Here's a list of the books we have, have read, or borrowed from the library. As we read them, we'll annotate each entry with comments about our interpretation and experience of the material. Also, we are in no way authorities on what parents should read, not being parents yet ourselves. As such, we recommend consuming this list with your daily recommended dosage of granular sodium chloride.
Culture Keeping: White Mothers, International Adoption, and the Negotiation of Family Difference
By Heather Jacobson
This book looks at the development of international adoption in the USA, and how attitudes towards multicultural and multiracial families have developed. Focuses primarily on examples from Russian and Chinese adoptions, which makes sense given that most of the material was gathered in the 90s, and early 00s. I would say it's great for the average adoptive parent in a multi-cultural/racial home or family, but Yuliya and I are both sociology majors and found it a bit basic. Great to see a book for adoptive parents that has a comprehensive explanation of functional culture and building the idea that a culture is an entire intellectual/emotional framework, rather than food, language, and clothing.
Attaching In Adoption: Practical Tools for Today's Parents
by Deborah D. Gray
Adoption Parenting: Creating a Toolbox, Building Connections
Edited by Jean MacLeod & Sheena Macrae
This book is organized like a textbook, chronologically to follow the development of children. Looks fantastic.
Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive
By Daniel J. Siegel and Mary Hartzell
This is an absolute must have for any parents, adoptive or not. It is about becoming self-aware and self-actualized, and how your own childhood affects parenting, and developing better intellectual processes Should be required reading for anyone who plans on having children. I cannot overstate how good this book is.
Raising Adoted Children(RE): Practical Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent
By Luis Ruskai Melina
Covers a broad range of adoption specific topics, from health issues in international adoptions, child development, talking with children about adoptions, parents expectations, trends in development, cultural and racial integration. Extremely well researched and presented academically. Some may find it dry.
Metamorphosis
By Franz Kafka
An exploration of horrific alienation and transformation. Not really about adoption.
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