Guest Author - Karen Ledbetter

Do you know an adopted teen that is searching for identity and/or considering searching for his/her birth family? S/he will find “Where Are My Birth Parents?” to be informative. This book realistically explains all aspects from deciding to search to making contact and eventual reunion, and it’s written in a way that the average person can understand. Topics covered include reasons for searching, telling (adoptive) parents of the decision to search, how to search, making contact, reunion, and post-reunion. Adoptees and birth mothers share their own stories of search and reunion throughout the book as well. Although this book was primarily written as a search and reunion guide, the authors point out that having no desire to search is okay, too. I came away with the impression that what’s right for one adoptee may not be the best choice for another, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with either choice.

Due out sometime in 2004, young adoptees and birth siblings will enjoy “Sam’s Sister,” a delightful book was written by Juliet C. Bond and illustrated by Dawn W. Majewski. The story of her mother’s inability to care for another child and who makes an adoption plan for the baby she’s expecting is told from five-year-old Rosa’s perspective.

Another favorite at our house is “The Sea Chest” by Toni Buzzeo. The fictional story was inspired by a legend involving the Hendricks Head Light keeper in Maine following a storm in the mid-1870s. The story begins with elderly Maita sharing a childhood story with her sister’s great-granddaughter. Ten-year-old Maita, the light keeper’s only child, loved her parents dearly and enjoyed spending time with her parents, but she was lonely and longed for a brother or sister.

“Heart of Mine—A Story of Adoption” is a delightful storybook that begins, “Once a little girl grew in her mommy’s belly……..” When the little girl was born, as much as her mommy and daddy wanted to, they could not take care of their new baby. At the same time, on the other side of the world, another mommy and daddy were waiting to become parents.

Of course not all children’s books need to be adoption related. Usborne Books offers a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction books for children of all ages.

If you and/or your children have other favorite adoption-related books not listed here, please let me know about them!