20 of the Best Adoptee Books Out There
If you’re an adoptee, finding someone who understands your personal experiences can be tough. Everyone has their own experience, but where can you find the voices of your fellow adoptees?
In the books written by adoptees below.
Books and memoirs can be a great resource for not only learning about others’ adoption experiences but also better understanding your own. You are never alone; there is always someone out there who can empathize with what you’re feeling.
If you’re looking for extra support in your personal adoption journey, look no further than the adoptee books listed below. Remember: If you were adopted through American Adoptions, our trained specialists are always here to offer support and refer you to any additional resources you may need.
Books Written By Adoptees
When you’re adopted, the best advice can come from those who have been in your shoes. Below, find a few memoirs and other helpful books written by adoptees. Learn from their experiences, but remember: Even if their adoption experience varies from yours, it is still valid and deserves your respect.
International adoptee Nicole Chung’s memoir documents her journey as a Korean adoptee in a white, Catholic family.
“Akin to the Truth: A Memoir of Adoption and Identity”
Adoptee Paige Adams Strickland details her closed adoption experience, from childhood to adolescence.
“Birthright: The Guide to Search and Reunion for Adoptees, Birthparents and Adoptive Parents”
Adoptee Jean A. S. Strauss writes about her search for her birth parents in the 1980s, offering tips and suggestions to adoptees in reunion journeys today.
“Black Anthology: Adult Adoptees Claim Their Space”
Adult black adoptees from all circumstances and backgrounds share their experiences in this anthology.
“Blending In: Crisscrossing the Lines of Race, Religion, Family and Adoption”
Barbara Gowen details her journey as a biracial child adopted out of the foster care system in the 1960s — touching on the themes listed in the title and more.
“Ithaka: A Daughter’s Memoir of Being Found”
Sarah Saffian, who grew up in a closed adoption, recounts when her birth mother contacted her out of the blue when Saffian was age 23.
“Two Hearts: An Adoptee’s Journey Through Grief and Gratitude”
Linda Hoye, adopted through the foster care system, details her journey coming to terms with her adoptive family, birth family and her abusive marriage.
“20 Life-Transforming Choices Adoptees Need to Make”
Adoptee Sherrie Eldridge tackles the difficult aspects of being an adoptee and offers tips and resources for others (like her) who have deep personal questions and issues with their adoption.
You can find a continually updated catalogue of adoption books for adoptees on AdopteeReading.com.
Research-Based Adoption Books for Adoptees and Adoptive Parents
While anecdotes and memoirs can be helpful, they may not always apply to your situation. If you’re looking for the best books for adoptees, you might also read some research-based books, such as the ones below.
An anthology of perspectives and studies from all members of the adoption triad and mental health professionals, this book tackles the complicated aspects of long-term adoption issues for all involved.
“The Adoption Reunion Handbook”
If you’re an adoptee looking for your birth family, this book is an invaluable resource. Read about other adoptees’ reunion stories and find tips and suggestions for your upcoming journey.
“Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self”
Three authors bring together the voices of adoptees and adoptive parents to discuss their varying experiences and current psychological and educational theories.
Researchers Dr. Karyn Purvis, Dr. David Cross and Wendy Lyons Sunshine present relational strategies to help adoptive parents form attachment and help adopted children heal from early-childhood trauma stemming from their adoption.
Author Nancy Newton Verrier explores the effects of birth-parent-adoptee separation in this classic adoptee book. Many adoptees claim it has helped them heal in their personal journeys.
“Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adopted Parents Knew”
Adoptee Sherrie Eldridge combines her own experiences with extensive research on adoption to educate adoptive parents on what their children may feel throughout their lives.
Best Books for Younger Adoptees
Explaining adoption to children is easier than ever, thanks to a multitude of books intended for adoptees of all ages and all backgrounds. American Adoptions encourages all our adoptive parents to make adoption an everyday topic from the moment they bring their child home, which is why we suggest the adoptee books below as a great starting point.
In this tale by Holly Keller, a young leopard adopted by two tigers realizes that being part of a family depends on how you feel — not how you look.
Author Carrie A. Kitze’s children’s story uplifts the love and support that really makes someone a part of the family — not the physical similarities.
“The Mulberry Bird: An Adoption Story”
Author Anne Braff Brodzinsky crafts story about a bird who can’t provide her baby the protection he needs. Instead, she chooses to place him with another family with a stronger, more secure nest.
Author Nancy Carlson tells of a young transracial Asian adoptee who wonders about her birth parents while appreciating all the ways she is similar to her adoptive parents.
“Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale”
Karen Katz uses her own experience as an adoptive parent in this children’s book about international adoption.
“Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born”
Jamie Lee Curtis’s children’s book focuses on a young girl asking about her adoption story, focusing on the significance of family and love.
While this list of adoptee books is a useful one, it’s by no means comprehensive. If you are looking for more books on adoption written by adoptees, consider reaching out to other adoptees for their recommendations. Happy reading!
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