As I began reading The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption, by Christine Adamec, I noticed one unique feature right away—the author’s enthusiasm! It was refreshing to read a book about the adoption process where you could feel the author cheering you on, and encouraging you along the way. That being said, the she didn’t sugar coat anything about the realities of adopting domestically and internationally. The combination of supportive advice and doses of reality make this book a must read for anyone on the adoption journey.

In the first part of the book, the author points out some important questions and issues for those that are considering adoption. Those who have already made the decision to adopt can probably skip these pages, but they won’t want to miss out on any of the other helpful chapters.

The author provides detailed information on choosing adoption agencies, working with adoption attorneys, adoption costs, and avoiding adoption scams. In addition, she provides an impressive state by state chart of adoption laws. As always, the reader should be advised to confirm that the stated laws are still current through their adoption agency or attorney.

This book also provides information on international adoption, though you will not find country specific information. However, it does provide a considerable amount of information on issues such as: travel, health concerns, medical histories, orphanages, adoption scams, language issues, and adjustment issues, just to name a few. In addition, the author points to you another book that focuses solely on international adoption for more detailed information.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption is easy to read and understand. The chapters flow seamlessly into each other, with lots of wonderful tips scattered throughout the pages. For example, on one page, you might find a “Real Life Snapshot” which is a paragraph or two that gives the reader a “real life” look at the page topic. On another page, you may find another side note that’s called “Adoption Terms” that clarifies any questions or confusion on the page topic. There are many different types of these helpful tips throughout the book, and they are easy to find and much appreciated.

Finally, the author provides an impressive appendix listing that directs the reader to adoption agencies, national adoption organizations, adoption attorneys, state public adoption agencies, adoptive parent groups, international adoption medical experts, adoption books and magazines, and a well defined glossary of adoption terms.

There is a huge amount of information in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Adoption that is presented in a factual and encouraging way. It’s an excellent book for anyone interested in learning more about adoption.