Answers to your parenting questions.
“Braiding Barbara’s Hair”
As the white mother of an African American daughter, I learned more than I ever could've imagined about hair.
“Honoring My Ethiopian Daughters’ Heritage”
My daughters have caramel brown skin, dark brown eyes, and tightly curled black hair. They are African by birth, American by citizenship, but have always self-identified as Habesha (the Amharic word for Ethiopian).
[Book Review] In Their Parents’ Voices: Reflections on Raising Transracial Adoptees
In this sequel to In Their Own Voices, by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda Roorda, we meet the parents of transracial adoptees, and hear firsthand what it was like raising children across racial and cultural lines.
Ask AF: Bringing Birth Fathers Into the Adoption Conversation
Answers to your parenting questions.
“When Relatives Never Get Adoption”
Two AF readers open up about the painful and rarely talked-about experience of dealing with a relative who never gets on board.
[Book Review] I Love My Hair!
Kids will love the message of this book celebrating African-American hair.
[Book Review] Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited
A memoir coauthored by reunited twins explores essential questions of identity.
[Book Review] Families Change
It can be hard for adoptive parents to know where to start explaining what led to a placement. Families Change gives them simple, direct language.
When to Let Kids Handle Racism On their Own
Answers to your parenting questions.
Ask AF: Writing an Adoption Reference Letter
A reader asks how to write a great adoption reference letter that her friend will show to prospective birth mothers.
Breaking Bad News: “I Have Something to Tell You”
How do you break bad news about job loss, illness, or divorce to the birth parents in an open adoption relationship?
[Book Review] Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control
Being consistent with consequences came naturally to me when I became a parent—it seemed to be the logical, appropriate way to discipline children. So I was resistant as soon as I heard the title of this book, Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control.
[Book Review] The Encyclopedia of Adoption, third edition
This reference volume is jam-packed with all of the adoption information you could want, plus more! There are more than 400 concise subject entries that range from assisted reproductive technology to open adoption to zero population growth.
[Book Review] Building the Bonds of Attachment
"Before, I'd had a tendency to give in to my daughter, but my concessions were making her more anxious, not less." This mom recommends this book to every adoptive parent.
[Book Review] A Place in My Heart
Mary Grossnickle tells the story of Charlie, a happy-go-lucky chipmunk who loves to gather acorns for his family—of squirrels. As we learn, Charlie was adopted.
[Book Review] A Parent’s Guide to Developmental Delays
In A Parent's Guide to Developmental Delays, Laurie LeComer, M. Ed., offers clear descriptions of cognitive, speech and language, social and emotional, motor, and sensory integration disorders.
[Book Review] Adoption Parenting
Susan Freivalds reviews Adoption Parenting: Creating a Toolbox, Building Connections, a compilation of advice for adoptive parents from over 100 contributors.
AF’s Best Adoption Books
Here at AF, we've searched far and wide, through stacks of books, and into our memories, to pick the best titles for our AF Best Adoption Books list. We've found the best books for our kids, the best adoption memoirs, the best how-to guides—everything to inspire you, inform you, help you talk about adoption with your children, and enjoy.
[Book Review] Ethiopia: A Question and Answer Book
Rita Radositz reviews Ethiopia: A Question and Answer Book, an account of the country's history accessible to all ages.