Dinosaurs Divorce by Marc Brown

The D Word by Julia Cook

When Mom and Dad Separate by Marge Deegaard

Always, Always by Crescent Dragonwagon

It's Not Your Fault, Koko Bear: A Read-Together Book for Parents and Young Children During Divorce 

by Vicki Lansky

Was It the Chocolate Pudding?: A Story For Little Kids About Divorce by Sandra Levins

Two Homes by Claire Masurel

When My Parents Forgot How to Be Friends (Let's Talk About It!) by Jennifer Moore Mallinos

I Don't Want to Talk About It by Jeanie Franz Ransom

Let's Talk About it: Divorce by Fred Rogers

Mama and Daddy Bear's Divorce by Cornelia Maude Spelman

My Family's Changing by Pat Thomas

What in the World Do You Do When Your Parents Divorce by Kent Winchester

When Mom and Dad Divorce by Emily Menendez-Aponte

Mom and Dad Break Up by Joan Singleton Prestine

Adoption

All About Me by Lynn Burwash

My Family is Forever by Nacy Carlson

Lily by Kerri Campbell

(Specific to China.  Account of a child meeting her family and coming home.)

How I Was Adopted by Joanna Cole  

Tell Me Again About the Day I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis

    (Not specifically for adoption but good for domestic, newborn adoption)

I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Jane Dyer

(Chinese adoption book “classic”.  Sweet story)

Forever Fingerprints  by Sherrie Eldridge   (Touches on issues that are hard for children to bring up such as

    feelings about birth family)

 You’re Not My Real Mother by Molly Friedrich 

A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza 

Celebrates transracial adoptive families through a bird, a bear an alligator and a pig.  Good for all adoptive families –especially transracial ones and ones with boys.

Over the Moon:  An Adoption Tale by Karen Katz

    Great for a beginning conversation

I Don’t’ Have Your Eyes by Carrie Kitze

Simple text.  Great book for children who look physically different than their families – bio or adoptive. Celebrates all kinds of differences not just Asian. 

The Day We Met You by Phoebe Koehler

Simple language. Tell story of a family hearing they have a child and then meeting that child (a baby) for the first time.   Neutral for different types of adoptions.

My Adopted Child,There’s No One Like You by Kevin Leman

Orange Peel’s Pockets by Rose Lewis

Sweet illustrations and great story about a girl adopted from China. She wants to tell her class about China but doesn’t know much about where she is from.  She gathers little trinkets that can help her teach her classmates about China.   Great if you child is struggling to explain their birth place and also a nice way to start gathering your own treasures about where you are from.

Why Was I Adopted by Carole Livingston

Picture book that deals with some of the questions children ask most frequently about adoption.  Answers are designed to reinforce feelings of love and self-esteem.

All About Adoption: How Families are made and how kids feel about it

By Marc Nemiroff

(Also great for older kids going through adoption)

We Belong Together by Todd Parr

Simple drawings and language. All pages start with “We belong together”  Nice message that works for all sorts of adoptive families.

I Wished for You: An Adoption Story by Marianne Richard

Let’s Talk About Adoption by Fred Rogers

Great content and talks about what family is, what adoption is and feelings a child may have.  Great message.  Family means belonging.  Encourages children to talk with their parents about their happy and sad feelings about being adopted. (FYI: Very Outdated Photos – but still worth reading!!)

Star of the Week: A Story of Love, Adoption and Brownies with Sprinkles

By Darlene Friedman and Roger Roth

Deals with birth parent questions and feelings  -  Helps get discussion going on these topics.

What is Adoption? Helping Non-Adopted Children Understand Adoption bySofie Stergianis

A Family for Eve by Kristan Struck

Story helps introduce conversations in age appropriate ways about birthparents and the loss that surrounds adoption.

ABC, Adoption and Me by Gayle Swift

My Parents Picked Me: A First Look at Adoption  by Pat Thomas

Chinese Eyes by Marjorie Ann Waybill

An adopted Korean girls gets a lesson on how unimportant it is that some people think she is different.

Rosie’s Family by Lori Rosove

    Great for kids who have questions but don’t know how to express them

Sisters by

Story about an international adoption of an older girl.  Simple language, cute pictures and touches on both girls fears and adjustments and in the end, they argue and make up just as sisters do. 

Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Story About Interracial Adoption by Andrea Nepa

This beautiful story subtly conveys the story of adoption and allows the freedom to talk about how your child “landed in the perfect spot” and what a joy if has been to watch your child grow and the blessing he/she is to your family.

RESOURCE FOR PARENTS:

Talking with Young Children about Adoption by Mary Watkins

Foster Care 

Elfa and the Box of Memories by Michelle Bell

    Helps to navigate memories both good and bad. Provides an excellent opportunity to talk to children            about releasing burdens and the freedom we can experience in that release. 

Murphy's Three Homes: A Story for Children in Foster Care by Jan Levinson Gilman

I’d Rather Be With a Real Mom Who Loves Me by Michael Gordon

The Visit by S. Latisha Herbert

I Miss My Foster Parents by Stefon Herbert

    A boy and his sister love their foster parents.  When they learn they are going to be adopted they are        upset and frightened.  After the move they begin to like their new parents and home.  They still miss            their foster parents and hope they will be able to visit them someday.

What’s a Foster Family Anyway?  by Martine Golden Inlay

My Foster Family:  A Story of Entering Foster Care by Jennifer Levine

Little Flower: A Journey of Caring by Laura McAndrew

Zachary’s New Home:  A Story for Foster and Adopted Children by Geraldine Molettiere

About a kitten who is adopted and finds the adjustment difficult.

Kids Need to Be Safe: A Book for Children in Foster Care (Kids are Important) by Julie Nelson

Familes Change: A Book for Children Experiencing Termination of Parental Rights by Julie Nelson

Maybe Days: A Book for Children in Foster Care  by Julie Wilgocki