Great Book on Adoption :)

CherryPopTart · 05-22-2003, 01:22 PM

I spent a glorious hour at Borders last night browsing the Adoption section, and came away with a great book that I'm almost finished reading already! It's called "The Greatest Gift: Reflections on International & Domestic Adoption" by Betsy Buckley.

I feel as though the author was peeking into my life these last few months -- our stories are so similar!! Anyway, I'm really enjoying it and I thought I'd post here and let others know about it.

I also picked up "Yes, You Can Adopt" and "Adoption for Dummies." DH is excitedly pouring over those......

I've also ordered The Russian Adoption Handbook and I'm really looking forward to getting that one.

Anybody have any good reading suggestions? Since we've decided to adopt, things have really started looking up. Infertility can suck the joy right out of life.....and it's nice to have something wonderful to believe in again.

We can't wait to start the adoption process in August.

Therese

websissy · 05-22-2003, 04:47 PM

I've been reading - Raising Adopted Children by Lois Ruskai Melina (recommended by social worker) and we have two other's that I need to read:

Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew by Shrrie Eldridge

Toddler Adoption - The Weaver's Craft by Mary Hopkins Best

Tapestry Books has several adoption book selections at Tapestry Books

CherryPopTart · 05-22-2003, 04:55 PM

websissy -- thanks for the link! I ordered a catalog!

Therese

Calantha · 05-22-2003, 05:48 PM

Dh and I read Raising Adopted Children as part of our required training for the state of Illinois. I HIGHLY recommend it. We've both read it twice already and plan to keep it around for MANY years to come!

If you're adopting internationally, another book that you might find helpful is With Eyes Wide Open. It's an international adoption workbook. Not everything in it applies to every situation, but it really gets you thinking and better yet talking about a lot of stuff you might not otherwise consider.

I did buy Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew. However, I couldn't even get halfway through it. I know it's a highly recommended book, but coming from a family with 3 adopted siblings, I think it's full of hogwash. The woman who wrote the book is an adoptee who seems to blame every bad thing that ever happens to adoptees on the fact that they are adoptees. I can tell you from talking with my brothers and sister about this book that while this woman may wish her parents knew these things, it's far from being representative of how all adoptees feel. Just my 50 cents.

-Brandy

KGJacob · 05-22-2003, 07:58 PM

My favorite book about international adoption is Major League Dad by Timothy Burke. I believe it is out of print now but there have been some used copies on the different web sites (amazon.com I think, but maybe Barnes and nobl;e - I check both on occasion). Or maybe even your local library.

It is not an instruction book but it is a great book to re-read when you think your travel date may never come.