, Larry Mansfield and Dr. Juneau Kipola, 121 Tips on Raising a Child of Color, Beaver's Pond Press/Urban Child Publishing, 2000

Wright, Marguerite, I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla: Raising Healthy Black and Bi-Racial Children in a Race Conscious World, New York: Jossey-Bass, 2000

Before You Adopt

Adamec, Christine, The Adoption Option Complete Handbook: 2000-2001, Prima Communications, Inc., 1999

Beauvais-Godwin, L. and Godwin, R., The Complete Adoption Book, Adams Media Corporation, 2000

Gilman, Lois, The Adoption Resource Book, New York: Harper Trade, 1998

Pavao Maguire, Joyce, The Family of Adoption, Beacon Press, 1999

Birthparents

Gritter, James L., Lifegivers: Framing the Birthparent in Open Adoption, Washington, D.C.: Child Welfare League of America, 2000

Jones, Merry B., Birthmothers: Women Who Have Relinquished Babies for Adoption Tell Their Stories, iUniverse.com, Incorporated, 2000

Roles, Patricia, M.S.W., Saying Goodbye to a Baby: Volume 1 - The Birthparent's Guide to Loss and Grief in Adoption, Washington, D.C., Child Welfare League of America, 1991

Schaefer, Carol, The Other Mother: A Woman's Love for the Child She Gave Up for Adoption, New York: Soho Press, 1992

Infertility

Carter, Jean and Michael, Sweet Grapes, Indianapolis: Perspectives Press, Inc.

Glazer, Ellen and Sarasohn, Ellen, The Long Awaited Stork: A Guide to Parenting After Infertility, New York, Free Press, 1990

Johnson, Patricia Irwin, Adopting After Infertility: The Decision, The Commitment, The Experience, Indianapolis: Perspective Press, 1996

Wallmark, Laurie S., Infertility: The Tapestry Guide, 1997

Intercountry Adoption

Bascom, Barbara B. and McKelvey, Carole A., The Complete Guide to Foreign Adoption: What to Expect and How to Prepare for Your New Child, Pocket Books,1997

Erichsen, Heino and Nelson-Erichsen, Jean, How to Adopt Internationally 2000-2002 Edition, Texas: Los Ninos, 2000
Register, Cheri, Are Those Kids Yours?, New York: Free Press, 1991

Tepper, Thais, Hannon, Lois, and Sandstron, Dorothy,ed., International Adoption: Challenges and Opportunities, 1999

Non-Traditional Families

Marindin, Hope, The Handbook for Single Adoptive Parents (8th Edition), National Council for Single Adoptive Parents, 2000

Martin, April, The Lesbian and Gay Parenting Handbook: Creating and Raising Our Families, New York: HarperCollins, 1993

Pollack, Jill S., Lesbian and Gay Families: Redefining Parenting in America, London, England: Franklin Watts, 1995
Varon, Lee, Adopting on Your Own, New York: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 2000

Older Child Adoption

Jewett-Jarratt, Claudia L., Helping Children Cope with Separation and Loss; Massachusetts: Harvard Common Press, 1994

Jewett-Jarratt, Claudia L., Adopting the Older Child, Massachusetts: Harvard Common Press, 1978

Keck, Gregory C. and Kupecky, Regina M., Adopting the Hurt Child: Hope for Families with Special Needs Kids: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, Colorado Springs, CO: NAV Press, 1995

Robinson, Grace, Older Child Adoption, Silver City, NM: Crossroad Publishing, 1998

Open Adoption

Gritter, James L., The Spirit of Open Adoption, Texas: Corona Publishing Company, 1989

Grotevant, Harold and McRoy, Ruth G., Openness in Adoption: Exploring Family Connections, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998

Melina, Lois Ruskai and Roszia, Sharon Kaplan, The Open Adoption Experience: A Complete Guide for Adoptive and Birth Families--From Making the Decision Through the Child's Growing Years, New York: Harper/Collins, 1993

Silber, Kathleen and Dorner, Patricia Martinez, Children of Open Adoption and Their Families, Texas: Corona Publishing Company, 1989

For Preteens and Teens

Gianneti, Charlene, Who Am I? And Other Questions of Adopted Kids, New York: Penguin Putnam, 1999

Kinn, Gail and Shung, Ken (photographer), Be My Baby: Parents and Children Talk About Adoption, New York: Knopf, 1988
Krementz, Jill, How It Feels to be Adopted, New York: Knopf, 1988

Searching

Askin, Jayne, Search: A Handbook for Adoptees and Birthparents, Arizona: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., 1999

Gediman, Judith S. and Brown, Linda P., Birthbound: Reunions Between Birthparents and Adoptees--What Happens After, New Jersey: New Horizons, 1991

Klunder, Virgil L. and Wagner, Edith, ed., Lifeline: The Action Guide to Adoption Search, Florida: Caradium Publishers, 1991

Transracial Adoption

Alperson, Myra, Dim Sum, Bagels and Grits, New York: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 2001

Rush, Sharon E., Loving Across the Color Line, Rowman & Littlefield, 2000

Simon, Rita and Roorda, Rhonda M., In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories, New York: Columbia University Press, 2000

Steinberg, Gail and Hall, Beth, Inside Transracial Adoption, Indianapolis: Perspectives Press, Inc., 2000

For Younger Children

Cole, Joanna, How I Was Adopted, Morrow, 1995

Kroll, Virginia, Beginnings: How Families Come To Be, Whitman, 1994

Livingston, Carole, Why Was I Adopted?, New Jersey: Carol Publishing Group, 1997

Rogers, Fred, Let's Talk About It: Adoption, New York: Putnam, 1998

Turner, Ann, Through Moon and Stars and Night Skies, New York: Harper/Collins, 1992