Adoption and fostering: advice, topics and issues Books
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform The Unknown Culture Club: Korean Adoptees, Then and Now
£15.56
Pan Macmillan Red Dust Road
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 *
£9.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Wild Track: adopting, mothering, belonging
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 *
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton One of the Family: Why A Dog Called Maxwell
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
£18.00
Hodder & Stoughton One of the Family: Why A Dog Called Maxwell
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
£9.49
Rowman & Littlefield The Children Money Can Buy: Stories from the
Book SynopsisThe Children Money Can Buy covers decades of dramatic societal change in foster care and adoption, including the pendulum swings regarding open adoption and attitudes toward birth parents, the gradual acceptance of gay and lesbian adoption, the proliferation of unregulated adoption facilitators in the U.S., ethical concerns related to international adoption, and the role money inevitably plays in the foster care and adoption systems. Special attention is given to the practice of “baby brokering” and the accompanying exorbitant finder’s fees and financial incentives encouraging birth mothers to relinquish (or pretend that they are planning to relinquish) their babies that permeate much of U.S. infant adoption today. The Children Money Can Buy illuminates the worlds of foster care and adoption through the personal stories Moody witnessed and experienced in her many years working in the foster care and adoption systems. These compelling stories about real people and situations illustrate larger life lessons about the way our society values—and fails to value—parents and children. They explore the root of ethical problems which are not only financially driven but reflect society’s basic belief that some children are more valuable than others. Finally, Moody makes a plea for change and gives suggestions about how the foster care and adoption systems could work together for the benefit of children and families.Trade ReviewAs a young 20-something with a master’s degree in social work, Moody took a job as a child-welfare caseworker that introduced her to the world of adoptions and foster care, beginning a lifelong commitment that is chronicled in this compassionate work. Moody touches on the adoption sector’s ugly side, such as ‘baby buying’ and profit-driven adoption facilitators. She takes care to counterbalance these negatives, however, by also detailing the positive changes that have occurred in the field over the course of her career. These include the increasing acceptance of ‘open adoptions,’ in which birth parents are allowed to play some role in their children’s lives, and of same-sex couples as adopters. Throughout, Moody shares the personal experiences of many children and parents (whose identities are protected), some happy, some sad. The author also recalls her commitment at 13 to eventually become an adoptive parent, a dream she made real 23 years later. Moody's experiences certainly inform her practical approach, which touches on subjects including how to talk about adoption with children and how adoptive families can present themselves to the outside world. For any family that has faced the difficult issues of adoption or fostering from any perspective, Moody's book will be a valuable tool. * Publishers Weekly *Anne Moody’s insightful book captures the dynamic world of adoption. From her vantage point as a social worker and an adoptive mom, she provides compelling behind the scenes anecdotes that span state, international and domestic adoption. It’s a great read for anyone exploring adoption. -- Shari Levine, Executive Director, Open Adoption and Family ServicesAnne Moody’s writing helps open wide the heart. A perfectly arranged mixture of memoir and analysis, The Children Money Can Buy looks back over the author’s long career of helping people navigate the shifting and confusing landscape of foster care and adoption, and helps the reader draw valuable lessons from her experience. Her stories are moving, instructive, and unforgettable, told in a voice that fills the reader with respect and trust. -- Rebecca Wells, author of Divine Secrets of the YaYa SisterhoodWith the tenderness of memoir and the reach of great nonfiction, Anne Moody’s The Children Money Can Buy examines the modern history of adoption from every angle. Moody draws on her own experiences to give us a book that is not just exhaustively researched, but personally lived. The result is deeply informative, yes, but also an intimate glimpse inside the adoption experience. -- Claire Dederer, author of Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga PosesI’ve read a lot of books on adoption and the foster care system, but none by an author with the breadth and depth of experience Anne has…she presents a fair and well-considered view of the matters at hand, and her persona on the page is inviting and winning. Anne’s work sheds new light on an important topic we rarely hear about. What Anne has to say stands a good chance to make this world a better place. -- David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on CedarsTable of ContentsPart One: Foster Care 1. Why Do I Want This Job? 2. Service Plans 3. Who Are These Parents and Children? 4. Foster Home Highs and Lows 5. The Cycle of Dysfunction 6. Boy Troubles 7. Termination of Parental Rights 8. Making My Escape Part Two: Agency Adoption 9. The Home Study Process 10. Adoption Is the Good Thing That Happens 11. Adoption Disruptions 12. “Doing Good” Isn’t Always Good 13. The Need for Open Adoption 14. Finding Just The Right Home Part Three: Adoptive Parenthood and Sisterhood 15. Children Are Exactly Who They Are Meant To Be 16. How to Talk About Adoption 17. A Homeland Tour: Honoring Your Child’s Heritage 18. A Sister’s Journey of the Heart 19. Awkward (and Worse) Encounters for Adoptive Families 20. Jocelyn’s Birth Mother Part Four: Adoption Connections 21. Our Own Adoption Agency 22. Birth Parent Counseling Etiquette 23. Two Open Adoptions 24. Choosing an Adoptive Family 25. Money Matters 26. Scammers 27. Can Foster Care and Adoption Work Together? Part Five: Changes 28. A Battle for Gay Adoption 29. Baby Brokers 30. The Ethics of International Adoption 31. The Ethics of Foster Care
£33.25
Rowman & Littlefield Deliberately Divided: Inside the Controversial
Book SynopsisTakes the first in-depth look at the New York City adoption agency that separated twins and triplets in the 1960s, and the controversial and disturbing study that tracked the children’s development while never telling their adoptive parents that they were raising a “singleton twin.”In the 1960s, New York City’s Child Development Center launched a study designed to track the development of twins and triplets given up for adoption and raised by different families. The controversial and disturbing catch? None of the adoptive parents had been told that they were raising a twin—the study’s investigators insisted that the separation be kept secret. Here, Nancy Segal reveals the inside stories of the agency that separated the twins, and the collaborating psychiatrists who, along with their cadre of colleagues, observed the twins until they turned twelve. This study, far outside the mainstream of scientific twin research, was not well-known to scholars or the general public until it caught the attention of documentary filmmakers whose recent films, Three Identical Strangers and The Twinning Reaction, left viewers shocked, angered, saddened and wanting to know more.Interviews with colleagues, friends and family members of the agency’s psychiatric consultant and the study’s principal investigator, as well as a former agency administrator, research assistants, journalists, ethicists, attorneys, and—most importantly--the twins and families who were unwitting participants in this controversial study, are riveting. Through records, letters and other documents, Segal further discloses the investigators’ attempts to enagge other agencies in separating twins, their efforts to avoid media exposure, their worries over informed consent issues in the 1970s and the steps taken toward avoiding lawsuits while hoping to enjoy the fruits of publication. Segals’ spellbinding stories of the twins’ separation, loss and reunification told in Deliberately Divided offer readers the behind-the-scenes details that, until now, were lost to the archives of history.
£31.50
Rowman & Littlefield Saving Michael: How Rescuing a Throwaway Child
Book SynopsisDescribes what being a foster mom is really like, the effects of foster care on the whole family, and how the foster care system fails severely abused children. Foster children are society’s throwaway kids, the children no one wants—until someone finally does. Saving Michael provides an inside look Keri Vellis’ struggle to secure the best possible services for two severely abused and traumatized siblings. Some doors opened, but too many closed during her ten-year journey as the voice for children in her care who have no voice of their own within the current system. Readers get a glimpse of Keri and her family’s day-to-day life as she went from mother of three to adoptive mother of three more children and then the temporary caregiver of another seventeen. Saving Michael delves into issues bigger than one family’s experiences and determination. Now an author and child advocate, Vellis provides a profoundly personal look into what it takes to get the best for each of the children she’s had in her care. Her journey started from the first day of her first foster care situation and the urgent need for diagnoses and treatment. It continued despite the many obstacles thrown in her path to securing services for the vulnerable children in her family’s care. Along the way, she details the many ups and downs, challenges and triumphs, her whole family experienced as part of the foster care system. All children deserve permanent, safe homes. The effort to obtain those for every child is a tremendous one not for the faint-hearted. But the rewards reverberate for everyone when it works. Follow Keri and her family on this heartfelt journey of love and persistence.
£23.75
Rowman & Littlefield The Children Money Can Buy: Stories from the
Book SynopsisThe Children Money Can Buy covers decades of dramatic societal change in foster care and adoption, including the pendulum swings regarding open adoption and attitudes toward birth parents, the gradual acceptance of gay and lesbian adoption, the proliferation of unregulated adoption facilitators in the U.S., ethical concerns related to international adoption, and the role money inevitably plays in the foster care and adoption systems. Special attention is given to the practice of “baby brokering” and the accompanying exorbitant finder’s fees and financial incentives encouraging birth mothers to relinquish (or pretend that they are planning to relinquish) their babies that permeate much of U.S. infant adoption today.The Children Money Can Buy illuminates the worlds of foster care and adoption through the personal stories Moody witnessed and experienced in her many years working in the foster care and adoption systems. These compelling stories about real people and situations illustrate larger life lessons about the way our society values—and fails to value—parents and children. They explore the root of ethical problems which are not only financially driven but reflect society’s basic belief that some children are more valuable than others. Finally, Moody makes a plea for change and gives suggestions about how the foster care and adoption systems could work together for the benefit of children and families.Trade ReviewAs a young 20-something with a master’s degree in social work, Moody took a job as a child-welfare caseworker that introduced her to the world of adoptions and foster care, beginning a lifelong commitment that is chronicled in this compassionate work. Moody touches on the adoption sector’s ugly side, such as ‘baby buying’ and profit-driven adoption facilitators. She takes care to counterbalance these negatives, however, by also detailing the positive changes that have occurred in the field over the course of her career. These include the increasing acceptance of ‘open adoptions,’ in which birth parents are allowed to play some role in their children’s lives, and of same-sex couples as adopters. Throughout, Moody shares the personal experiences of many children and parents (whose identities are protected), some happy, some sad. The author also recalls her commitment at 13 to eventually become an adoptive parent, a dream she made real 23 years later. Moody's experiences certainly inform her practical approach, which touches on subjects including how to talk about adoption with children and how adoptive families can present themselves to the outside world. For any family that has faced the difficult issues of adoption or fostering from any perspective, Moody's book will be a valuable tool. * Publishers Weekly *Anne Moody’s insightful book captures the dynamic world of adoption. From her vantage point as a social worker and an adoptive mom, she provides compelling behind the scenes anecdotes that span state, international and domestic adoption. It’s a great read for anyone exploring adoption. -- Shari Levine, Executive Director, Open Adoption and Family ServicesAnne Moody’s writing helps open wide the heart. A perfectly arranged mixture of memoir and analysis, The Children Money Can Buy looks back over the author’s long career of helping people navigate the shifting and confusing landscape of foster care and adoption, and helps the reader draw valuable lessons from her experience. Her stories are moving, instructive, and unforgettable, told in a voice that fills the reader with respect and trust. -- Rebecca Wells, author of Divine Secrets of the YaYa SisterhoodWith the tenderness of memoir and the reach of great nonfiction, Anne Moody’s The Children Money Can Buy examines the modern history of adoption from every angle. Moody draws on her own experiences to give us a book that is not just exhaustively researched, but personally lived. The result is deeply informative, yes, but also an intimate glimpse inside the adoption experience. -- Claire Dederer, author of Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga PosesI’ve read a lot of books on adoption and the foster care system, but none by an author with the breadth and depth of experience Anne has…she presents a fair and well-considered view of the matters at hand, and her persona on the page is inviting and winning. Anne’s work sheds new light on an important topic we rarely hear about. What Anne has to say stands a good chance to make this world a better place. -- David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on CedarsTable of ContentsPart One: Foster Care1. Why Do I Want This Job? 2. Service Plans3. Who Are These Parents and Children?4. Foster Home Highs and Lows5. The Cycle of Dysfunction6. Boy Troubles7. Termination of Parental Rights8. Making My EscapePart Two: Agency Adoption9. The Home Study Process10. Adoption Is the Good Thing That Happens 11. Adoption Disruptions12. “Doing Good” Isn’t Always Good13. The Need for Open Adoption14. Finding Just The Right HomePart Three: Adoptive Parenthood and Sisterhood15. Children Are Exactly Who They Are Meant To Be16. How to Talk About Adoption17. A Homeland Tour: Honoring Your Child’s Heritage18. A Sister’s Journey of the Heart19. Awkward (and Worse) Encounters for Adoptive Families20. Jocelyn’s Birth MotherPart Four: Adoption Connections21. Our Own Adoption Agency22. Birth Parent Counseling Etiquette23. Two Open Adoptions24. Choosing an Adoptive Family25. Money Matters26. Scammers27. Can Foster Care and Adoption Work Together?Part Five: Changes28. A Battle for Gay Adoption29. Baby Brokers30. The Ethics of International Adoption31. The Ethics of Foster Care
£17.09
Rowman & Littlefield The Baby Market: The Case for Adoption Reform
Book SynopsisA passionate and revealing examination of the unethical processes taking place within the U.S adoption system todayTable of ContentsGlossaryIntroduction The Vagaries Of The Market Place Owen and Kira: An Adoptive Family Story Why Is Adoption So Hard? Lindy: A Birth Mother’s Story Where Does All the Money Go? Yes, It’s Legal Middle Men Julia: A Single Adoptive Mother’s Story Birth Mothers In The Media Did Birth Mother’s Change? What Will We Tell the Children? What About The Siblings? Matt and Hannah: A Foster-To-Adopt Story What About All the Kids In Foster Care? Working With The Child Welfare System Not To Scare You…But Adoption Specialists Adoption Reform Closing the Gray Market Afterword
£23.75
PublicAffairs We Are Family: The Modern Transformation of
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.
£22.40
Algonquin Books Lucky Girl
Book Synopsis
£13.25
Coffee House Press Unbearable Splendor
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
£11.99
Templeton Foundation Press,U.S. Replanted: Faith-Based Support for Adoptive and
Book SynopsisMany people embark on the journey of adoption and foster care but are unprepared for the challenges that await them along the way. Replanted takes an honest look at the joys and hardships that come with choosing this journey and provides a model of faith-based support made up of three parts to help families thrive: Soil, Sunlight, and Water. Soil, or emotional support, addresses the need for grace-filled settings where families can connect with other families who understand their experience. Sunlight, or informational support, focuses on obtaining helpful training to raise children who may have unique needs or challenges. Water, or tangible support, deals with concrete resources such as medical care, child care, and financial support. Throughout the book, the Replanted model is brought to life by stories and examples based on the clinical work and personal experiences of the authors. Their candid insight will serve families who are actively involved in adoption or foster care, as well as people who are eager to help support those families.Replanted affirms that with the right support system in place, parents can answer this sacred call not only with open hearts but also with their eyes wide open.Trade Review“Jesus often drew vivid word pictures from agriculture—wheat fields and mustard seeds, fig trees and grapevines—to help us see His kingdom, ourselves, and what we most need. Replanted does the same, using rich images from the plant world in ways both poetic and practical to help us grasp and feel God’s good purposes for us as adoptive and foster families.” —Jedd Medefind, president, Christian Alliance for Orphans“The loving care of orphans and foster children is the most sacred thing in the world. Those who take on this courageous journey know that it is the greatest of life’s joys—but also full of hardships and challenges. With their ministry, the authors of this amazing book have empowered the church to support families with ‘replanted’ children. They are the most qualified people I know to speak truth into this experience. For both the heroes engaged in adoption or foster care and those of us eager to support them, this book is a must-read.” —Dr. Wess Stafford, president emeritus, Compassion International, author of Too Small to Ignore and Just a Minute“The wall. That is exactly what foster and adoptive parents hit when expectations of the journey collide with the realities of the experience. Authors Jenn¸ Josh, and Mike understand this experience well and have written an amazing, much needed resource for parents and churches. The analogy of what families need—soil (emotional support), sunlight (informational support), and water (tangible support)—truly speaks to the heart of the need. The exercises at the end of each chapter allow for every reader to build self-awareness, parenting awareness, and God awareness. I highly recommend this book for foster and adoptive parents and the ministries and organizations that support them.” —Jayne Schooler, author of Wounded Children, Healing Home and Telling the Truth to Adopted and Foster Children“Replanted openly explores the challenges faced by children impacted by early trauma believing that hope and healing can come as parents gain the support they need, as support systems become trauma-competent, and as churches become more intentional in the ways they come alongside families built through adoption and foster care. Replanted is a timely resource and encouragement for anyone, anywhere, on the journey of adoption and foster care.” —Terri Coley, coordinator of Pre+Post Adoption Support, Show Hope“Replanted provides wise counsel and guidance to those who welcome vulnerable children into their hearts and homes. This resource will challenge and equip, comfort and encourage those on God’s journey to love children from hard places, and inform the church about the crucial role it can play in supporting them.” —Sharen Ford, director of Foster Care Adoption Advocacy for Children, Focus on the Family"Jenn, Josh, and Mike have created something amazing here. Real, authentic conversation about the challenges of this journey combined with hope-filled stories and practical resources that breathe fresh wind in the sails of caregivers. Every foster and adoptive parent will want to have this book on their kitchen table!" —Michele Schneidler, cofounder of the Refresh Conference and senior vice president of programs/partnerships for the 1MILLIONHOME campaign“We have been waiting for this book that, through personal stories, discussion questions, and the Replanted model of support, brings relevant and fresh solutions to the long-recognized core issues in relinquishment and adoption. Offering hope and tools to this generation of adoptive and foster parents, it also provides the insights needed by members of the Church to extend grace and support these families.” —Rebecca MacDougall, LCSW, adoptive mother and executive branch director, Bethany Christian Services of Illinois“As a foster/adoptive parent this book would have saved me years of research and heartache. Not only do Jenn, Josh, and Mike do a fantastic job of taking all different types of research and condensing it down to what is applicable to caregivers, but they do it in a way that is engaging, full of stories, hope, laughter, and tears. They are honest about the deep paradox that exists for families and communities caring for children from trauma. They give practical advice and tools to organizations wanting to support and aid in the healing process, and they do it all with grace and faith. I couldn’t recommend this book more; potential caregivers, you need this! Support systems, they need you to know this!” —Amanda Purvis, TBRI training specialist, Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development“Replanted is a must-have resource for your library! Whether you are an adoptive or foster parent, or you desire to support the ones serving in the trenches, this book is for you. Jenn writes with humility and wisdom from her years of experience working with families. Replanted is not a ‘roses and butterflies’ type of book; it is honest and real and full of hope and practical help to bring healing to your family.” —Jami Kaeb, founder executive director, The Forgotten Initiative"Our children have complex needs. Jenn, Josh, and Mike provide parents, as well as those in support systems, with practical tools and knowledge to utilize while embarking upon the healing journey. This book is a great resource." —Daren Jones, training specialist, Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development“While beautiful and life-giving, the journey of foster care and adoption can also at times feel lonely and isolating. That’s why resources like Replanted are so crucial. This book provides a practical, insightful and proven model of support for families to not only help them survive, but to thrive in the homes, their marriages and their families.” —Jason Johnson, speaker, blogger, and author of ReFraming Foster Care: Filtering Your Foster Parenting Journey Through the Lens of the Gospel“Replanted is as close to an all-in-one handbook for foster and adoptive parents as I've come across. Jenn Hook brings the expertise of a clinician and the compassion of a ministry leader who has jumped into the trenches with many foster and adoptive parents. For those who are new to foster care and adoption, and for those considering getting involved, this book offers hope and a strong foundation. Replanted tops my list as recommended reading for all foster and adoptive parents.” —Jamie C. Finn, speaker, blogger, and author of Foster the Family, foster and adoptive mom
£17.99
NavPress Publishing Group The Whole Life Adoption Book
Book Synopsis
£13.77
Boutique of Quality Books Homing In: An Adopted Child's Story Mandala of
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.
£21.56
American Academy of Pediatrics Caring for Your Adopted Child
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
£14.20
The Story Plant Starchild: A Memoir of Adoption, Race, and Family
Book SynopsisMichaela Foster Marsh and her brother Frankie grew up as twins in Glasgow, Scotland in the sixties. Born only weeks apart, Michaela was white and Frankie was black, and they were an unusual sight in their dual pram. Despite the doting of his parents and the unceasing love of his sister, Frankie''s life was rarely easy, and it ended far too soon when a fire took him when he was only twenty-six. But for a devastated Michaela, Frankie''s effect on her life was only beginning. She embarks on a search to learn what she can about Frankie''s birth family, a journey that takes her to Uganda, to a culture and a family she never knew, through twists and turns and remarkable coincidences and to a mission and to a connection with her African brethren she never could have imagined. STARCHILD is a remarkably candid memoir that plays out on both a personal and global scale. It is the story of the intimacies of siblinghood and the complexities of multi-racial adoption. It is the story of the unique connection of extended family and the unique commitment to an adopted homeland. It is the story of long-held secrets revealed and long-maintained barriers broken. And it is ultimately the story of a sibling relationship that transcends borders, time, and life itself.
£19.79
The Story Plant Starchild: A Memoir of Adoption, Race, and Family
Book SynopsisMichaela Foster Marsh and her brother Frankie grew up as twins in Glasgow, Scotland in the sixties. Born only weeks apart, Michaela was white and Frankie was black, and they were an unusual sight in their dual pram. Despite the love from his adopted family, Frankie''s life was rarely easy, and it ended far too soon when a fire took him when he was only twenty-six. But for a devastated Michaela, Frankie''s effect on her life was only beginning. She embarks on a search to learn what she can about Frankie''s birth family, a journey that takes her to Uganda, to a culture and a family she never knew, through twists and turns and remarkable coincidences and to a mission and to a connection with her African brethren she never could have imagined.STARCHILD is a remarkably candid memoir that plays out on both a personal and global scale. It is the story of the intimacies of siblinghood and the complexities of multi-racial adoption. It is the story of the unique connection of extended family and the unique commitment to an adopted homeland. It is the story of long-held secrets revealed and long-maintained barriers broken. And it is ultimately the story of a sibling relationship that transcends borders, time, and life itself.
£12.95
Morgan James Publishing llc Second Time Foster Child: How One Family Adopted
Book SynopsisIn a juvenile courtroom, the judge reprimanded the caseworkers, the attorneys, and CASA for responding to a no-fault dependency case as an abuse case, “There is nobody bad here!” There were no criminals. There was no crime. Then why were we sitting in the accused chairs? As an infant, Daniel entered the foster care system as a result of severe neglect, which manifested in violence and aggression later in his childhood. Desperate to get their adoptive son, Daniel, into a residential treatment center and keep their other children safe, the state of Illinois left Jim and Toni Hoy with two options. If they brought their son home from the psychiatric hospital for the 11th time in 2 years, the Department of Children and Family Services threatened to charge them with child endangerment for failure to protect their other children. Mental health professionals recommended abandoning him at the hospital after the state denied all viable sources of funding for his treatment. Making that choice would trigger a child abuse investigation and subsequent neglect charges. Daniel re-entered the foster care system for no other reason than he was mentally ill. A year later, Daniel’s mother discovered that his treatment was covered by a funding source that he was awarded as part of his special needs adoption. The EPSDT provision of Medicaid. How could they get the state government to understand the federal law and re-gain custody of their son? "Second Time Foster Child" is the story of parents who never gave up on their son, despite being prosecuted and persecuted in exchange for his medically necessary treatment.
£12.34
Morgan James Publishing llc Mom at Last: How I Never Gave Up on Becoming a
Book SynopsisHer biological clock ticking louder each day, Sharon Simon felt her heart sink as yet another “Mr. Wonderful” turned out to be a frog---not the prince she was waiting for. But when the right man did come along, their journey toward parenthood seemed more like a machete trail through a jungle than the smooth path of her dreams. Enduring multiple failed IVFs and the loss of their unborn twins, Sharon and her husband decided to adopt---taking a whirlwind trip to Russia and navigating the rough waters of international adoption red tape. Their journey ended, or rather began, when two baby boys were placed in their arms for the long trip home. Part love story, part adoption memoir, and all heart, Mom at Last is the story of one woman’s fierce determination to become a mother. Full of setbacks and emotionally devastating pitfalls, ultimately the journey leads her to true love and pure joy. Mom at Last will inspire women who find themselves on that sometimes difficult journey to motherhood, giving hope that motherhood is possible and encouraging women to never give up on their dreams. While every journey to motherhood is different, Mom at Last lets women know they are not alone in the struggle toward motherhood.Table of ContentsChapter One – The Baby HouseChapter Two – Kissing My Last FrogChapter Three – Stumbling Upon a PrinceChapter Four – My PoetChapter Five – In VitroChapter Six – Egg Retrieval DayChapter Seven – Married and PregnantChapter Eight – Something’s Not RightChapter Nine – Losing the TwinsChapter Ten – Good CounselChapter Eleven – What I FoundChapter Twelve – In Vitro Two and ThreeChapter Thirteen – AdoptionChapter Fourteen – Trip #1, Delaware to NovokuznetskChapter Fifteen – Envelope No. 2Chapter Sixteen – The Baby House, AgainChapter Seventeen – The Long WaitChapter Eighteen – PlanningChapter Nineteen – Trip #2, Delaware to KemerovoChapter Twenty-One – The Day AfterChapter Twenty-Two – The ListChapter Twenty-Three – HomeEpilogue
£12.34
Morgan James Publishing llc Healing Emotional Wounds: A Story of Overcoming
Book SynopsisNancy’s labor pains were harsh and long, close to seven years, in fact. Conceived by Ukrainian parents, her two adopted children, Alyona and Alec, began their rebirth six years later in an American city near the East Coast shoreline. Healing Emotional Wounds-A Story of Overcoming the Long Hard Road to Recovery from Abuse and Abandonment is a compelling chronicle of metamorphosis that gives testament to the power of love, encouragement, and resolve over the desperate circumstances of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. This unvarnished story recounts the tumultuous road to recovery of two six-year-olds adopted from Ukraine and takes the reader through a mosaic of emotions from anger and frustration to laughter and bewilderment. This action-packed drama of the family’s first seven years reads like fiction, but it’s real. The high-stakes adventure is replete with volatile behaviors, love, intrigue, sadness, police intervention, unwavering faith, doggedness, emotional fluctuations, and humor. Three main characters emerge, along with a large supporting cast of friends, family, neighbors, and community: 1) Alec, born prematurely to a substance-abusing mother, who spent the early part of his life swathed in a blanket cocoon almost devoid of human touch; 2) Alyona, found on the streets at age four or five and returned to the orphanage by her Italian adoptive family after only six weeks due to her aggressive behavior; 3) Nancy, a single, early fiftyish professional who feels called to adopt these children. The antagonist in this saga is the history of abuse and abandonment, but the real heroes are the children, who emerge from the abyss of hopelessness to live lives of confidence, love, and expectation. Healing Emotional Wounds-A Story of Overcoming the Long Hard Road to Recovery from Abuse and Abandonment affirms the hope of healing through commitment, hard work, extensive family and friend support, a “never quit” attitude, and an unyielding resilience and focus.Table of ContentsProloguePart I AdoptionPart II A Rough BeginningPart III Home Away From HomePart IV New BeginningEpilogue
£13.49
Morgan James Publishing llc Healing Emotional Wounds: A Story of Overcoming
Book SynopsisNancy’s labor pains were harsh and long, close to seven years, in fact. Conceived by Ukrainian parents, her two adopted children, Alyona and Alec, began their rebirth six years later in an American city near the East Coast shoreline. Healing Emotional Wounds-A Story of Overcoming the Long Hard Road to Recovery from Abuse and Abandonment is a compelling chronicle of metamorphosis that gives testament to the power of love, encouragement, and resolve over the desperate circumstances of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. This unvarnished story recounts the tumultuous road to recovery of two six-year-olds adopted from Ukraine and takes the reader through a mosaic of emotions from anger and frustration to laughter and bewilderment. This action-packed drama of the family’s first seven years reads like fiction, but it’s real. The high-stakes adventure is replete with volatile behaviors, love, intrigue, sadness, police intervention, unwavering faith, doggedness, emotional fluctuations, and humor. Three main characters emerge, along with a large supporting cast of friends, family, neighbors, and community: 1) Alec, born prematurely to a substance-abusing mother, who spent the early part of his life swathed in a blanket cocoon almost devoid of human touch; 2) Alyona, found on the streets at age four or five and returned to the orphanage by her Italian adoptive family after only six weeks due to her aggressive behavior; 3) Nancy, a single, early fiftyish professional who feels called to adopt these children. The antagonist in this saga is the history of abuse and abandonment, but the real heroes are the children, who emerge from the abyss of hopelessness to live lives of confidence, love, and expectation. Healing Emotional Wounds-A Story of Overcoming the Long Hard Road to Recovery from Abuse and Abandonment affirms the hope of healing through commitment, hard work, extensive family and friend support, a “never quit” attitude, and an unyielding resilience and focus.Table of ContentsProloguePart I AdoptionPart II A Rough BeginningPart III Home Away From HomePart IV New BeginningEpilogue
£28.89
The Experiment LLC How We Do Family: From Adoption to Trans
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.
£17.09
NavPress Publishing Group Wounded Children, Healing Homes
Book Synopsis
£13.77
Workman Publishing Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity,
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
£19.79
Backlist, LLC - A Unit of Chicken Soup of the Soul Publishing LLC Chicken Soup for the Adopted Soul: Stories
Book Synopsis
£13.46
Morgan James Publishing llc The Syrian Jewelry Box: A Daughter’s Journey for
Book SynopsisA young American growing up in the Middle East, Carina Rourke enjoys a blissful innocence until, at age fifteen, she is captivated by an obsessive desire to peek inside of her mother’s forbidden jewelry box. There, Carina discovers a shocking family secret arising from her clandestine mother's past in post-World War II Germany. On the heels of her discovery, she and her family pursue her father’s dream: an exotic drive through the Middle East and Europe, which serves as a metaphoric journey for the woman Carina becomes—a silent nomad searching for identity. When they reach Paris, Carina is entranced by the city’s temptations. French pastries become a dangerous addiction and an accomplice in silence . . . and so does the love of a mysterious Tunisian. Inspired by her past, The Syrian Jewelry Box: A Daughter's Journey for Truth chronicles a teenage heroine who triumphs over her identity crisis and learns the power of love.Trade Review“Carina Burns has looked within herself, faced her demons, and developed the courage to share her journey of love, perceived betrayal, angst, and regenerative love. I first knew Carina before she learned of her adoption. She was a typical carefree teenager enjoying the ‘good life’ of a third-culture expatriate kid. Only recently have I reconnected with her. She has quite a story, a gift she shares with passion. Carina Burns is truly ‘becoming’ in every way imaginable.” -- Richard Maack, junior high school principal, Saudi Arabia “One cannot expect to walk in on a life that is so private and has been like that for years and not find similarities that will taunt you and challenge you to resolve those issues that have long been contaminating your life. When you realize that the issues you have unpacked have left your life naked and painfully raw from the death of your natural beliefs, The Syrian Jewelry Box will become your anecdote. Carina’s story holds the key to a delightful celebration of self and trust. By following the well-worn steps to a full and sustainable recovery, you will be able to elevate yourself to your rightful place in the sun.” -- Barbie Lightbody “Carina’s book shows you how to become empowered by the sometimes shocking and traumatic experience of adoption. It is a must-read for anyone who is adopted.” --Richard Krawczyk, Author of Ultimate Success Blueprint (TheMrBlueprint.com) "Carina´s book is a delightful insight into the youth of an extraordinary girl growing up in an extraordinary country with an extraordinary background. I have always wondered how my cousin´s life had been in Jeddah and as a girl who never really got out of her small Bavarian hometown Carina´s exotic foreign stays and travels inspired my dreams. Thank you Carina for giving me that information now about how you lived there, what was going on in your mind and what kind of adventures your family encountered driving that white Mercedes from Jeddah to Paris. . . I see your arrival in Grafenau clearly in my memory: four sun-tanned people getting out of a car that was covered in red dust all over sporting a glittery green licence plate with Arabic letters and numbers on it. . . something I had never seen before. I admired my beloved cousin for her exotic life and I think it was back then that the seed of becoming a traveler too was planted in me. As a stewardess for Lufthansa I have been travelling the world for almost 32 years now and I used to visit Jeddah several times too and during every layover I looked at the sand and the sea, I felt the heat on my skin and thought of Carina´s adolescent years. . . like I could walk in her steps. "The Syrian Jewelry Box" has somehow made that possible for me now. Carina Sue Burns´s book is a wonderfully written true coming-of-age story outlining actually two journeys: the adventurous road trip from Jeddah to Paris and the healing inner one towards acceptance while growing up from a beautiful young teenager full of unanswered questions to become the warm-hearted and inspirational lady she is today." --- Ina Krümmel"Carina Burns has looked within herself, faced her demons, and developed the courage to share her journey of love, perceived betrayal, angst, and regenerative love."—Richard Maack, junior high school principal Saudi ArabiaTable of ContentsChapter 1. Preparing for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1968) Chapter 2. The Arrival, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1968) Chapter 3. The Souq, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1968) Chapter 4. Raytheon Compound, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1968) Chapter 5. The Hajj, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (February 1969) Chapter 6. Mada’in Saleh, Saudi Arabia (1969) Chapter 7. Petra, Jordan (1969) Chapter 8. The Creek, Sharm Obhor, Saudi Arabia (1971) Chapter 9. The Gold Souq & Seamstress, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1971) Chapter 10. The Embassy Boat, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1972) Chapter 11. The Parents’ Cooperative School (PCS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1972) Chapter 12. The Discovery, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1975) Chapter 13. The Secret Disclosed, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (1975) Chapter 14. Driving from Jeddah to Paris (1975)--Middle East: Part 1 Chapter 15. Driving from Jeddah to Paris (1975)--Middle East: Part 2 Chapter 16. Driving from Jeddah to Paris (1975)--Europe: Part 1 Chapter 17. Driving from Jeddah to Paris (1975)--Europe: Part 2 Chapter 18. Driving from Jeddah to Paris (1975)--Europe: Part 3 Chapter 19. Paris (1975–1979) Chapter 20. Standing Still, Ridgefield, Connecticut (2002)
£12.34
Morgan James Publishing llc Open Eyed Adoption: Real Help for those Parenting
Book SynopsisOpen-Eyed Adoption presents a compassionate look at uncovering the mysteries of the adoptive parent/adoptee relationshipOpen-Eyed Adoption is written for the purpose of supplying a resource for those who have adopted children as well as those who are considering the possibility of doing so. Often adoptive parents are ill-prepared and uninformed as to the unique challenges that raising adopted children presents. For instance, the earlier a parent knows that an adoptee has trauma from the beginning, the better equipped they can be to adapting their parenting style vs what may have been the style of their own parents. Being unaware of this, they can be confused and discouraged as to what they are seeing and why their adopted child responds the way they do. They may even be bewildered, due to the amount of love they give, to see a different response than they expect. This book gives resource and tools to the parent for better understanding of what may be happening in the heart of their child. The information contained in Open-Eyed Adoption can also be used when parents are communicating with their adult adopted children. It encourages parents to look at parenting from different angles when it comes to the adoptee. Furthermore, Open- Eyed Adoption dispels the myth that they are all alone, takes a look at the importance of self-kindness and shows the way to get the support they need.
£12.34
Proving Press Dumpster Doll: The Early Years
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£15.20
Mascot Books Forbidden Roots: A Memoir of Late-Discovery
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£16.96
Post Hill Press We Were the Morris Orphans: 4 Brothers, 5 Sisters
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£14.45
Suteki Creative Te soñe
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£13.99
Workman Publishing Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity,
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.
£15.29
Purposely Created Publishing Group Hurt on Purpose
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£16.14
PublicAffairs The Sun Wont Come Out Tomorrow
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£24.00
Rockridge Press The Story of My Open Adoption: A Storybook for
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£8.54
BookBaby Late for the Buss: An Adoption Story: Finding my
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£13.29
Minnesota Historical Society Press A Child of the Indian Race: A Story of Return
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£16.11
Christianaudio Confessions of an Adoptive Parent
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£14.27
Oasis Audio A Love-Stretched Life: Stories on Wrangling Hope,
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£22.49
Authorhouse Successful Journey Through Foster Care
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£10.86
Reunion Land Press Finding Faith: The Birth-Fathers' Club Series
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£13.25
Spinifex Press Adoption Deception: A personal and professional
Book SynopsisWhat is it like to be adopted, have your identity changed and never feel quite at home in your new family, despite being loved? What is it like to become a social worker and be faced with the challenges and consequences of other adoptions every day? What is it like to hear the moving National Apology for Forced Adoptions by Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2013 only to be faced a few months later by a new prime minister intent on forgetting all the lessons learnt and championing a deregulated parent-centred market-driven adoption industry? Penny Mackieson takes us on her journey with the unique perspective of both the adopted person and a professional who worked in intercountry adoption for over a decade. She unravels the complexity, debunks the myths, analyses the policies and raises important questions about the ethical and human rights dilemmas in adoption.Adoption Deception: A personal and professional journey is a passionate, heart-wrenching and unflinchingly honest account of one woman’s life as an adopted person and her campaign for change. The author presents a compelling argument for Permanent Care instead of adoption for vulnerable children unable to be raised by their families.Trade Review"Adoption Deception is a deeply personal account of the experience of adoption, and the effect it can have into adulthood. It is a story of how family relationships can be influenced by adoption policies and practices. It challenges us to think about how we respond to the commercialisation of children through adoption and assisted reproductive technologies." -- Professor Marie Connolly, Chair & Head of Social Work, The University of Melbourne."This is a lightning rod of a book, one that will summon thunderclaps of applause and disapproval. I am not saying I agree with the argument the author makes; I am saying I admire the naked personal honesty with which she makes it. Whatever viewpoint you have at the end of this book, I guarantee you this -- you will think, and feel, more deeply about the issue of adoption." -- Martin Flanagan, author & Agejournalist"This is a powerful and passionate book about the personal and political aspects of adoption. While it is overwhelmingly negative about adoption and the author believes the practice is outdated and should cease, she does present strong arguments for her case." Sue Bond, PhD candidate at Central Queensland University, Australian Women's Book Review
£13.46
Mosaic Press Shattered Hearts: A Personal Narrative
Book SynopsisMorgan and Daniel, two teachers, could not have their own children. Adoption seemed to be a normal option open for them. It would give them a family, a new life to live, hope, love, and much more. A little boy appeared in their lives and captured their hearts. “We were sure our paths had crossed for a reason. Fate being what it was, we opened ourselves up to the vulnerability awaiting us and applied to adopt him. The more we found out about the little boy and the things he had lived through, the more determined we became to welcome him into our lives.” —Morgan Castle The narrative unfolds in painstaking detail and follows Morgan and Daniel as they attempt to navigate through a complex, deeply personal experience, and a bewildering bureaucratic process. It reads like a diary with a first-person narrative that absorbs the reader totally. This is a heart-wrenching story written with profound honesty and fully detailed. It is a document of human emotion and a veritable roller-coaster of hope and despair, stress, and incomprehensibility, of bureaucratic power and obfuscation, how two individuals’ dream turns into a devastating reality.
£17.95
Demeter Press White Unwed Mother: The Adoption Mandate in
Book SynopsisIn postwar Canada, having a child out-of-wedlock invariably meant being subject to the adoption mandate. Andrews describes the mandate as a process of interrelated institutional power systems which, together with socio-cultural norms, ideals of gender heteronormativity, and emerging sociological and psychoanalytic theories, created historically unique conditions in the post WWII decades wherein the white unmarried mother was systematically separated from her baby by means of adoption. This volume uncovers and substantiates evidence of the mandate, ultimately finding that at least 350,000 unmarried mothers in Canada were impacted.
£23.95
MX Publishing Bubble Wrapped Children - How Social Networking
Book SynopsisNumerous reasons cause adopted teenagers to reconnect with their birth family via Facebook, creating new challenges for adoption today and tomorrow. Incorporating theory, practice, anecdotes, metaphors, diagrams, models and case studies, this accessible book, written by an experienced adopter, clearly explains these complex issues. It maps connections between trauma, child development, grief, adolescence, contact, truth telling and parenting styles; offering fresh perspectives and strategies for parents and professionals.
£12.99
Grosvenor House Publishing Ltd Daughters
Book SynopsisThis is a book written by a birth mother about a daughter who is put up for adoption by her own parents without a thought for her own feelings. A family unit of a mother, father and two sisters wait to be re-united. It is a story spanning forty years of difficult relationships with a less than happy ending.
£11.99
