If you’re an adoptee, finding someone who understands your personal experiences can be difficult. everyone has their own experience, but where can you find the voices of your fellow adoptees?
You are reading: Books about adoption for adults
in the books written by the adoptees below.
Books and memoirs can be a great resource not only to learn about the adoption experiences of others, but also to better understand your own. you’re never alone; there is always someone out there who can empathize with what you feel.
If you’re looking for additional support in your personal adoption process, look no further than the books for adoptees listed below. remember: if you were adopted through American adoptions, our trained specialists are always here to offer support and refer you to any additional resources you may need.
books written by adoptees
When you are adopted, the best advice can come from those who have been in your shoes. Below, find some helpful memoirs and other books written by adoptees. learn from their experiences, but remember: even if their adoption experience differs from yours, it is still valid and deserves your respect.
“everything you can know”
international adoptee nicole chung’s memoir documents her journey as a korean adoptee into a white catholic family.
“truth-like: a memory of adoption and identity”
adopted paige adams strickland details her closed adoption experience, from childhood through adolescence.
“birthright: the search and reunion guide for adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents”
adopted jean a. yes Strauss writes about his search for her birth parents in the 1980s, and offers advice and tips to adoptees on reunion trips today.
“black anthology: adopted adults reclaim their space”
Black adult adoptees of all circumstances and backgrounds share their experiences in this anthology.
“blending: crossing the lines of race, religion, family and adoption”
barbara gowen details her journey as a biracial child adopted out of foster care in the 1960s, touching on the themes listed in the title and more.
“itaka: the memories of a daughter when she was found”
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Sarah Saffian, who grew up in a closed adoption, remembers being contacted by her birth mother out of the blue when Saffian was 23.
“two hearts: an adoptee’s journey through grief and gratitude”
Linda Hoye, adopted through foster care, details her journey in coming to terms with her adoptive family, her birth family, and her abusive marriage.
“20 transformative decisions adoptees must make”
Adopted Sherrie Eldridge addresses the difficult aspects of being adopted and offers advice and resources for others (like her) who have deep personal questions and issues with their adoption.
You can find a continuously updated catalog of adoption books for adoptees at adopteereading.com.
research-based adoption books for adoptees and adoptive parents
While anecdotes and memories can be helpful, they may not always apply to your situation. If you are looking for the best books for adoptees, you can also read some research-based books like the following.
“Adoption Therapy: Client and Physician Perspectives on Processing and Healing Post-Adoption Problems”
An anthology of perspectives and studies from all members of the adoption triad and mental health professionals, this book tackles the complicated aspects of long-term adoption issues for everyone involved.
“the adoption meeting manual”
If you are an adoptee searching for your birth family, this book is an invaluable resource. Read about the reunion stories of other adoptees and find tips and advice for your next trip.
“being adopted: the search for oneself throughout life”
Three authors bring together the voices of adoptees and adoptive parents to discuss their different experiences and current psychological and educational theories.
“the connected child”
researchers dr. Karyn Purvis, Dr. David Cross and Wendy Lyons Sunshine present relational strategies to help adoptive parents form an attachment and help adopted children heal from the early childhood trauma of their adoption.
“the primary wound”
Author Nancy Newton Verrier explores the effects of separation on birth parents and adoptees in this classic book on adoptees. many adoptees say it has helped them heal on their personal journeys.
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“twenty things adopted children wish their adoptive parents knew”
Adopted Sherrie Eldridge combines her own experiences with extensive adoption research to educate adoptive parents about what their children may feel throughout their lives.
best books for adopted youth
Explaining adoption to children is easier than ever, thanks to a multitude of books for adoptees of all ages and all backgrounds. american adoptions encourages all of our adoptive parents to make adoption an everyday topic from the moment they bring their child home, so we suggest the following books for adoptees as a great starting point.
“horacio”
In this tale by Holly Keller, a young leopard adopted by two tigers realizes that being part of a family depends on how you feel, not how you look.
“I don’t have your eyes”
author carrie a. kitze’s childhood story elevates the love and support that truly makes someone a part of the family, not the physical similarities.
“the mulberry bird: an adoption story”
Author Anne Braff Brodzinsky crafts a story about a bird that is unable to provide its young with the protection it needs. instead, she chooses to place him with another family with a stronger and safer nest.
“my family is forever”
Author Nancy Carlson tells of a young transracial Asian adoptee who wonders about her birth parents while appreciating all the ways she resembles her adoptive parents.
“Over the Moon: An Adoption Story”
Karen Katz uses her own experience as an adoptive mother in this children’s book on international adoption.
“tell me again about the night I was born”
Jamie Lee Curtis’s children’s book centers on a girl who inquires about her adoption story and focuses on the importance of family and love.
While this list of adopted books is useful, it is by no means complete. If you’re looking for more adoption books written by adoptees, consider reaching out to other adoptees for their recommendations. Happy reading!
Disclaimer The information available through these links is the exclusive property of the companies and organizations listed on them. Adoptions of America, Inc. provides this information as a courtesy and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.
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