Books for You and Your Littles

I have tried to sort the resources below by topic, culture, or need. This is certainly not a comprehensive list, but these are the books and resources that have impacted us most dramatically. Most, if not all, of the children’s books below can be found on YouTube if you want to check them out before buying.

If there was one book I would implore you to read, not just as a parent, but as someone looking to better our world, Uniquely Human tops my list. If you love someone with special needs, work with someone with special needs, or just want to be a better human, 10 out of 10, we would recommend that book for you.

You may notice that we don’t yet have a lot of adult books on racism or racial reconciliation on our list. We have recently ordered a bunch that have been recommended to us over the past few weeks, and we will add them once we get through them.

If you have any recommendations, please send them our way at hello@forgideon.com, particularly if you have children’s books featuring characters with different abilities you’d like to recommend!

Happy reading!

(And we should probably note the links below are all affiliate links. You pay the same price you would from any other link or search on Amazon, but Amazon gives us like 10 cents for sending you their way.)

BOOKS FOR THE PARENTS

For parents just starting the adoption journey, I recommend reading all of those listed in the first two sections.

Parenting and Trauma

• The Connected Child – Karyn Purvis https://amzn.to/2AQ3269
• Power of Showing Up – Dan Siegel https://amzn.to/3bTh3wL
• Whole Brain Child – Dan Siegel https://amzn.to/3e4ciSv
• No Drama Discipline – Dan Siegel https://amzn.to/36lpVtQ
• Wounded Children, Healing Homes – Jayne Schooler https://amzn.to/3bYGEo9

Prospective Families

• Before You Adopt: A Guide to The Questions You Should Be Asking workbook – Christa Jordan https://amzn.to/36kwKM9

Specific Needs + Special Needs

• Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism – Barry Prizant https://amzn.to/2TeAytg
• Love Me, Feed Me: The Adoptive Parent’s Guide to Ending the Worry About Weight, Picky Eating, Power Struggles and More – Katja Rowell https://amzn.to/313GedU
• Scoot Over and Make Some Room: Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs – Heather Avis https://amzn.to/31V1l1b

Transracial Families + Racial Reconciliation

• Human(Kind): How Reclaiming Human Worth and Embracing Radical Kindness Will Bring Us Back Together – Ashlee Eiland https://amzn.to/2E35VC9

Lifebooks

• Before You Were Mine – Carissa R. Woodwyk https://amzn.to/36jueG1

Memoirs (Adoptive Families)

• Through Adopted Hearts: A Collection of Memoirs from Birth and Adoptive Parents – Elena Hall https://amzn.to/3iPcJlM
• The Lucky Few – Heather Avis https://amzn.to/2WQDRcd
• Moving Mountains – Christa Jordan https://amzn.to/3bPvaTO

Memoirs (Adoptees)

• Through Adopted Eyes: A Collection of Memoirs from Adoptees – Elena Hall https://amzn.to/2CANsMY
• All You Can Ever Know – Nicole Chung https://amzn.to/2LJPNWS

Other Resources

• Yes I’m Adopted, Don’t Make It Weird (Facebook, YouTube, or http://yesimadopted.com)
• Therapy Redeemed (Facebook, Instagram, https://therapyredeemed.wordpress.com/)
• Christa Jordan at Spoonful of Jordan (Instagram, Blog, https://spoonfulofjordan.com/)
• Elena Hall at Through Adopted Eyes (Instagram, Facebook)

BOOKS FOR THE LITTLES

*Asterisks indicate favorites in our home

Children’s Books about Adoption

• *You Weren’t With Me – Chandra Ghosh Ippen https://amzn.to/3dIyj9u
• A Mother for Chaco – Keiko Kasza https://amzn.to/375Lw9Y
• Goyangi Means Cat – Christine McDonnell https://amzn.to/2APOzqD

Children’s Books about Inclusion + Celebrating Differences

• *Gary’s Gigantic Dream – Dr. Nicole Julia https://amzn.to/3qChwM7
• *Lia’s Kind Mind – Dr. Nicole Julia https://amzn.to/33SzZud
• *The Day You Begin – Jacqueline Woodson (includes Korean character) https://amzn.to/3eYMHLe
• *Same Same But Different – Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw https://amzn.to/2Mzdl0O
• *Daniel’s New Friend (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) – Becky Friedman https://amzn.to/2PUM36U
• We’re Different We’re the Same – Sesame Street – Bobbi Kates https://amzn.to/30fw6yp
• God’s Very Good Idea – Trillia Newbell https://amzn.to/3eWAGFX

Children’s Books about Characters with Disabilities

• The Girl Who Thought in Pictures – Julia Finley Mosca https://amzn.to/2MyzhZZ

Children’s Books Featuring Characters of Different Colors, Cultures, or Abilities

• *When God Made You – Matthew Paul Turner https://amzn.to/2XBZbCG
• *The Paperboy – Dav Pilkey https://amzn.to/2YmFVbB
• *Daniel’s New Friend (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) – Becky Friedman https://amzn.to/2PUM36U
• *Hair Love – Matthew A Cherry https://amzn.to/39TvG5J
• The Colors of Us – Karen Katz https://amzn.to/3mUkNUO
• Be Kind – Pat Ziehow Miller https://amzn.to/3h1LhBq
• Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History – Vashti Harrison https://amzn.to/31WFaaX

Children’s Books with Asian Culture/Characters

• *Bee-Bim Bop – Linda Sue Park (Korean) https://amzn.to/2AIXEl9
• *Same Same But Different – Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (Indian) https://amzn.to/2Mzdl0O
• *Round is a Mooncake.- Roseanne Thong (Chinese/Taiwanese) https://amzn.to/2BzE1fK
• *Mela and the Elephant – Dow Phumiruk (Thai) https://amzn.to/3cGMFWA
• Juna’s Jar – Jane Bahk (Korean) https://amzn.to/2APOV0r
• Goyangi Means Cat – Christine McDonnell (Korean) https://amzn.to/2APOzqD
• Dim Sum for Everyone – Grace Lin (Chinese) https://amzn.to/2Y6TTy6