From Books to Help Children Cope with Separation and Loss (1983, 2nd ed.): Starting out disjointedly with an unilluminating picture of adoption through the ages, the author then launches into minute details about the many steps of the adoption process today. She notes recent policy changes, such as passing on biological background to adoptive parents to share with their child at the right age. Subsequent topics include heredity and environment, choices and individuality, the increases in biracial, single-parent, and other unique placements, and search for biological parents. Organization is marred by overly cute subheadings for chapter titles, such as “Where Did I Come From? Am I Really Heir to a Throne?” It’s not clear whether the book is directed to adopted children or to a more general audience, another flaw. If this weren’t enough, Scott leaps from one subject to another rather abruptly, giving rise to the thought that the book’s editing may have required equalizing information into allotted space. Stock photos are also occasionally placed before the text discussion, as in the case of a picture of a Korean child’s adoption by a single mother on page 30, with discussion of such complex issues appearing some twenty pages later. In spite of these drawbacks, the book is worthwhile because of its scope and discussion of up-to-date issues. Abortion is covered matter-of-factly as an option. The problems of adoption are not skirted either. A bibliography of fiction and nonfiction appropriate to the age group is appended, along with an index.

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About the Author: Elaine Scott is a free-lance writer, and presently a resident of Houston, Texas. She is a contributing editor for Houston City Magazine, and writes regularly for other local magazines on a wide variety of topics. When not writing, she enjoys traveling, skiing, sailing, and tennis.

Ms. Scott is the mother of two girls, one adopted. This is her first book for Franklin Watts.

Provides answers to common questions about the process of adoption and the effects it has on the child.

This book tells of the excitement of the adoptive parents along with the anticipation of the adoptive extended family members.

From the Back Cover (2nd edition): Adoption closely touches human lives. This book explores many aspects of this intriguing subject. Young people will be interested in the feelings and experiences of adopted people who are searching for their birth parents, of those individuals who adopt a child, and of pregnant women (often teenagers) who are considering finding an adoptive home for their baby. The author explores the current thinking of psychologists and legal experts on adoptive concerns and provides information on organizations that assist those searching for their birth parents and that counsel pregnant women.

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About the Author: Jeanne DuPrau has been a junior and senior high school teacher, specializing in reading and English. She is now an editor of text materials and a freelance writer. Ms. DuPrau, who was educated at Scripps College and the University of California, lives in northern California.

What is adoption? How is adoption different from fostering? How is adoption decided on? How will the right family be found? What happens in court? This new edition of BAAF’s bestselling booklet for children and young people covers these, and other crucial questions on the adoption process and procedure. Presented in accessible and jargon-free language, this booklet addresses all the issues required by the National Minimum Standards for Adoption and the accompanying Local Authority Adoption Service Regulations 2003. This requires that each local authority (not applicable in Scotland) must produce a written guide to the adoption service which will include—amongst the topics mentioned above—particular information about having access to the services of an independent advocate and on making a complaint. This colourful and fully illustrated booklet will appeal to children and hold their attention. Information about adoption is clearly set out and the text is enlivened by the inclusion of short teaser questions about adoption and easy-to-understand definitions about new words and terms that a child may come across but not understand. Pages have been left blank at the end of the booklet so that agencies can add their own local information. Agencies will find that this useful little booklet provides a good introduction to adoption for children and young people. It contains comprehensive information which can either be worked through with younger children who might otherwise find the amount of information daunting, or can be handed over to a young person to read and keep for reference as they progress through the process. There is also a Welsh-language version available.

Learning the alphabet can be fun! Especially when viewed through the eyes of adoption. The ABC Adoption Coloring Book allows young children to learn their alphabets with fifty-two beautifully hand-drawn pictures. Inspired by many adoption journeys, the ABC Adoption Coloring Book is an artistic expression that provides a coloring experience that both you and your children will treasure. Your children will enjoy page after page of creatively celebrating different adoption stories.

This book explains the differences between adoption and foster care, using interviews and anecdotes to reveal the feelings of caregivers and the children for whom they care, in an effort to help young people understand the many sides to adoption and foster care. Illustrated with many black-and-white photographs.

Adoption and surrogate pregnancy are the two most realistic options currently available for millions of couples unable to have biological children. In the past decade, international adoption has become popular among those who wish to avoid the wait associated with adopting domestically. Yet because of unique political, economic, and cultural circumstances within individual countries, international adoption is fraught with legal controversies and difficulties. Surrogate pregnancy is a relatively new and inherently complicated alternative. With few regulations to guide the process and protect those involved, however, countries struggle to address its ethical and moral questions, in addition to the legal, political, cultural, and environmental ramifications. Providing a historic overview and defining the key issues, Adoption and Surrogate Pregnancy examines the laws related to adoption and surrogate pregnancy in five countries: the United States, China, India, the United Kingdom, and Guatemala. The discussion covers the ways in which adoption and surrogate pregnancy overlap and influence each other, the nuances that further complicate matters, and the controversies surrounding both issues—such as fears of exploitation, class discrimination, socially “unwanted” children, same-sex parenthood, and the difficulties of governing the family unit. Allowing students to compare the subjects from the perspectives of different countries and cultures, this balanced and objective volume sheds light on the way these issues affect the global community. About the Author: Faith Merino is an award-winning writer and editor. She has contributed extensively to Facts On File’s Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania and was editor-in-chief at Calliope literary magazine at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. Her short story, “At the Bottom of the Ocean,” was awarded first place at the Open Windows 2007 Fiction Competition. Foreword author Pamela Anne Quiroz is associate professor of educational policy studies and sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago and is the author of Adoption in a Color-Blind Society, among other publications.

From the Dust Jacket: Adoption is an issue that touches the lives of millions of people in the United States. Many controversies surround adoption, and many people have very strong—and opposing—views about what is the best solution for the adoptee, the biological parents, and the adoptive parents.

“In the child’s best interest” is a phrase that is heard very often among adoption experts. To adoptive parents, it is in the child’s best interest to be placed with them. To many birthparents, it is in the child’s best interest to stay with them. People with these opposing views can agree on only one thing: There are no easy answers where adoption is concerned.

Statistics today show that unplanned pregnancies among teenagers have reached epidemic proportions—about 1 million teenage girls in the United States become pregnant every year. Adoption is a subject that these young women will have to confront. And those who have been adopted will also feel the impact of changing views on adoption and adoptees’ rights.

Adoption Controversies presents a balanced view of today’s main adoption issues. It begins by exploring the idea of adoption as an option. It then examines the various controversies surrounding the process of adoption—open versus closed adoption, agency versus independent adoption, transracial and special needs adoption, surrogate mothering, the rights of birthfathers, searches by adoptees for birthparents—and addresses the latest research findings on adoption.

Adoption is an emotional subject filled with many dilemmas and debates. Author Karen Liptak explores its many facets, touching on our most basic values about what constitutes a family and what best serves all those involved.

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About the Author: Karen Liptak has written numerous books for juvenile and young adult readers. She has authored many books for Franklin Watts, including the North American Indian series, Saving the Wetlands and Their Wildlife, and Endangered Peoples. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her daughter Jana.

From the Back Cover: Adoption means a new beginning for children and parents alike. But just as hope and the promise of a bright future are a natural part of the acceptance process, so are the old ties, emotions, doubts, and fears of adopted kids. The seven stories in this book illustrate how some adoptees and their families have dealt with their problems. You’ll read about adoption from infancy, adoption of an older child, a trans-racial child, a child from a foreign culture, and a child who has been partially raised by a birth parent who is still living. Each story is followed up by the author’s comments on the many important issues raised. This sensitive book is filled with insight into the special family relationships that dre a part of adoption.

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About the Author: Steven L. Nickman was born in New Jersey and attended Princeton University and Duke Medical School. He was trained first as a pediatrician and then as a psychiatrist. His interest in adoption arose from experience within his own family. He gradually developed a subspecialty within child psychiatry, dealing with the special worries and concerns of adopted children and teenagers and their parents. He has a private practice and is on the staff of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; he also serves as medical director of the New Bedford Area Center for Human Services.

Dr. Nickman lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife and two sons, seventeen and eleven years old. He enjoys language study, travel, and music, and continues to write about adoption and other family-related subjects for both general readers and professionals in the mental health field.

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Compiler’s Note: The two images included here appear to be of the same book, one with (l) and the other without the dust jacket.

About the Author: Adoption UK is the leading charity providing support, community and advocacy for all those parenting or supporting children who cannot live with their birth parents. We connect adoptive families, provide information and signposting on a range of adoption-related issues and campaign for improvements to adoption policy and legislation at the highest levels. With over 8,000 members, we provide a strong, supportive community and are the largest voice of adopters in the UK.

While adopting a child has become applauded in our society, placing a child for adoption is still misunderstood. Since many people don’t understand adoption, they only consider abortion or single parenting when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. The Adoption Option shows you why adoption is an acceptable solution for an unplanned pregnancy and walks you through the choices and steps all birth parents experience when choosing adoption for their baby.

From the Back Cover: Adoption Stories for Young Children is a touching and fun story about adoption for children. Told from the perspective of a five year old boy, we meet his many friends and neighbors. They all come from different walks of life, but they have one thing in common—their families were all created through adoption. Adoption Stories for Young Children offers reaffirmation that adoption is a natural and loving way of becoming a family. Common issues of interest to young children about adoption are explored with genuineness and sincerity, from one child to another. It is a book which parents can share with their child over and over again, from infancy and into elementary school.

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About the Author: Randall B. Hicks is considered one of the nation’s leading adoption authors. As an attorney in private practice in Southern California, he has helped more than 700 families adopt their children through both domestic and international adoption. His books, including Adopting in America: How To Adopt Within One Year and Adopting in California, have been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times and praised by the American Library Association.

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Compiler’s Note: Notwithstanding the title, the book really tells only one story: “Ryan, a five-year-old boy, knows a lot about adoption. He knows that his babysitter, Tammy, is pregnant, but isn’t ready to be a mommy. He also knows that Tammy has chosen his neighbors to be the baby’s mommy and daddy. He has lots of friends who are adopted. Even his friend’s teacher is adopted!”

From the decision to adopt to meeting your child for the first time, Adoption!: A Family They Did Become captures the cherished moments shared by many families who have been touched by adoption. This heartwarming, sentimental story is about your family’s journey. By inserting your child’s adoption location, you give the story a personal touch. Whether your adoption journey was domestic or international, you and your child will surely embrace Adoption!: A Family They Did Become as a true family favorite. About the Author: Kelly A. Wood has a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. Her proudest moment was when she and her husband, Keith, became adoptive parents of their beloved son, Dmitri. Adoption!: A Family They Did Become was originally written by Wood for Dmitri as a poem that chronicled the Woods’ adoption journey. The inspiration to turn the poem into a children’s book came when Dmitri wanted to share his poem with all adopted children.

Adoption? Thank God for That Option is a children’s story. The foreword is appropriate for adults. The characters are very real and the story is non-fiction. It has humor, repetition and rhyme, plus ends with a poem titled, The Gift. The book is fully illustrated with color and black and white photographs. It shows how adoptive children are no different from biological children when it comes to love and to care for. They grow, eat, sleep, breathe and play sports. They have good days and bad, just like everybody else. Most important of all, they are loved in good times and bad.

In Adoptions Today, Ann E. Weiss explores the issues and controversies surrounding adoption and presents a history of the subject from ancient times to the modern day. The result is a clear, unbiased picture of adoption, past and present. Among the questions the author raises: Why did public attitudes toward adoption change so dramatically in the early twentieth century? What were the reasons for the secrecy that shrouded most adoptions until only a few years ago? Why are interracial and international adoption rates growing so rapidly? What are the implications of such adoptions for parents and children? How does the adoption process work? Adoption laws and practices in the recent past, though well-intentioned, were often flawed. Changes have been made, but some issues continue to trouble adoption professionals and legislators alike. For example, most adult adoptees can obtain non-identifying information about their birth parents. Should they also be able to obtain facts that could lead to their identifying and locating those parents? Which is more important: an adoptee’s right to information or a parent’s right to privacy? Should single men and women be allowed to adopt? Should homosexuals? Is it possible to raise a child of another race, religion, or nationality to feel secure—and proud—of his or her particular heritage? What resources are available to help interracial and international adoptive families resolve any problems that do arise? What can be done to stop such unethical practices as baby selling? Can today’s adoption practices be improved? How might adoption change as we move into a new century? In Adoptions Today, Ann E. Weiss forthrightly discusses these and other questions. Through the words and stories of actual adoptees, both children and adults, she examines the many facets of adoption’s legal and ethical issues and controversies. This book will be of interest to those involved in adoption personally, through their local communities, or as members of the larger world community.

From the Publisher: The My Family set supports national social studies standards related to identifying family members and their roles in the family. This book describes and illustrates adoptive families. The images support early readers in understanding the text. The repetition of words and phrases helps early readers learn new words. This book also introduces early readers to subject-specific vocabulary words, which are defined in the Glossary section. Early readers may need assistance to read some words and to use the Table of Contents, Glossary, Read More, Internet Sites, and Index sections of the book.

From the Back Cover: Some couples can’t have children, for a variety of reasons. Meanwhile, too many children don’t have families of their own to love and care for them. When these couples reach out to adopt these children, new families are formed--and like all families, they have a whole set of issues and complications, some of them unique to their situation.

Raising any child has challenges, and raising an adopted child has some extra ones. What about birth families? Are they going to be a part of the child’s life? What do you tell the child about his birth and adoption? The families in this book have all had their own struggles and complications they’ve had to deal with, but they’ve had many joys as well and learned a lot through their experiences.

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About the Author: Rae Simons came from a family of five children, and she now has three children of her own. Her role in her "nuclear" family as well as in her extended family continues to shape her life in many ways. As a middle school teacher, she worked closely with a wide range of family configurations. She has written many educational books for young adults.

This thoughtful picture book is written for children ages 4 to 10. It contains a variety of adoption specific topics on family life. It’s illustrated with great graphic images. It offers interesting facts in simple language. Although the material appropriate for these ages, younger children will need some help. They will enjoy the book most by sharing it with a parent. Students will encounter new words and concepts. They’ll read reasons children are given for adoption. They’ll also learn how to create a book of their own life, from photos, family stories, and their own memories. Other subjects in the book include common adjustment problems adoptive families’ face. Most of the book’s images are colored photographs. These are most effective when read on a Kindle Fire, or the Kindle Application on a tablet device, or PC. They can be viewed clearly on black and white readers. Only the color dimension is lacking. Children and parents will find talking points to kid-style questions. Do I have other brothers and sisters? Will I meet them? Why did my birth parents get rid of me? Did I do something bad? Teachers and home schooling parents will find this book a wonderful addition to their nonfiction libraries. It provides selected passages on family relationships, and the vital part adoption plays in today’s society. Great illustrations bring the text to life.

A nonfiction book that describes the mechanics of the adoption process and the feelings that adoption engenders in an adopted child. Straightforward and complete account that informs and validates the child for both international and domestic adoptions.

From the Back Cover: where did I come from?

When you’re a teenager you have lots of stuff to deal with—school, friends, love, sex, peer pressure—and let’s not forget a big one: your family. Everyone has family issues, but when you’re adopted, it sometimes adds an extra layer to your situation. It might mean that you have some different thoughts and questions than your non-adopted friends do. This book will help you figure out where to look for answers to some of those questions, not only about your past, but also your present and future.

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About the Author: Anne Lanchon is a journalist who specializes in education and literature for children. She has published other helpful books for young readers.

Monike Czarnecki is a children’s illustrator who also creates sets for the theater.

Tucker Shaw is the author of numerous novels and self-help books for young adults.

All About Me was written by two adoptive mothers, this simple, direct children’s book was designed to be an invaluable tool for adoptive parents who wish to provide their young children an avenue for understanding the meaning of being adopted. When incorporated into a regular reading schedule, it provides consistent opportunities for parents and children to have open, frank and meaningful conversations about being adopted. Illustrated with wonderful, colorful art produced by adopted children, it encourages children to participate in the story by “filling in the blanks” using their crayons and washable markers. The large format is easy for young fingers to handle and it’s washable, so the fun can happen over and over again!

A variation on the traditional baby book, with additional sections unique to the circumstances of the adopted child. This is an old version of the concept; more contemporary variations are available under such rubrics as Our Chosen Child (2003) and My Family, My Journey (2007). Similar volumes specifically designed for children adopted from other countries are also generally available.

With bright, colorful illustrations, this book is great for any young child beginning to differentiate him- or herself from others in order to form a self-identity. Using simple prose, the author tells how kids from very different backgrounds can share the same needs, desires and hopes. All kinds of children need love, like to run, have families and have dreams. With tenderness, the book shows children how, though we’re all different, we have a great deal in common. A companion volume to Ms. Simon’s All Kinds of Families.

From the Author: What does the title of this picture book mean, All Kinds of Families? Quite simply, it acknowledges that families are not always composed in the traditional way: a household made up of two parents and their children. The title reflects the many patterns of family life that fit the broad definition: a group of persons under one roof, usually subject to one authority or shared authority. It illustrates the family defined as parents and their children, whether dwelling together or not.

A child defines family on the basis of personal experience. Little children idealize the adults in their family and learn values by imitating attitudes and behavior they see around them. This book stresses the supportive function of the family and the child’s joyous place in the center of this, his world.

Healthy emotional life is nourished by the love, trust, sense of belonging, and support a family provides. The child also needs stability, responsiveness, and a pattern of consistency. While many forms of family structure exist today, the family remains the place where most children are nurtured, emotionally as well as physically.

This picture book celebrates happy times, but it also shows in a quiet fashion that some relationships are troubled ones. Separations and sadness occur, yet the positive values of lives shared endure to provide foundations for future families.

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About the Author: Books have always been important in her life and so Norma Simon is sensitive to what books can mean to children. Trained in education and psychotherapy, Mrs. Simon writes a special kind of book which reassures children where emotions are concerned. In I Was So Mad!, for example, she shows familiar frustrating, anger-provoking situations because she believes the first step in understanding emotions comes when feelings are brought into the open. While Norma Simon grew up loving the excitement of New York City, she and her family now enjoy the relative peacefulness of life on Cape Cod. In addition to writing, Mrs. Simon works as an educational consultant for advertising research with children and children’s products, textbooks, and educational films. She is proud to be a member of her local school committee in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Her educational background includes undergraduate work at Brooklyn College, graduate work at the New School for Social Research, and a master’s degree from the Bank Street School of Education. She has been writing since 1954 and has more than thirty books published. She is a member of the Authors Guild.

From the time when he won his first art prize at the age of eight, Joe Lasker knew he wanted to be an artist. He attended the Cooper Union Art School in New York City, but his career was interrupted by service in World War II. When he resumed painting, he won Prix de Rome and Guggenheim fellowships which made possible study in Europe and Mexico. His paintings hang in museums and private collections.

Well known as an illustrator of children’s books, Mr. Lasker has become an author as well as artist. His first two picture books, published by Albert Whitman, are Mothers Can Do Anything and the sympathetic description of a boy with a learning disability, He’s My Brother.

Mr. Lasker’s illustrations combine strength, a factual realism, and humor. Qualities which enrich his painting make his picture books especially meaningful to anyone involved in the life of girls and boys. His studio is in his home in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Sarah S. Brannen is the author and illustrator of Madame Martine, Madame Martine Breaks the Rules, and Uncle Bobby’s Wedding. She has illustrated over a dozen other picture books, including the award-winning Feathers: Not Just for Flying, written by Melissa Stewart. She lives in Massachusetts.

This is a book to be used with children who experience separation or loss for a variety of reasons such as divorce, abuse, parental illness, etc. It is a hands-on workbook to be used directly with the child.

From the Publisher: An-Ya and Her Diary: Reader and Parent Guide is a ground-breaking collaborative work and the first of its kind to be published under the An-Ya Project. Inside you will find the wisdom and artistry of professional adoptees who discuss all aspects of the novel An-Ya and Her Diary. Included are lessons on how to lead an adoption discussion, how a parent can use the novel to emotionally guide their child through the book, as well as writers who eloquently express their own complex journeys as adoptees. Readers will also find: the “Reflections” of young adoptees and their siblings and an in-depth interview with the author of An-Ya and Her Diary conducted by members of the CAL One World Chinese Adoptee Program.

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Contributors Include: Stephanie Kripa Cooper-Lewter, Ph.D., L.M.S.W.; Lee Herrick Amanda; H.L. Transue-Woolston, BSW; Jennifer Bao Yu “Precious Jade” Jue-Steuck; Susan Branco Alvarado, MA Ed, LPC; and Matthew Salesses.

From the Publisher: Each book in the “Young Heroes” series focuses on the life story of an individual who has distinguished himself or herself as an activist or has persevered through hardship and are examples of personal courage and ingenuity. Ana Dodson, 14, is a young lady who set up her own non-profit to help orphaned children from her homeland. She was born in Peru and was adopted by an American family; her birth mother died when she was three. Her new family took her on a trip back to Peru when she was 11 years old, because they wanted her to embrace her heritage. Ana and her mother, accompanied by other families who had adopted children from Peru, visited many orphanages on their trip. Nerves, excitement, and curiosity were the concoction of feelings running through Ana’s mind. In preparation for her trip to the orphanages she began gathering Spanish books and teddy bears to bring for the children.

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About the Author: Rachel Lynette has written nearly twenty books for children as well as many articles on children and family life. She has found the Young Heroes books to be some of her most rewarding and enjoyable projects. She also teaches science to children of all ages. Lynette lives in the Seattle area in the Songaia Cohousing Community with her two delightful children, David and Lucy, a cat named Cosette, and a playful white rat. When she is not teaching or writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, reading, drawing, inline skating, crocheting socks, and eating chocolate ice cream.

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By the Same Author: What Makes Us a Family?: Living in a Nontraditional Family (2009, ABDO Publishing Co.), among many others.

Book Review from Children Today, January-February 1973 (Vol. 2, No. 1): This read-aloud book for adoptive parents can be used to help young adopted children accept and feel comfortable about their beginnings, their biological parents, and the reason why children may have been surrendered for adoption. The book explains, in childlike hand lettering, what adoption is, how babies are adopted, why parents adopt, and why some people must make the decision to give their child up for adoption.

From the Dust Jacket: When nurse, educator and activist, Lynda Arnold, was asked by her three-year-old son, David, about how they became a family, she had a hard time finding the right words. For that reason, she decided to put into writing the hopes and dreams of one mother and one child striving to understand adoption—in this case “transracial” adoption—and the lack of understanding and appreciation that exists in many communities for these kinds of families.

Angels of Love is a children’s story that encourages dialogue about adoption, ethnic diversity and the values of love, compassion and understanding which help to strengthen every family unit. This is a touching story but one that is far from unique. With over half a million children in America already waiting for adoptive parents, and many more seeking families every day, adoption exists as a viable choice and experience for many qualified couples and individuals.

Hopefully. someday all children will find a home and family to call their own. Right now, despite all the teaching, public awareness and interest, that day is still not here. Therefore, it is important for each and every one of us to remember that children everywhere are the educators and leaders of tomorrow.

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About the Author: Lynda Arnold is the author of two children’s books including Angels of Love and My Mommy Has AIDS. She took an active part as organizer and promoter in the production of the award winning documentary, A Higher Standard: The Lynda Arnold Story. She is founder and president of a national non-profit organization, the National Campaign for Healthcare Worker Safety, Inc.

In 1992, Lynda suffered an accidental needlestick while performing her nursing duties in the intensive care unit of a small community hospital. Six months later she tested positive for the HIV virus. Since then, Lynda has become an internationally-acclaimed speaker. Adoption was the answer for Lynda Arnold and her husband, Tony, when they decided to start a family.

Together with her husband and their two adopted children, David and Ashley, Lynda continues to inspire and educate listeners of all ages.