Looking for more adoption resources?

These resources and books have been gathered by BraveLove from various sources in order to provide information that can be used to better understand the depth and scope of the complex adoption issues impacting children, adults, and families in the United States. We've compiled a list of some of the favorites from professionals, birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees. 

Note: This is not a comprehensive list.  If you see something not listed that you'd like to recommend, contact us.  Inclusion on the below list does not indicate an official endorsement or partnership with BraveLove.

Books for Birth Moms

• Tell Me About My Birth Mother: A journal about beginnings by Lisa Shiers and Abigail Glass, LMFT - A wonderful journal for birth mothers to complete about themselves and share with the child they placed.
• It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand by Megan Devine
• How to Carry What Can't Be Fixed: A Journal for Grief by Megan Devine
• Joy Will Come: Exchange Shame for Redemption by Lindsay Pepin Ophus
• Heart of a Birth Mom by Terri Gake
• Reframing Adoption by Sharon Fox
• Revealing You: A Journal for Birthmothers by Michelle Thorne
• Birthparent Guide to Grief (12 Step Guide to Grief) by Jessalyn Speights and Alyssia Foote
• Lifegivers: Framing the Birthparent Experience in Open Adoption by James L. Gritter
• Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown — Read our review here.

If you're a birth mom looking for more information on support groups & retreats, check out this page.

Adult Education Books

• Adopted for Life by Russell D. Moore
• Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew by Sherrie Eldridge
• The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family by Karyn B. Purvis
• Journey of The Adopted Self: A Quest For Wholeness by Betty Jean Lifton
• Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self by David M. Brodzinsky, Marshall D. Schecter, Robin Marantz Henig
• Adopting Hope: Stories and Real Life Advice from Birthparents, Adoptive Parents, and Adoptees by Lorri Antosz Benson 

Transracial Adoption Resources

• It Takes More Than Love: A Christian Guide to Navigating the Complexities of Cross-Cultural Adoption by Brittany Salmon
• Be the Bridge: Transracial Adoption Guide
• Embrace Race
• In Their Voices: Black Americans on Transracial Adoption by Rhonda M. Roorda
• ColorFull - a book for children that celebrates different skin colors among friends
• Brown Like Me - a book for any child who is growing up in an environment where she/he feels different
• God's Very Good Idea- a book for children that teaches how to enjoy being different

If you're looking for more adult book recommendations, Be the Bridge has a very comprehensive list here.

Adoption Memoirs

• To Have and Not to Hold: The Bonding of Two Mothers through Adoption by Lorri Antosz Benson — Read our review here.
• The Waiting: The True Story of a Lost Child, a Lifetime of Longing, and a Miracle for a Mother Who Never Gave Up by Cathy LaGrow — Read our review here.
• The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade by Ann Fessler
• The Lucky Few by Heather Avis — Read our review here.
  
  

Books for Children

• A Gift for Little Tree - a parable about adoption - great for anyone touched by adoption (adoptees, adoptive parents, birth parents, etc.) 
• A Mother for Choco - a book for adopted children - family is about love no matter how different they may be 
  
• The Little Green Goose- a book for adopted children - a reminder that families are created from love
• Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale - a children's story about international adoption
• My Family is Forever - a book for adopted children, especially who were adopted internationally 
• Mommy's Heart Went POP! - a book for adopted children and the whole family
• Sam's Sister - a book for children in which siblings were adopted and are no longer living together
• ColorFull - a book for children that celebrates different skin colors among friends
• Brown Like Me - a book for any child who is growing up in an environment where she/he feels different
• God's Very Good Idea- a book for children that teaches how to enjoy being different
  
• My Name is Nadir: An Adoption Story - a book that leans more towards foster care adoption, but still highlights an adoptive family honoring and respecting a child's birth mother
• Joseph's Unique Family Tree: An Adoption Story - a practical explanation of how an adopted child can draw their family tree
• Mom and Momma E: An OPEN Adoption Story - a simple and sweet explanation of open adoption from a child's perspective
• How I Wonder Where You Are - a story sharing the emotional journey of international adoption through a child's perspective
• Many People to Love - a story which shares the ups and downs of adoption, specifically international adoption

Podcasts & Radio Shows

• Dimples and Adoption - It is not every day you get to hear an open adoption story from the perspective of a birth mother and her biological daughter. Dimples & Adoption tells a unique story through the eyes of two strong women who were determined to be in each other’s lives. Not only will they uncover their emotional stories, but create a platform to share a variety of adoption stories from guest speakers.
• Around the World with the Archibald Project - Listen to episode 60, one of our favorites.
  
• Creating a Family - Lots and lots of podcasts surrounding adoption, foster care, infertility.  Some favorites: What You Need to Know About Open Adoption, A Panel of Birth Moms Talk about Adoption, What Birth Moms Want Adoptive Parents to Know
  
• Birth Moms Real Talk -  A series of birth mother interviews by a birth mother.  Each episodes highlights various experiences and provides wisdom and enlightenment regarding adoption from a birth mother's perspective.
• Brave Birthmommas! - Join Jasey weekly as she interviews fellow birth mothers.

Helpful Research & Reports

• A Phenomenological Study of Birth Mothers and Their Experiences with Open Adoption by Ivy Byun. This phenomenological study explored the experiences of eight birth mothers who placed their infant for adoption 5 to 10 years ago and have open adoption relationships with their child (2018).
• Birthparent Issues of Grief and Loss by Kris Faasse
• Is Anyone Out There? by Nicole Strickland
• Minnesota / Texas Adoption Research Project (MTARP) is a longitudinal research study that focuses on the consequences of variations in openness in adoption arrangements for all members of the adoptive kinship network: birthmothers, adoptive parents, and adopted children, and for the relationships within these family systems.
• Adoption by the Numbers is a comprehensive report of U.S. adoption statistics by the National Council for Adoption (2017).
• Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to publications, websites, databases, and online learning tools for improving child welfare practice and supporting adoptive and foster families.
• Postpartum Support International provides a directory of counselors all over the country who provide postpartum support.

Share these recommendations with others you know...

Got a favorite that you'd recommend?  Contact us directly.