Adoption and fostering: advice, topics and issues Books

Book SynopsisPrior to World War II, international adoption was virtually unknown, but in the twenty-first century, it has become a common practice, touching almost every American. How did the adoption of foreign children by U.S. families become an essential part of American culture in such a short period of time? Rachel Rains Winslow investigates this question, following the trail from Europe to South Korea and then to Vietnam. Drawing on a wide range of political and cultural sources, The Best Possible Immigrants shows how a combination of domestic trends, foreign policies, and international instabilities created an environment in which adoption flourished.Winslow contends that international adoption succeeded as a long-term solution to child welfare not because it was in the interest of one group but because it was in the interest of many. Focusing on the three decades after World War II, she argues that the system came about through the work of governments, social welfare professTrade Review"The Best Possible Immigrants makes a significant and impressive contribution to the now-expanding literature of the history of adoption in the United States and, more specifically, to the history of transnational adoption to the United States. It will be of great interest to scholars of immigration policy and law." * Karen Balcom, McMaster University *"Well-written and insightful, The Best Possible Immigrants emphasizes the convergence and conflict between various group and institutional interests in the history of international adoption, combining policy with cultural history. Winslow has a real talent for clearly explaining the complex relationships between public actors and the private interests that mobilized through voluntary organizations." * Ellen Herman, University of Oregon *

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Book SynopsisNeither an argument for or against the practice of transracial adoption, this book seeks to counter the dominant public view of this practice as a panacea to illegitimacy and the misfortune of infertility among the middle class with a more nuanced view that gives voice to those involved.Trade Review"[An] empathetic study of meanings of cross-racial adoption to adoptees." * Law and Politics Book Review,Vol. 11, No. 11, Nov. 2001 *"BirthMarks clarifies the complexities of transracial adoption, but it does much more than this. Sandra Patton's detailed and sensitive research helps us understand the depths of racial identity itself. The lesson here is that racial identity is not something given, but something achieved. This resonates not just for the adoptees Patton studies, but for us all. It suggests immense possibilities for resisting racism. Transcending the simplistic ‘pro vs. con' debate about transracial adoption, Patton strives to present racial formation as a highly nuanced process of becoming oneself." -- Howard Winant,Temple University"A compelling mixture of voices and social analysis . . . required reading for anyone seriously interested in adoption and families in a multiracial world." -- Maxine Baca Zinn,Michigan State University"This superb study of transracial adoption in the United States addresses profoundly vexing and divisive questions about the social, biological, cultural, and political meanings of identity. Displaying a rare blend of sociological wisdom, empathy, and eloquence, BirthMarks demonstrates how and why there can be no such thing as color-blind families or adoption policies so long as the color line remains an intractable American dilemma. Anyone who cares about the changing contours of families and race today should eagerly adopt this marvelous book." -- Judith Stacey,author of In the Name of the Family

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Book SynopsisAn indispensable resource to those families considering or affected by adoption, this book takes an informed look at adoption from a Jewish perspective and will prepare readers for the many unforeseen challenges that may arise.Trade Review"Jewish parents and parents-to-be building families by adoption, whose children will be a minority within a minority . . . will find much to think about here, as will the members of extended families. Leaders within Jewish communities (religious education teachers, rabbis, etc.) whose adoption knowledge is limited, will similarly find this book of importance."—Adoption Quarterly

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Book SynopsisNominated for the 2005 Norma Fleck AwardThousands of mothers carried their babies to the gates of the Foundling Hospital desperate to save them from the cruel streets of eighteenth-century London. Each baby was left with a personal “token” - identification if a repentant mother ever returned to reclaim her child.Captain Thomas Coram, himself childless, was inspired by the sight of babies abandoned on dung heaps to petition the king for support in building a home for England’s poorest children. Coram’s vision saved countless children’s lives.A Home for Foundlings describes the hospital Captain Coram founded, the luminaries involved - including Handel, Hogarth, and Dickens - and the daily lives of the foundlings themselves.Full of archival photos and materials, and published in cooperation with the newly established Foundling Museum in London and Lord Cultural Resources, A Home for Foundlings is a fascinat

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Book SynopsisThis book presents an integrated and practical system for the physical and sensory rehabilitation, education, and social and cultural remediation of post-institutionalized international adoptees. It is essential reading for researchers and clinicians concerned with childhood trauma, remedial education, and issues of international adoption.Trade Review'In this book, the author used his rich clinical experience with internationally adopted children as a basis for offering his readers several effective remediation strategies. The book is recommended to teachers, school principals, psychologists, and other professionals working with international adoptees.' Alex Kozulin, PhD, Achva Academic College and the Feuerstein Institute, Israel'This book is an eye-opener … With equal measures of wisdom and compassion, Gindis provides careful guidance for accurate diagnoses, and introduces educational and clinical approaches specifically geared to address the educational, social, and emotional issues of internationally adopted youngsters. Everyone working with internationally adopted children of any age will find this book rich in resources and insights about child development.' Dr Patty Cogen, psychotherapist and author of Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child'Dr Gindis taught me so much about learning challenges and behavioral issues when I was evaluating patients before and after their adoption. This book is a great contribution that explains the traumatic aspects in the lives of orphans coming from orphanages.' Dr Jane Aronson, Director, International Pediatric Health Services, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, USA'This detailed, practical, and logically presented book will become an invaluable resource for both professionals and parents, mostly in North America and Western Europe, who adopted children from abroad, particularly from the countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.' Dr Boris Skurkovich, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USATable of Contents1. Internationally adopted children: Development mediated by early childhood trauma; 2. Developmental, neuro-psychological, psycho-educational and dynamic assessments of internationally adopted children; 3. Differential diagnoses and the structure of school-based recommendations for internationally adopted children; 4. Developmental trauma disorder rehabilitation in internationally adopted children; 5. Cognitive remediation of internationally adopted children in school and family; 6. Language remediation in internationally adopted children; 7. Academic remediation of internationally adopted children; 8. Creation of social and cultural competence in internationally adopted children; 9. Therapeutic parenting as a major force in rehabilitation and remediation of internationally adopted children; 10. Transitioning to adulthood using the individual transitional plan; Conclusion: The art of the possible: recovery after trauma; References; Appendix; Index.

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Book SynopsisLotte Jeffs is an award-winning magazine writer, editor, author and podcaster. They are a contributing editor for Grazia and have hosted the award-winning podcast Some Families as well as Grazia Life Advice. Lotte writes for broadsheet newspapers, and international magazines and was previously Deputy Editor of ELLE. Lotte's has published a children's book, My Magic Family. Lotte lives in London with her wife, daughter and two kittens. They are one of the authors of The Queer Parent.Stu Oakley is a film publicist and award-winning podcaster. Stu has written a number of opinion pieces for The Guardian, Grazia, ELLE and Attitude. In his day job as a film publicist, Stu has worked on some of the biggest film franchises of all time including Star Wars, Harry Potter, Frozen and Jurassic World. He thought he was well-versed in dealing with divas . . . until he had toddlers! Stu lives in Hertfordshire with his husband and their three children. He is one of the authors of The Queer Parent.

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Book Synopsis''Mum and Dad. Gone?'' asked Louisa.''Yes,'' I nodded. ''They''re gone.'' After a horrific car crash, thirteen-year-old Louisa is left fighting for her life in hospital. She wakes to find that her loving, happy family has been shattered overnight, with both of her parents now dead. With no one to care for her, Louisa is entirely alone. Britain''s most-loved foster carer Maggie Hartley is called in to help Louisa cope with her devastating new life. Can Maggie find a way to bond with Louisa, overwhelmed with anger and grief? Or will she regret making decisions that will affect both her and Louisa for the rest of their lives?A true story of hope from Sunday Times bestselling author Maggie Hartley, a foster carer for over 20 years.''Excellent read. Didn''t want it to end'' 5* Amazon reader review

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Book SynopsisNOMINATED FOR SIX OSCARS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE, SUPPORTING ACTOR AND SUPPORTING ACTRESS . . . Aged just five, Saroo Brierley lost all contact with his family in India, after waiting at a train station for his brother who never returned. Discover the inspiring, true story behind the film, Lion. This is the heart breaking and original tale of the lost little boy who found his way home twenty-five years later. ----------------------------------- As a five-year old in India, I got lost on a train. Twenty-five years later, I crossed the world to find my way back home. Five-year-old Saroo lived in a poor village in India, in a one-room hut with his mother and three siblings... until the day he boarded a train alone and got lost. For twenty-five years. This is the story of what happened to Saroo in those twenty-five years. How he ended up on the streets of Calcutta. And survived. How he then ended up in

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Book SynopsisA pause. ''Ah, Herr Fergusson. It''s Frau Schwenk.'' Our social worker, I now understood. ''Thank you for getting back to me. I''m calling because we have a little boy, four weeks old, who needs a family.''In 2018, after the introduction of marriage equality in Germany, Ben Fergusson and his German husband Tom became one of the first same-sex married couples to adopt in the country. In Tales from the Fatherland Fergusson reflects on his long journey to fatherhood and the social changes that enabled it. He uses his outsider status as both a gay father and a parent adopting in a foreign country to explore the history and sociology of fatherhood and motherhood around the world, queer parenting and adoption and, ultimately, the meaning of family and love.Tales from the Fatherland makes an impassioned case for the value of diversity in family life, arguing that diverse families are good for all families and that misogyny lies at the heart of maTrade ReviewNecessary and illuminating...he is a fine comic writer * Times Literary Supplment *

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Book SynopsisFrom surrogacy and adoption, to transgender pregnancy and finding child care, parenting as an LGBTQ person is complex. This book is an authoritative, comprehensive, and easy-to-read guide to parenthood and familybuilding for LGBTQ people. The path to becoming a parent is complicated for LGBTQ people. Some LGBTQ people don''t consider parenthood because of stereotypes and barriers, while others are interested in parenthood but unsure about the first steps or overwhelmed by the path to take. Still others are discouraged by the attitudes of their family, community, or religion. This book provides LGBTQ parents and prospective parents with the detailed, evidence-based knowledge they need to navigate the transition to parenthood, and help their children thrive. Dr. Abbie E. Goldberg, psychologist and researcher, uses the results of her LGBTQ Family Building Project to help challenge traditional beliefs that have often been weaponized against LGBTQ peoTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Deciding to Become a Parent Chapter 2. Considering and Choosing Adoption Chapter 3. Family Building Options: Considering and Choosing Donor Insemination Chapter 4. Surrogacy and Other Family-Building Routes Chapter 5. Choosing LGBTQ-Friendly Adoption Agencies and Health Service Providers Chapter 6. Transitioning to Parenthood Chapter 7. Parenting in the Early Years Appendix A. The LGBTQ Family Building Project Appendix B. Key Historical Events in U.S. LGBTQ Parenting History References Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisA provocative critique of transnational, transracial adoption from a critical race and feminist perspective and a vision for reformTrade Review"Kristi Brian bravely shines a spotlight on the racial inequities that undergird transnational adoptions but are typically whitewashed by assumptions of adoptive parents' benevolence and colorblindness. Reframing Transracial Adoption proposes a more culturally inclusive, child-centered paradigm focused on the voices of Korean adoptees rather than the personal preferences of white adopters, who sometimes select children on the basis of racialized criteria and then refuse to take their racial identities seriously. A critical contribution to an honest discussion of the role race plays in adoption and, indeed, in all family structures." - Dorothy Roberts, Kirkland & Ellis Professor, Northwestern University School of Law, and author of Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare "[C]ompelling... Brian effectively analyzes the inherently political act of family building... Brian's critical race feminist methodology, and her explanation of the matters of adoption and the ways in which adoption matters are useful and often insightful... There is much to be applauded in a political analysis of a phenomenon such as Korean-American adoption and Kristi Brian's Reframing Transracial Adoption succeeds admirably in this regard." Anthropological Quarterly, Fall 2012 "Brian demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the problems affecting Korean adoption...her work is noteworthy for its effort to document racism within adoptive families... Reframing Transracial Adoption is at once a scholarly study and a work of adoption reform activism. Brian highlights structural problems in the transnational adoption industry and shows how adult Korean adoptees are working to change it. In addition, she makes a strong argument against the commonly held idea that transracial adoption is a cure for racism because it creates multiracial families. She instead shows how the adoption industry depends on white privilege and the geopolitical dominance of the United States."--Signs: Journal of Women and Culture in Society, Winter 2014 "Brian exhibits a strong conversant history and literature on race and adoption... She is particularly good at critiquing transracial adoption by celebrity... she raises the intriguing issue of how adoptees themselves are now changing the processes of adoption... Brian's book provides an excellent critique of the hidden racism in American adoptions." - Contemporary Sociology, May 2014Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; Personal / Political Preface; (1) Adoption Matters: Beyond Catastrophe and Spectacle; (A)The Birth of "Sentimental" International Adoption; (B) Institutionalizing Harry Holt's Mission in Korea; (C)Research Questions & Methodology; (D) Towards a Critical Race Feminist Approach to Transnational Adoption; (E) Overview of chapters; (F) Names, Labels and Terms; (2) Adoption Facilitators and the Marketing of Family-Building:; "Expert" Systems meet Spurious Culture; Customized Family-Building and the Trouble with Culture; (B) Promoting Transnational Adoption; (B:1) Meeting the Consumer Needs of the Target Market; (B:2)Depicting Korea as a Nonpolitical, Cultural "Other"; (B:3)Assuming Race Consciousness in "Culture" - Consuming Parents; (C)A Confusion of Experts; (D)The Fault line between Domestic and Transnational Transracial Adoption; (E) Conclusion: Towards a Paradigm of Consciousness; (3) Navigating Racism: Avoiding and Confronting "Difference" in Families; (A) Phase 1: Choosing the "Acceptable" Model Minority in pre-adoption decision-making; (B) Phase 2: Family Lessons on Racism; (B:1) Assumptions of easy assimilation; (B:2) Failures of the "Ad Hoc," Colorblind Approach; (B:3)"The Fly on the Wall": Adoptees Witness and Confront Racism; (C)Phase 3: Adoption as Point of Departure; (C:1) Adoptees' Departures from Whiteness; (C:2)"This Is How I Taught Her To Be": Parents Observe Departures from Whiteness; (D) Conclusion; (4 ) Navigating Kinship: Searching for Family Beyond and Within "The Doctrine of Genealogical Unity"; Confronting the "Loss" of Birth and "Risk" of Adoption; Choosing "Closed" Adoptions and the "Familyless" Orphan; (C)Reconstructing Memories of Korea as Routes to the Meaning of Family; (D)Searching for Family Origins and Identities in the Shadow of Gratitude; (5) Strategic Interruptions versus Possessive Investment: Transnational Adoption in the Era of New Racism; (A) Towards a Shared Race-Conscious Discourse and Framework; (B) Abduction Language; (C)Race-blind U.S. Adoption Policy as Possessive Investment; (D) The Hague: Race-sensitive Understanding or Multicultural Fantasy?; (E) New Versions of Family to Resist the New Racism; (F) Disquieting Adoption; References.

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Book SynopsisA provocative critique of transnational, transracial adoption from a critical race and feminist perspective and a vision for reformTrade Review"Kristi Brian bravely shines a spotlight on the racial inequities that undergird transnational adoptions but are typically whitewashed by assumptions of adoptive parents' benevolence and colorblindness. Reframing Transracial Adoption proposes a more culturally inclusive, child-centered paradigm focused on the voices of Korean adoptees rather than the personal preferences of white adopters, who sometimes select children on the basis of racialized criteria and then refuse to take their racial identities seriously. A critical contribution to an honest discussion of the role race plays in adoption and, indeed, in all family structures." - Dorothy Roberts, Kirkland & Ellis Professor, Northwestern University School of Law, and author of Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare "[C]ompelling... Brian effectively analyzes the inherently political act of family building... Brian's critical race feminist methodology, and her explanation of the matters of adoption and the ways in which adoption matters are useful and often insightful... There is much to be applauded in a political analysis of a phenomenon such as Korean-American adoption and Kristi Brian's Reframing Transracial Adoption succeeds admirably in this regard." Anthropological Quarterly, Fall 2012 "Brian demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the problems affecting Korean adoption...her work is noteworthy for its effort to document racism within adoptive families... Reframing Transracial Adoption is at once a scholarly study and a work of adoption reform activism. Brian highlights structural problems in the transnational adoption industry and shows how adult Korean adoptees are working to change it. In addition, she makes a strong argument against the commonly held idea that transracial adoption is a cure for racism because it creates multiracial families. She instead shows how the adoption industry depends on white privilege and the geopolitical dominance of the United States."--Signs: Journal of Women and Culture in Society, Winter 2014 "Brian exhibits a strong conversant history and literature on race and adoption... She is particularly good at critiquing transracial adoption by celebrity... she raises the intriguing issue of how adoptees themselves are now changing the processes of adoption... Brian's book provides an excellent critique of the hidden racism in American adoptions." - Contemporary Sociology, May 2014Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; Personal / Political Preface; (1) Adoption Matters: Beyond Catastrophe and Spectacle; (A)The Birth of "Sentimental" International Adoption; (B) Institutionalizing Harry Holt's Mission in Korea; (C)Research Questions & Methodology; (D) Towards a Critical Race Feminist Approach to Transnational Adoption; (E) Overview of chapters; (F) Names, Labels and Terms; (2) Adoption Facilitators and the Marketing of Family-Building:; "Expert" Systems meet Spurious Culture; Customized Family-Building and the Trouble with Culture; (B) Promoting Transnational Adoption; (B:1) Meeting the Consumer Needs of the Target Market; (B:2)Depicting Korea as a Nonpolitical, Cultural "Other"; (B:3)Assuming Race Consciousness in "Culture" - Consuming Parents; (C)A Confusion of Experts; (D)The Fault line between Domestic and Transnational Transracial Adoption; (E) Conclusion: Towards a Paradigm of Consciousness; (3) Navigating Racism: Avoiding and Confronting "Difference" in Families; (A) Phase 1: Choosing the "Acceptable" Model Minority in pre-adoption decision-making; (B) Phase 2: Family Lessons on Racism; (B:1) Assumptions of easy assimilation; (B:2) Failures of the "Ad Hoc," Colorblind Approach; (B:3)"The Fly on the Wall": Adoptees Witness and Confront Racism; (C)Phase 3: Adoption as Point of Departure; (C:1) Adoptees' Departures from Whiteness; (C:2)"This Is How I Taught Her To Be": Parents Observe Departures from Whiteness; (D) Conclusion; (4 ) Navigating Kinship: Searching for Family Beyond and Within "The Doctrine of Genealogical Unity"; Confronting the "Loss" of Birth and "Risk" of Adoption; Choosing "Closed" Adoptions and the "Familyless" Orphan; (C)Reconstructing Memories of Korea as Routes to the Meaning of Family; (D)Searching for Family Origins and Identities in the Shadow of Gratitude; (5) Strategic Interruptions versus Possessive Investment: Transnational Adoption in the Era of New Racism; (A) Towards a Shared Race-Conscious Discourse and Framework; (B) Abduction Language; (C)Race-blind U.S. Adoption Policy as Possessive Investment; (D) The Hague: Race-sensitive Understanding or Multicultural Fantasy?; (E) New Versions of Family to Resist the New Racism; (F) Disquieting Adoption; References.

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Book SynopsisStone, River, Rain: Currents in a Single Flow is heroic, harrowing, and magical. This is a story of unselfish love and indomitable courage in the face of cruelty, violence, and tragic loss. The simple, human need to give and receive love draws the novel''s heroines-mother, daughter, and refugee child-into each other''s lives as we follow Mimi, the central character, on her journey from the busy streets and verdant parks of San Francisco to the dry desert home of the Hadendowa tribe of Sudan, East Africa. The writing is vivid, at times mischievous, and the book features a cast of unlikely characters, with Rabe, the park raven, Moses, the cherished pet dog, a beloved backyard tree, doves, elephants, and a very special camel meandering through the chapters. Ultimately, Stone, River, Rain is a powerful and poetic debut novel-a tale of the quiet triumph of love over doubt and despair.

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Book SynopsisInvestigates social parents people who function as parents but who may not be recognized as suchin the eyes of the lawWhat makes a person a parent? Around the world, same-sex couples are raising children; parents are separating and re-partnering, creating blended families; and children are living with grandparents, family friends, and other caregivers. In these situations, there is often an adult who acts like a parent but who is unconnected to the child through biogenetics, marriage, or adoptionthe common paths for establishing legal parenthood. In many countries, this person is called a social parent. Psychologically, and especially from a child's point of view, a social parent is a parent. But the legal status of a social parent is hotly debated.Social Parenthood in Comparative Perspective considers how the law doesand how it shouldrecognize social parenthood. The book begins with a psychological account of social parenthood, establishing the impoTrade Review"Provides a groundbreaking overview of social parenthood… The book is truly global in scope: it includes perspectives from psychology, sociology, and the law, and it draws on experts from nine countries. It offers a fascinating analysis of how the law approaches, and should approach these relationships, and it is destined to become a classic work in understanding social parenthood. " * Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia School of Law *"Social parenthood is one of the most important issues that family law is confronting in countries today. Further, countries are approaching this issue in vastly disparate ways. The contributors present compelling and complementary legal analysis and insights as to how nine countries address social parenthood, underscoring the necessity for law to adjust to new iterations of families. " * Maxine Eichner, Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Law, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill *"By examining across the countries of North America and Europe whether and how laws value those relationships, Social Parenthood in Comparative Perspective makes a unique and long- overdue contribution. Comparing same-sex couples, stepparents, and non-parental primary caregivers within and among countries, this book is an invaluable resource to anyone who thinks about the meaning of family. " * Nancy D. Polikoff, author, Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage: Valuing All Families Under the Law *"Timely and engaging, the comparative and interdisciplinary aspects of this volume offer many valuable contributions to the ongoing conversation about legal recognition of what the book calls ‘social parents.’ The diverse and impressive contributors make the case for law reform in response to the expanding landscape of parenting. " * Susan Frelich Appleton, Lemma Barkeloo & Phoebe Couzins Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis *

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Book SynopsisCarrie Kipp Howard is an award-winning writer and editor whose work has appeared in numerous books and publications. She has interests in branding and corporate identity, aviation, and parenting and adoption. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, she lives with her family in Seattle.

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Book Synopsis2019 High Plains Book Award (Creative Nonfiction and Indigenous Writer categories) 2021 Barbara Sudler Award from History Colorado In Bitterroot Susan Devan Harness traces her journey to understand the complexities and struggles of being an American Indian child adopted by a white couple and living in the rural American West. When Harness was fifteen years old, she questioned her adoptive father about her “real” parents. He replied that they had died in a car accident not long after she was born—except they hadn’t, as Harness would learn in a conversation with a social worker a few years later. Harness’s search for answers revolved around her need to ascertain why she was the target of racist remarks and why she seemed always to be on the outside looking in. New questions followed her through college and into her twenties when she started her own family. Meeting her biological family in her early thirties generated evenTrade Review"What does it mean to be Native when you weren't raised Native? What does it mean when the members of your birth family who remained on the reservation tell you that you were lucky to be raised elsewhere, but you don’t feel lucky? Harness brings us right into the middle of these questions and shows how emotionally fraught they can be. . . . It's time everyone learned about the many ways there are of being Native."—Carter Meland, (Minneapolis) Star Tribune"Harness's memoir tells a story that we are not often told, one that has taken a generation of knowledge from us and held it hostage, trapped in liminal spaces just out of reach, locked in government offices and files. Hers is a story that our old people remember, but cannot tell, and one that our young people need to hear."—Tarren Andrews, Transmotion"Harness has converted her childhood and early adulthood traumas into a story that can save lives. Bitterroot will be a soothing balm, an extended hand, to anyone who faces the demons of abuse and trauma and is an authoritative guide to those seeking to understand the historical and social structures that perpetuate the vulnerability of Indigenous children and families today."—Katrina Jagodinsky, Oregon Historical Quarterly"The collective scholarly and political work that Harness’s writing has supported and inspired, and now is continuing in her memoir, offers the hope that a more humane approach to transracial adoption—one that works with and learns from Indigenous traditions—is possible."—Lori Askeland, Adoption and Culture“One Salish-Kootenai woman’s journey, this memoir is a heart-wrenching story of finding family and herself, and of a particularly horrific time in Native history. It is a strong and well-told narrative of adoption, survival, resilience, and is truthfully revealed.”—Luana Ross (Bitterroot Salish), codirector of Native Voices Documentary Film at the University of Washington and author of Inventing the Savage "Making sense of her family, the American Indian history of assimilation, and the very real—but culturally constructed—concept of race helped Harness answer the often puzzling questions of stereotypes, a sense of nonbelonging, the meaning of family, and the importance of forgiveness and self-acceptance. In the process Bitterroot also provides a deep and rich context in which to experience life."—Prairie Edge"A moving tale of assimilation and cultural search for identity."—Vernon Schmid, Roundup Magazine"Though there is a distinct sense of dissonance throughout the book, Sue still locates pride in her heritage, when all is said and done. And in finding pride in a troubled history, she is more able to combat her own internal conflict. Despite feelings of abandonment and nonbelonging, love and understanding can still prevail."—Victoria Collins, Hippocampus Magazine"As with any good memoirist, Susan Devan Harness intersperses the past with the present to create dramatic tension, relating how her experience as the American Indian adoptee of white parents shaped her understanding of identity, family, and social responsibility."—House of Books“Bitterroot is an inspiration—one woman’s quest to find herself among the racial, cultural, economic, and historical fault lines of the American West. A compelling, important memoir, as tenaciously beautiful as the flower for which it’s named.”—Harrison Candelaria Fletcher, author of Presentimiento: A Life in DreamsTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue 1. I Wasn’t Born; I Was Adopted 2. Coming-of-Age without a Net 3. Coping Mechanisms 4. Lost Bearings 5. Sliding 6. Fort Laramie 7. Institutions of Higher Learning 8. Coyote 9. How Rez Cars Are Made 10. Thicker Than Water, Thinner Than Time 11. In Memory 12. Too White to Be Indian, Too Indian to Be White 13. This Once Used to Be Ours 14. Integration 15. Custer’s Ghost 16. Vernon 17. Will You Be Here Tomorrow? 18. Gifts 19. Losing the Master Key Epilogue

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Book Synopsis2019 High Plains Book Award (Creative Nonfiction and Indigenous Writer categories) 2021 Barbara Sudler Award from History Colorado In Bitterroot Susan Devan Harness traces her journey to understand the complexities and struggles of being an American Indian child adopted by a white couple and living in the rural American West. When Harness was fifteen years old, she questioned her adoptive father about her “real” parents. He replied that they had died in a car accident not long after she was born—except they hadn’t, as Harness would learn in a conversation with a social worker a few years later. Harness’s search for answers revolved around her need to ascertain why she was the target of racist remarks and why she seemed always to be on the outside looking in. New questions followed her through college and into her twenties when she started her own family. Meeting her biological family in her early thirties generated evenTrade Review"What does it mean to be Native when you weren't raised Native? What does it mean when the members of your birth family who remained on the reservation tell you that you were lucky to be raised elsewhere, but you don’t feel lucky? Harness brings us right into the middle of these questions and shows how emotionally fraught they can be. . . . It's time everyone learned about the many ways there are of being Native."—Carter Meland, (Minneapolis) Star Tribune"Harness's memoir tells a story that we are not often told, one that has taken a generation of knowledge from us and held it hostage, trapped in liminal spaces just out of reach, locked in government offices and files. Hers is a story that our old people remember, but cannot tell, and one that our young people need to hear."—Tarren Andrews, Transmotion"Harness has converted her childhood and early adulthood traumas into a story that can save lives. Bitterroot will be a soothing balm, an extended hand, to anyone who faces the demons of abuse and trauma and is an authoritative guide to those seeking to understand the historical and social structures that perpetuate the vulnerability of Indigenous children and families today."—Katrina Jagodinsky, Oregon Historical Quarterly"The collective scholarly and political work that Harness’s writing has supported and inspired, and now is continuing in her memoir, offers the hope that a more humane approach to transracial adoption—one that works with and learns from Indigenous traditions—is possible."—Lori Askeland, Adoption and Culture“One Salish-Kootenai woman’s journey, this memoir is a heart-wrenching story of finding family and herself, and of a particularly horrific time in Native history. It is a strong and well-told narrative of adoption, survival, resilience, and is truthfully revealed.”—Luana Ross (Bitterroot Salish), codirector of Native Voices Documentary Film at the University of Washington and author of Inventing the Savage "Making sense of her family, the American Indian history of assimilation, and the very real—but culturally constructed—concept of race helped Harness answer the often puzzling questions of stereotypes, a sense of nonbelonging, the meaning of family, and the importance of forgiveness and self-acceptance. In the process Bitterroot also provides a deep and rich context in which to experience life."—Prairie Edge"A moving tale of assimilation and cultural search for identity."—Vernon Schmid, Roundup Magazine"Though there is a distinct sense of dissonance throughout the book, Sue still locates pride in her heritage, when all is said and done. And in finding pride in a troubled history, she is more able to combat her own internal conflict. Despite feelings of abandonment and nonbelonging, love and understanding can still prevail."—Victoria Collins, Hippocampus Magazine"As with any good memoirist, Susan Devan Harness intersperses the past with the present to create dramatic tension, relating how her experience as the American Indian adoptee of white parents shaped her understanding of identity, family, and social responsibility."—House of Books“Bitterroot is an inspiration—one woman’s quest to find herself among the racial, cultural, economic, and historical fault lines of the American West. A compelling, important memoir, as tenaciously beautiful as the flower for which it’s named.”—Harrison Candelaria Fletcher, author of Presentimiento: A Life in DreamsTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue 1. I Wasn’t Born; I Was Adopted 2. Coming-of-Age without a Net 3. Coping Mechanisms 4. Lost Bearings 5. Sliding 6. Fort Laramie 7. Institutions of Higher Learning 8. Coyote 9. How Rez Cars Are Made 10. Thicker Than Water, Thinner Than Time 11. In Memory 12. Too White to Be Indian, Too Indian to Be White 13. This Once Used to Be Ours 14. Integration 15. Custer’s Ghost 16. Vernon 17. Will You Be Here Tomorrow? 18. Gifts 19. Losing the Master Key Epilogue

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Book SynopsisSynopsis coming soon.......Trade Review"A moving and riveting memoir about one family's love and tragedy. It contains extremely important information about the disordered sense of attachment that children of orphanages and institutionalization can experience. And it is beautifully researched, and expressed. I love this girl Casey, and her brave parents, and am very grateful that Mr. Brooks has written this book." -- Anne Lamott"Rarely have the subjects of suicide, adoption, adolescence, and parenting been explored so openly and honestly." -- John Bateson, Former Executive Director, Contra Costa County Crisis Center, and author of The Final Leap: Suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge"A must-read for anyone who has adopted or plans to adopt." -- Nancy Newton Verrier, author of The Primal Wound and Coming Home to Self“This is the story of a family like many. Years ago they came together with love and hopefulness. They were determined and uncertain, courageous and afraid and ultimately, innocent and guilty. Do not think that because this is a book about an adoptive family that you will not recognize yourself. Do not think that because it is about a child’s suicide that you can have the luxury of turning away…Read this book.” -- Anne Brodzinsky, Ph.D. author of The Mulberry Bird"In his first book, Brooks shares his search for answers about his adopted daughter and the unknown childhood trauma that drove her to suicide at age 17. The author and his wife, Erika, knew when they adopted Casey that she had been premature, her twin had died at birth, and that she had spent two months in an incubator ... The author's description of their anguish is heart-wrenching, and his desperate search for answers and guilt for not doing the right thing without knowing what it was reveals the utter helplessness of suicide survivors." * Kirkus Reviews *"At times, Brooks’s unflinching self-examination can be grim — of his and his wife’s blithely confident care for their new daughter, he writes, “We treated Casey as if she were our new pet. She was in good American hands” — but this is also the book’s strength. In untangling the threads behind his daughter’s suicide, Brooks has transformed his grief into something useful: a warning and a testimony, and, one hopes, a start toward more sensitive treatment of adopted children." * Boston Globe *"I wish all agencies doing international adoptions made this book required reading. As tragic as your story is, I think it is all too common." -- Eileen McQuade, American Adoption Congress"When I discovered that my 15-year-old son was suicidal, and that my enormous love was never going to be "enough," I was fortunate enough to work with an adoption therapist, who is herself adopted. John's compelling and tragic story holds this lesson for all of us, it is crucial to find a therapist who understands in-depth, the issues of adoption. They do exist, not in great numbers, and it can be the difference between life and death. I have such enormous respect for John and his willingness to share his story - it will save other lives." * Jane Ballback, Publisher and Executive Editor, Adoption Voices Magazine *“With its anguished suspense-like telling and lessons learnable, “The Girl Behind the Door” is a book to get wrapped up in.” * Marco Island Eagle *

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Book SynopsisCelebrating Fifty Years of Picador BooksYou think adoption is a story which has an end. But the point about it is that it has no end. It keeps changing its ending.From the moment when, as a little girl, she realizes that her skin is a different colour from that of her beloved mum and dad, to the tracing and finding of her birth parents, her Highland mother and Nigerian father, Jackie Kay’s journey in Red Dust Road is one of unexpected twists, turns and deep emotions. In a book remarkable for its warmth and candour, Kay discovers that inheritance is about much more than genes: that we are shaped by songs as much as by cells, and that what triumphs, ultimately, is love.Taking the reader from Glasgow to Lagos and beyond, Red Dust Road is a heart-stopping story of parents and siblings, friends and strangers, belonging and beliefs, biology and destiny.‘Like the best memoirs, this one is written with novelistic and poetic flair. Red Dust Road is a fantastic, probing and heart-warming read’ – IndependentPart of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.Trade ReviewA clear-eyed, witty and unsentimental account of the push and pull between nature and nurture. Happiness shines through * Sunday Times *Wonderful, humane . . . This is a book with resolution, determination and honesty * Scotland on Sunday *It is Kay’s abundant wit that makes Red Dust Road such a moving, spirited work. This is a terrifically easy, evocative, and often amusing read . . . A remarkable, soul-searching journey * Sunday Herald *

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Book Synopsis'A remarkable book...wise and arresting' Sarah Winman'Exquisite... a deeply insightful memoir which charts our fundamental longings for place and identity, and ultimately our yearnings for love.' Helena KennedySingle, in her mid-forties and having experienced a sudden early menopause, a realisation comes to Peggy quietly, and clearly: she decides to adopt a child. But the preparation is arduous and the scrutiny intense. There are questions about past lives, about capability and expectations.Asking big questions about identity and belonging, as well as about what makes a mother - and a home - this is a beautiful meditation on how the legacies of childhood might be overcome by a mother's determination to love.'Extremely moving...an unusually thoughtful take on becoming a mother, enabled by removing babyhood and biology.' GuardianTrade ReviewExquisite. Beautifully written, The Wild Track is a deeply insightful memoir which charts displacement and our fundamental longings for place and identity and ultimately our yearnings for love. -- Helena KennedyThis memoir is a triumph; an extraordinarily wise and rich analysis of what it means to belong, to a place and to beloved others. Deeply moving, richly allusive, surprising and thought-provoking, The Wild Track deserves to be one of the great successes of 2021. -- Bel MooneyA remarkable book. Wise and arresting in its candour. -- Sarah WinmanEnlightening...The Wild Track is a passionate, heartfelt exploration of a woman who wants to be a mother. I found it utterly compelling. -- Alex WheatleExtremely moving...an unusually thoughtful take on becoming a mother, enabled by removing babyhood and biology. A testament to the joy of finding home and belonging...the precariousness of the care system is painfully felt and it's this that makes Reynolds's book such a necessary contribution to the literature on motherhood. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A remarkable autobiography'Andrew Billen, The Times'You're struck by his raw honesty in tackling big issues head-on'Tom Bryant, Daily Mirror'So full of heart' Davina McCall'I was riveted by it in a heartbreaking way . . . you will be gripped' Ranvir Singh, Lorraine'So moving . . . it's a beautiful book'Zoe Ball'Commendable honesty . . . a poignant book about the search for belonging'Daily Express'Remarkable . . . contains a lesson for all of us and delivers a resounding message of hope and of love'James O'Brien*************The brave and moving memoir by Long Lost Family presenter and Radio 5 breakfast show host Nicky Campbell reveals how the simple unconditional love of Maxwell, his Labrador, turned his life around and helped him come to terms with his difficult journey as an adopted child.Raw, honest and courageous in One of the Family, Nicky opens up about how being adopted has made him always feel like an outsider; the guilt he has carried towards his Mum and Dad for needing to trace his birth mother, and the crushing disappointment he felt when he finally met her. And for the first time, he writes about his emotional breakdown and how he has learned to live with a late diagnosis of bipolar. Through it all his passion for dogs and animals has been a lifeline. It is Maxwell's magic, a lesson from a Labrador in simple unconditional friendship, that has allowed him to see all the good in his life: from the security and safety of his childhood home, the love of his wife and four daughters and above all, to better understand the decisions taken by his birth mother to give him up for adoption.Trade Review'So moving . . . it's a beautiful book' -- Zoe Ball'A remarkable autobiography' -- Andrew Billen * The Times *'I was riveted by it in a heartbreaking way . . . you will be gripped' -- Ranvir Singh * Lorraine *'You're struck by his raw honesty in tackling big issues head-on' -- Tom Bryant * Daily Mirror *'Commendable honesty . . . a poignant book about the search for belonging' * Daily Express *'A raw and remarkable read' -- Giles Paley-Phillips'Eloquent and personal . . . a beautiful read' -- Peter Egan'Remarkable . . . contains a lesson for all of us and delivers a resounding message of hope and of love' -- James O'Brien

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A remarkable autobiography'Andrew Billen, The Times'You're struck by his raw honesty in tackling big issues head-on'Tom Bryant, Daily Mirror'So full of heart' Davina McCall'I was riveted by it in a heartbreaking way . . . you will be gripped' Ranvir Singh, Lorraine'So moving . . . it's a beautiful book'Zoe Ball'Commendable honesty . . . a poignant book about the search for belonging'Daily Express'Remarkable . . . contains a lesson for all of us and delivers a resounding message of hope and of love'James O'Brien*************The brave and moving memoir by Long Lost Family presenter and Radio 5 breakfast show host Nicky Campbell reveals how the simple unconditional love of Maxwell, his Labrador, turned his life around and helped him come to terms with his difficult journey as an adopted child.Raw, honest and courageous in One of the Family, Nicky opens up about how being adopted has made him always feel like an outsider; the guilt he has carried towards his Mum and Dad for needing to trace his birth mother, and the crushing disappointment he felt when he finally met her. And for the first time, he writes about his emotional breakdown and how he has learned to live with a late diagnosis of bipolar. Through it all his passion for dogs and animals has been a lifeline. It is Maxwell's magic, a lesson from a Labrador in simple unconditional friendship, that has allowed him to see all the good in his life: from the security and safety of his childhood home, the love of his wife and four daughters and above all, to better understand the decisions taken by his birth mother to give him up for adoption.Trade Review'So moving . . . it's a beautiful book' -- Zoe Ball'A remarkable autobiography' -- Andrew Billen * The Times *'I was riveted by it in a heartbreaking way . . . you will be gripped' -- Ranvir Singh * Lorraine *'You're struck by his raw honesty in tackling big issues head-on' -- Tom Bryant * Daily Mirror *'Commendable honesty . . . a poignant book about the search for belonging' * Daily Express *'A raw and remarkable read' -- Giles Paley-Phillips'Eloquent and personal . . . a beautiful read' -- Peter Egan'Remarkable . . . contains a lesson for all of us and delivers a resounding message of hope and of love' -- James O'Brien

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Book Synopsis From one of the world's leading experts, this absorbing narrative history of the changing structure of modern families shows how children can flourish in any kind of loving home. The past few decades have seen extraordinary change in the idea of a family. The unit once understood to include two straight parents and their biological children has expanded vastly—same-sex marriage, adoption, IVF, sperm donation, and other forces have enabled new forms to take shape. This has resulted in enormous upheaval and controversy, but as Susan Golombok shows in this compelling and important book, it has also meant the health and happiness of parents and children alike. Golombok's stories, drawn from decades of research, are compelling and dramatic: family secrets kept for years and then inadvertently revealed; children reunited with their biological parents or half siblings they never knew existed; and painful legal battles to determine who is worthy of parenting their own children. Golombok explores the novel moral questions that changing families create, and ultimately makes a powerful argument that the bond between family members, rather than any biological or cultural factor, is what ensures a safe and happy future.We Are Family is unique, authoritative, and deeply humane. It makes an important case for all families—old, new, and yet unimagined.

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Book SynopsisPraise for Sun Yung Shin: Finalist for the Believer Poetry Award "[her] work reads like redactions, offering fragments to be explored, investigated and interrogated, making her reader equal partner in the creation of meaning."--Star Tribune Sun Yung Shin moves ideas--of identity (Korean, American, adoptee, mother, Catholic, Buddhist) and interest (mythology, science fiction, Sophocles)-- around like building blocks, forming and reforming new constructions of what it means to be at home. What is a cyborg but a hybrid creature of excess? A thing that exceeds the sum of its parts. A thing that has extended its powers, enhanced, even superpowered.Trade Review"The splendor on display in Shin's book consists of an incredibly compact use of commanding and vibrant language which coheres into work that feels restless and deft, as cerebral as it is emotional."--Los Angeles Review of Books "Like a lean, mean, efficient literary machine, Sun Yung Shin's Unbearable Splendor uses its hybrid nature to arrive on bookshelves as something very true, heartbreaking, and, ultimately, unbearably human."--Chicago Review of Books "These constant reminders of surreal wonderment do their work like little ice picks, chipping away at the grand event of colonized hurt. The results are small, perceptible feelings you could almost hold in your hand."--Waxwing "As a book, Unbearable Splendor works on multiple levels. On perhaps its most obvious, superficial level, it's a text full of beautiful, haunting, lyrical language and interconnected themes that wind in and out of each other to weave a coherent fabric of many strands. Under that surface, though, lives a veritable dissertation (with plenty of angles that the reader can research) on otherness and transgression, and in turn, on how what or who that is other, or what or who that transgresses, problematizes the existence of the one who observes." --Drunken Boat "In poems traversing that canny valley between verse and prose, Shin draws on cinema, technology, mythology, sci fi, autobiography and folklore to unlock the titular emotion: the unbearableness of the labyrinth, the splendor of being a machine--a hybrid, a replicant, an orphan." --The Rumpus "From this investigation of cloning, cyborgs, surrogacy, and adoption, Shin weaves a narrative of language and history that represents a striking new way of understanding identity."--Lantern Review "In a striking interweaving of poetry and essay, etymologies brush up against adoption certificates, and quotations jostle with myths... Shin's resistance to offering a definitive answer allows her to make connections that are sometimes dizzying, often lyrical, and always thought provoking."--The Missing Slate "While unabashedly scholarly, Unbearable Splendor is heartbreaking."--Star Tribune "Shin's poetry is as cerebral as it is beautiful, exploring the personal experiences of race, immigration, and gender alongside academic investigations of religion and science, philosophy and art." --Bustle "Unlike your more 'vanilla' essay collections, this work uses poetic building blocks to slowly reveal the existentialist heart, a very impressive result as the personal connection is palpable."--Messenger's Booker "I've long thought that Sun Yung Shin is writing some of the most powerful poetry around." --Eileen Verbs Books "To graph the immigrant, the exile and 'pseudo-exile,' as 'a kind of star.' To perform childhood. 'Descent upon descent.' To write on '[p]aper soaked in milk.' Unbearable Splendor is a book like this, that is this: the opposite or near-far of home. What is the difference between a guest and a ghost? What will you feed them in turn? I was profoundly moved by the questions and deep bits of feeling in this gorgeous, sensing work, and am honored to write in support of its extraordinary and brilliant writer, Sun Yung Shin." --Bhanu Kapil "In Unbearable Splendor, Sun Yung Shin sticks a pin directly into the heart of who we are to reveal that a person is a mystery without beginning or end, borders or documents, complicated by robotics and astrophysics, arrivals and departures, myth and rewriting. A person is divided into multiple, complicated selves, as various and complex as the forms and approaches she employs in these poetic essays. To read Shin's work is to marvel at a rosebud's concealed and silent core and to slowly witness its elegant blooming. It is a delicate and majestic show." --Jenny Boully "Unbearable Splendor is a dazzling collage of biophysical metamorphoses, wherein the 'I' atomizes into multiple and self-replicating new mythologies of what constitutes an authentic being. 'I didn't know I wasn't human. My past was invented, implanted, and accepted. I'm more real than you are because I know I'm not real.' In our vast expanse, where 'every species is transitional,' Shin's lyricism, erudition, and tonal command of loss and indignation harmonize into a singular nucleus that hums and pulsates through each of these wondrous poetic meditations." --Ed Bok Lee "Into the fertile and ever-growing landscape of essay-poem hybrids comes Sun Yung Shin's striking exploration of identity, imitation, and home. From the uncanny valley to the minotaur's labyrinth, Shin brings an unflagging intelligence and tremendous formal dexterity to bear on what makes us human and what makes us monstrous--we so often fall somewhere in between."--Mairead Small Staid, Literati Bookstore "In examining her own search of identity, Shin masterfully uses the likes of Antigone, Korean history, cyborgs, black holes, clones to bridge this "Uncanny Valley." This is brilliantly done and is often as mind-bending as it is heart-wrenching."--Unabridged Bookstore

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Book SynopsisBy homing in, we activate our inner compass for belonging.A Miraculous Adoption Story About Reunion and Divine Timing.Dr. Susan Mossman Riva was adopted in Omaha, Nebraska in 1963. In 1995, she sought the help of the Nebraska Children's Home to find her birth mother, leading to the discovery of her birth family in 1996. Miraculously, her search and reunion coincided with her biological sister's search. The awe and joy of homecoming brought her to the realization that synchronicity acts as a guidepost, repairing relational brokenness. The divine timing of their reunion happened months before their biological, maternal grandmother died. Susan connects the phases of her life in an intricate story mandala.As an adopted child, she innately understands all that can be lost through her experience of separation. This awareness became a driving force as she steadfastly worked for reconciliation in all her relations. With loving intent, she embarked upon a journey seeking to reunite and reconcile with all those she belonged to. By connecting and engaging in an intentional forgiveness process. Susan was ultimately able to forge a pathway homing in to wholeness.Readers will discover the power of the homing in mechanism that can be activated and used as an inner compass for all pathfinders. Susan's social science background provides an explanatory framework, sharing knowledgeability about generative and transformative processes.

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Book SynopsisWith knowledge and compassion, Caring for Your Adopted Child offers the wisdom that adoptive parents need to provide the best possible care for their children. Whether a child joins a family through domestic adoption, international adoption, or foster care, he or she may have needs that require additional consideration. The coauthors, both adoptive parents, weave professional and personal experiences with essential information on: • Partnering with a pediatrician before adoption • Helping a child transition into a family • Understanding health issues and conditions that are more prevalent in children who are adopted • Supporting a child’s emotional health and attachment • And promoting positive adoption conversation as a child matures This comprehensive resource offers trusted parenting advice from a leading adoption medicine expert and the American Academy of Pediatrics, focusing on the physical and emotional well-being of adopted children.Trade Review"Elaine Schulte and Robin Michaelson distill decades of professional and personal experiences into an accessible, encouraging summary of the joysand challengesof adoption... A must-read guide for anyone considering, or underway with, adopting a child." Lisa Damour, PhD, author of Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood"Dr. Schulte and Robin L. Michaelson have demonstrated a deep and passionate understanding of the evolving needs of adopted children... This book will help ease the transition from pre-adoption to adoption, and throughout childhood, and celebrates the beauty of children and family." Jane Aronson, MD, FAAP, CEO and founder, Worldwide Orphans Foundation"Destined to be on the 'must read' list for all adoptive parents." Sarah H. Springer, MD, FAAP, chair, American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Foster Care, Adoption, and Kinship Care, Kids Plus Pediatrics, Pittsburgh, PA"A gem of a bookadds to our knowledge of adoption of children at various ages and stages as well as circumstances from which children enter adoption. A must read for the new adoptive parent..." Victor Groza, PhD, LISW-S, Grace F. Brody Professor of Parent-Child Studies, Case Western Reserve University Mandel School"With clear and practical advice, the authors provide a road map for anyone on this most wonderful of life's journeys." Heather C. Forkey, MD, FAAP, director, Foster Children Evaluation Service and Child Protection Program, UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center" Caring for Your Adopted Child is an approachable and valuable resource for parents, pediatricians, and all professionals who care for adopted children." -- Andrew Garner, MD, PhD, FAAP , coauthor of Thinking Developmentally: Nurturing Wellness in Childhood to Promote Lifelong Health, and clinical professor of pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine"Packed with practical knowledge and delivered with a personal touch, Elaine and Robin have created a space for adoptive parents to be educated, empowered, and inspired as they love and care for their children." April Dinwoodie, trans-racially adopted person, former chief executive, The Donaldson Adoption Institute" Caring for Your Adopted Child incorporates travel, medical, emotional, psychological, and educational advice and should be on every adoptive parent's bookshelf." Susan Orban, outreach and adoption specialist, Children's Home Society of Minnesota

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Book SynopsisOne LGBTQ family’s inspiring, heartfelt story of the many alternative paths that lead to a loving family, with lessons for every parent Trystan and Biff had been dating for just a year when the couple learned that Biff’s niece and nephew were about to be removed from their home by Child Protective Services. Immediately, Trystan and Biff took in one-year-old Hailey and three-year-old Lucas, becoming caregivers overnight to two tiny survivors of abuse and neglect. From this unexpected start, the young couple built a loving marriage and happy home—learning to parent on the job. They adopted Hailey and Lucas, tied the knot, and soon decided to try for a baby that Trystan, who is transgender, would carry. Trystan’s groundbreaking pregnancy attracted media fanfare, and the family welcomed baby Leo in 2017. In this inspiring memoir, Trystan shares his unique story alongside universal lessons that will help all parents through the trials of raising children. How We Do Family is a refreshing new take on family life for the LGBTQ community and beyond. Through every tough moment and touching memory, Trystan shows that more important than getting things right is doing them with love.

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Book SynopsisAn NPR Best Book of 2022 An incredible, deeply reported story of identical twins Isabella and Hà, born in Viêt Nam and raised on opposite sides of the world, each knowing little about the other’s existence until they were reunited as teenagers, against all odds. “Stirring and unforgettable—a breathtaking adoption saga like no other.” —Robert Kolker It was 1998 in Nha Trang, Vi?t Nam, and Liên struggled to care for her newborn twin girls. Hà was taken in by Liên’s sister, and she grew up in a rural village with her aunt, going to school and playing outside with the neighbors. They had sporadic electricity and frequent monsoons. Hà’s twin sister, Loan, was adopted by a wealthy, white American family who renamed her Isabella. Isabella grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with a nonbiological sister, Olivia, also adopted from Vi?t Nam. Isabella and Olivia attended a predominantly white Catholic school, played soccer, and prepared for college. But when Isabella’s adoptive mother learned of her biological twin back in Vi?t Nam, all of their lives changed forever. Award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki spent years and hundreds of hours interviewing each of the birth and adoptive family members. She brings the girls’ experiences to life on the page, told from their own perspectives, challenging conceptions about adoption and what it means to give a child a good life. Hayasaki contextualizes the sisters’ experiences with the fascinating and often sinister history of twin studies, intercountry and transracial adoption, and the nature-versus-nurture debate, as well as the latest scholarship and conversation surrounding adoption today, especially among adoptees. For readers of All You Can Ever Know and American Baby, Somewhere Sisters is a richly textured, moving story of sisterhood and coming of age, told through the remarkable lives of young women who have redefined the meaning of family for themselves.Trade Review“Somewhere Sisters is a heartbreaking, many times maddening tale of three adoptees, two of whom are twins separated at birth, who find themselves at the intersection of nature and nurture, fighting against fate and circumstance to carve out their own destinies. Seamlessly weaving historical context with brilliant reportage, Hayasaki delivers an incisive and poignant exploration of the world of transracial adoption and twinship, bearing witness to the profound struggles of those caught between two worlds, trying to define themselves.” —Ly Tran, author of House of Sticks “Well-researched and compassionately written, Somewhere Sisters is a journey from separations to reunions, from individual lives to the history of adoption. Urgent and compelling, this book asks important questions about responsibility and ethics and will inspire all of us as we work toward a more responsible and inclusive society.” —Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, author of the international bestseller The Mountains Sing "Somewhere Sisters is stirring and unforgettable — a breathtaking adoption saga like no other; a provocative exploration into the ideas of family and belonging; and a deeply meaningful meditation on what makes us who we are and what connects us to one another.”—Robert Kolker, New York Times-bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road and Lost Girls“Somewhere Sisters is a heartbreaking, many times maddening tale of three adoptees, two of whom are twins separated at birth, who find themselves at the intersection of nature and nurture, fighting against fate and circumstance to carve out their own destinies. Seamlessly weaving historical context with brilliant reportage, Hayasaki delivers an incisive and poignant exploration of the world of transracial adoption and twinship, bearing witness to the profound struggles of those caught between two worlds, trying to define themselves.” —Ly Tran, author of House of Sticks“Expertly reported, this tale of Vietnamese twins separated in infancy and raised in a world apart challenges perceptions of international adoption.”—People Magazine“Hayasaki contextualizes [the sisters’] stories in the larger history of transracial and transnational adoption, as well as nature-nurture science, making for a nuanced portrait.”—NPR, Best Books of 2022“Hayasaki, a journalist who spent five years tracing the girls’ diverging paths, writes a sensitive, well-researched account of the years before and after their emotional reunion.”—The Washington Post“Journalist Erika Hayasaki chronicles the unbelievable timeline of twin sisters Isabella and Hà…a heart-wrenching tale told with compassion.”—Buzzfeed“A talented journalist, Hayasaki has meticulously reported this story, touching on complex topics such as the ethics of adoption, Asian American identity, how siblings reunite, and more.”—Shondaland“Erika Hayasaki lays out what happened to both twins, and what their story can teach us about family, nature and nurture, and adoption.”—Bustle“Hayasaki explores the many dimensions of transracial and transnational adoption in this moving account of families torn apart.” —The Cut"Deeply researched, artfully woven, and lyrically written, Somewhere Sisters explores the harsh reality behind international transracial adoption. Hayasaki is a master storyteller, and her compassion for her subjects is evident on every page. Her meticulous exploration into the dark legacy of nature-nurture studies, American saviorism, and the science of attachment is a powerful addition to our understanding of the lifelong impact of adoption."—Gabrielle Glaser, author of the New York Times notable book American Baby “Well-researched and compassionately written, Somewhere Sisters is a journey from separations to reunions, from individual lives to the history of adoption. Urgent and compelling, this book asks important questions about responsibility and ethics and will inspire all of us as we work toward a more responsible and inclusive society.”—Nguyen Phan Que Mai, author of the international bestseller The Mountains Sing"Erika Hayasaki has produced an elegant exploration of race and nationality. This intimate, meticulously reported portrait of an impoverished Vietnamese mother and her twin daughters, who were separated by adoption, is a not only a compelling story, but one that touches on profound questions of human identity.”—Barbara Demick, author of Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town and Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea“Hayasaki reveals the racial and class prejudices at the root of such adoptions without losing sight of the complexities of human emotions and family ties. This is a clear-eyed and well-grounded take on a thorny social issue.”—Publishers Weekly“Hayasaki weaves their reflections about belonging, heritage, and identity—gleaned from hundreds of hours of interviews with the girls and their birth and adoptive families—with a broad consideration of adoption and twin studies that aim to shed light on the extent to which genes and environment shape human behavior, personality, and development. An engaging portrait of intersected lives.”—Kirkus Reviews“Fascinating and moving on its own, the sisters' complex story of growing up, both together and apart, is complemented by Hayasaki's illumination of the personal, psychological, and sociocultural realities of adoption.”—Booklist“This book raises so many critical questions about the responsibility of wealthier countries and their attitude toward adoption in countries that they often left after years of colonization and war… A very emotional and human account of finding out what the meaning of family is.”—San Diego Union Tribune“SOMEWHERE SISTERS should be required reading for anyone considering intercountry and/or transracial adoption. Even-handed and balanced, Hayasaki’s book is a vivid, searing portrait of the complex realities behind the simple saviorism that is so often the impetus for foreign adoptions.”—Washington Independent Review of Books“SOMEWHERE SISTERS should be required reading for anyone considering intercountry and/or transracial adoption. Even-handed and balanced, Hayasaki’s book is a vivid, searing portrait of the complex realities behind the simple saviorism that is so often the impetus for foreign adoptions.”—Washington Independent Review of Books, "Our 51 Favorite Books of 2022"“This incredible true story is as fascinating as any novel... Journalist Erika Hayasaki interviewed family members extensively in order to write this nuanced tale of transracial adoption, nurture-versus-nature, and sisterhood.” —BookBub

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Book SynopsisAn NPR Best Book of 2022 and Winner of a Nautilus Silver Book Award"Stirring and unforgettable-a breathtaking adoption saga like no other." -Robert Kolker, New York Times-bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road and Lost GirlsIt was 1998 in Nha Trang, Vi?t Nam, and Liên struggled to care for her newborn twin girls. Hà was taken in by Liên's sister, and she grew up in a rural village with her aunt, going to school and playing outside with the neighbors. They had sporadic electricity and frequent monsoons. Hà's twin sister, Loan, was adopted by a wealthy, white American family who renamed her Isabella. Isabella grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with a nonbiological sister, Olivia, also adopted from Vi?t Nam. Isabella and Olivia attended a predominantly white Catholic school, played soccer, and prepared for college.But when Isabella's adoptive mother learned of her biological twin back in Vi?t Nam, all of their lives changed forever. Award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki spent years and hundreds of hours interviewing each of the birth and adoptive family members. She brings the girls' experiences to life on the page, told from their own perspectives, challenging conceptions about adoption and what it means to give a child a good life.

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