The Rainbow Egg by Linda Hendricks (ages 5-10) – Hope the chicken lives in the woods, but when she lays an egg and has no nest for it, she realizes she must find a nest for her egg. Her search leads her to the Rainbows who want an egg desperately, but cannot lay an egg no matter how they try. A nice look at adoption from the first parent’s perspective and a good way to start a discussion about why birth parents might choose to place a child for adoption.

Megan’s Birthday Tree: A Story about Open Adoption by Laurie Lears (ages 4-8) – When Megan was born, her birth mother Kendra planted a tree, and every year she sends a picture of the tree to Megan on her birthday. When Kendra moves, Megan is worried that her first mother will forget her without the tree, but her mother reassures her that she is loved, both by Kendra and her parents. Lears captures perfectly the child’s anxiety about being forgotten, as well as her delight when Kendra reveals that even though she does not need a reminder to keep Megan in her heart, she has dug up the tree to replant at her new home.

What Is Your Story? by Lynn Deiulis (ages 4-9) — This colorful children’s book is designed to help children discover their unique journey of adoption or kinship and to normalize their questions and their need to ask them.  Divided by activity pages, each chapter can be read independently and even out of order in an effort to focus on each child’s specific story. The author, an adoptee, was united with the illustrator, her birth half-sister, as an adult.  Their mutual understanding of the impact of adoption enriches this book.  A good resource for adoptive and kinship caregivers, as well as professionals working with children who are living through adoption or kinship processes. 

Three Names of Me by Mary Cummings (6-10) – Ada has three names. Wang Bin is what the caregivers called her at her Chinese orphanage. Ada is the name her American parents gave her. And there is a third name, a name the infant Ada only heard whispered by her Chinese mother. This sweet tale of international adoption pulls no punches when Ada considers questions about adoption. Why did Ada’s birth parents leave her at the orphanage? Why do people stare at Ada when she is out with her parents? The story focuses on Ada’s life now and the love within her family, while also honoring the love of her birth mother.

A Place in My Heart by Mary Grossnickle (ages 2-6) – A Place in My Heart is the story of Charlie, a chipmunk adopted by a family of squirrels, who starts to wonder about his birthparents. At first he is scared that this might upset his family but feels much better when he talks to his mother. His mom supports his curiosity and helps him realize that he doesn’t have to choose one family over the other. She models for him that he is not being disloyal by loving his birth parents. The story reassures children that it is okay to ask questions about their birthparents without upsetting their adoptive parents. I love how this book covers the varied feelings of adoption from the child’s point of view.

My Fairy Birthmother: A Keepsake Storybook for Birthmothers, Adopted Children & Their Families by Avrey Hunter and Mary Huron Hunter (ages 4-8) – Written by an adoptive mother and her daughter, My Fairy Birthmother gives children validation and a positive perspective on their families of origin, provides a language from which to talk about their beliefs and feelings, and empowers them to see their birthmothers, like the proverbial Fairy Godmother, as spiritual guides and guardians, whether or not they ever meet. The book is designed to reinforce the birthmother’s presence in an adopted child’s life and to help children and parents talk about their first families.

The Best for You by Kelsey Stewart (ages 4-8) – Adoption is about love for the child, not that the child was not wanted. This heart warming book is aimed to help children and parents understand what one birth mother was thinking when she decided to adopt. Written in her perspective, she tells her child the reasons why she chose adoption for her baby. A great conversation starter for parents looking to introduce the concept of why their child was placed for adoption.

Delly Duck: Why A Little Chick Couldn’t Stay With His Birth Mother by Holly Marlow (ages 4-8) – Using the story of Delly Duck, this story opens the door for children to ask tough questions and explore their feelings about their adoption story. Delly was excited for her egg to hatch, but she is unable to care for him once he does. A goose comes along to help Delly learn about caring for a duckling. The story uses the sweet prose and likeable animals to delve into questions like “why couldn’t I stay with my mom?” or “why didn’t someone teach my mom to take care of me?” that are often at the heart of a child’s adoption story.