International Adoption Books for School Age Kids
Stories for Internationally Adopted Children Five to Nine Years Old
Jun 18, 2009
With international adoption on the rise, there has become a need for children’s books that address the complexities of being a child adopted from another country. Some books focus on the process of international adoption, whereas others highlight issues unique to transcultural and transracial adoption.
Categorized by the countries where children are adopted from or the cultural group they belong to, these children’s books are mostly written by adoptive parents or professionals working with adopted kids.
Books for Children Adopted from China
With girls as the central character in these stories, these books tap into Chinese folktales, China’s adoption process and the issue of fitting into an adoptive family.
- At Home in this World by Jean MacLeod [EMK Press, 2003]
- Chinese Eyes by Marjorie Ann Waybill [Herald Press, 1974]
- Just Add One Chinese Sister by Patricia I. McMahon [Boyds Mills Press, 2005]
- Lily by Keri Campbell [BookSurge Publishing, 2009]
- Made in China by Vanita Oelschlager [Vanita Books, 2008]
- Mommy Far, Mommy Near by Carol Peacock [Albert Whitman & Company, 2000]
- My Family Is Forever by Nancy Carlson [Puffin USA, 2006]
- My Mei Mei by Ed Young [Philomel, 2006]
- Star of the Week by Darlene Friedman [HarperCollins, 2009]
- The Red Thread by Grace Lin [Albert Whitman & Company, 2007]
- Three Names of Me by Mary Cummings [Albert Whitman & Company, 2006]
Being the most popular country from which Canadians and Americans adopt, China has a strong representation among books written for children.
Books for Children Adopted from Korea and Vietnam
From picture books with complex issues to easy readers with adoptees as the main character, these are stories with which families who adopted from Korea and Vietnam can identify.
- Journey Home by Lawrence McKay [Lee & Low Books, 2000]
- Tall Boy’s Journey by Joanna Halpert Kraus [Carolhoda Books Inc., 1993]
- The Double Dabble Surprise by Beverly Lewis [Bethany House Publishers, 1995]
- We Adopted You, Benjamin Koo by Linda Walvoord Girard [Albert Whitman & Company, 1992]
Many books about children adopted from China may also be appropriate for kids adopted from Vietnam and Korea.
Books for Children Adopted from Russia and Eastern European Countries
Often depicting life in the orphanage before being adopted, these books for school age kids are good tools for starting conversations about life before adoption, including the issue of loss.
- Borya and the Burps by Joan McNamara [Perspectives Press, 2005]
- Dounia by Natacha Karvoskaia [Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 1995]
- Mishka by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista [DRT Press, 2007]
- When I Met You by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista [DRT Press, 2005]
Age appropriate for children learning to read, these international adoption books are also entertaining for younger children as read aloud stories.
Books for Children Adopted from South and Central America
Specifically tackling self-esteem issues, these books depicting children from South and Central America address the concerns of all adopted children.
- Lucy’s Family Tree by Karen Halvorsen Schreck [Tilbury House Publishers, 2001]
- Rainforest Girl by Charlise Miner [Mitchell Lane Publishers, 1998]
- We Wanted You by Liz Rosenberg [Roaring Brook Press, 2002]
As international adoptions from this region are becoming more common there is a growing need for children’s books about the issues unique to children adopted from Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Panama, Colombia and Brazil.
Books about Transracial and Transcultural Adoption
The issue of cultural and racial differences in adoptive families is prevalent in domestic adoptions as well as international. Here are some children’s books that appeal to adopted kids in grades one and two.
- Abby by Jeannette Caines [HarperCollins, 1984]
- Carolyn’s Story by Perry Schwartz [Lerner Publishing Group, 1996]
- Tooth Fairy Tales by Deb Capone [As Simple as That, 2005]
Although many of the children’s books focus on a particular country, the themes are common to adoptions of any country and can be enjoyed by adoptive families of all kinds. When used as a way to start discussions, children’s books specifically about international adoption can be an effective way of reaching five to nine year olds.
Related Articles
Children's Books about Asian Adoptions
References
ComeUnity website
Amazon.com website
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