This page includes a list of adoption books recommended for parents and for kids; a list of books recommended for Black Children; a list of books by African Authors; resources books for selecting an African (Zulu, Xhosa or Ndebele) name for your child; and general parenting references. (Scroll down!!)
Recommended Adoption Books for Parents:
“Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew” by Sherrie Eldridge
“Raising Adopted Children” by Lois Melina
“Post Adoption Blues” by Karen Foli
“Toddler Adoption: The Weaver's Craft” By Mary Hopkins-Best
“Inside TransRacial Adoption” by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall
“Beyond Good Intentions: A Mother Reflects on Raising Internationally Adopted Children” By Cheri Register
"Transracial Adoption and Foster Care:Practical Issues for Profesionals" by Joseph Crumbley
"Black Baby. White Hands: A View from the Crib" by Jaiya John (personal account of Black child raised in a White family)
"In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories" by Rita Simon and Rhonda Roorda
"Outsiders Within: Writings on Transracial Adoption" edited by Jane Jeong Trenka, Julia Chinyere Oparah and Sun Yung Shin (written by transracial adoptees)
Recommended Adoption Books for Kids:
"We Belong Together: Abook about Adoption and Families" by Todd Parr
“On the Day You Were Born” by Debra Frasier
“Did My First Mother Love Me? (A Story for an Adopted Child)” by Kathryn Ann Miller
“Real Sisters” by Susan Wright
“We See the Moon” By Carrie A. Kitze
“Horace” by Holly Keller
“A Mother for Choco” by Keiko Kasza
“Emma's Yucky Brother” by Jean Little (Adoption and sibling rivalry)
“Tell Me Again About The Night I Was Born” by Jamie Lee Curtis
“I Love You Like Crazy Cakes” by Jamie Lee Curtis
“Pugnose Has Two Special Families”
"The Red Blanket" by Eliza Thomas
"Bringing Asha Home" by Uma Krishnaswami
“We Adopted You, Benjamin Koo” by Linda Walvoord Girard
“Never Never Never Will She Stop Loving You” by Jolene Durrant
“Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale” by Karen Katz
“A is for Adopted” by Eileen Tucker Cosby
“Heart of Mine: A Story of Adoption” by Dan and Lotta Hojer
“What is Adoption?” by Sofie Stergianis and Rita McDowall (ideal for non-adopted children)
“Beginnings: How Families Come to Be” by Virginia Kroll
“Lucy’s Family Tree” by Karen Halvorsen Schreck (adoptee deals with the family tree assignment at school in her own unique way)
*For a list of recommended South African Children's Literature please visit the 'South African Resources' page of this web site.*
Recommended Books for Black Children:
“Happy to be Nappy” by bell hooks (great for girls!)
“Skin Again” by bell hooks
“Be Boy Buzz” by bell hooks (great for boys!)
“Brown Like Me” by Noelle Lamperti
“Monsters Are Red, Monsters Are Blue” by Sarah Albee ( Sesame Street)
“We're Different, We're the Same” by Bobbi Jane Kates ( Sesame Street)
“The Black Snowman” by Phil Mendez
“Whoever you Are” by Mem Fox
“Nappy Hair” by Carolivia Herron
“The Skin I'm In” by Pat Thomas (A first look at racism)
“Bright Eyes, Brown Skin” by Cheryl Willis Hudson and Bernette G. Ford
“White Rabbit's Color Book” by Alan Baker
“Bein' with You This Way” by W. Nikola-Lisa
“The Big Box” by Toni Morrison
“A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman” by David A. Adler
“When I look in the Mirror...” by Sopoeia Greywolf
“Amazing Grace” by Mary Hoffman
“All the Colors of the Earth” by Sheila Hamanaka
“Christopher please clean up your room” by Itah Sadu (Canadian, living in
“Little Bill Books” - reading series by Bill Cosby
“The Quilt” by Ann Jonas
“The Snowy Day/Peter's Chair/Pet Show” by Ezra Jack Keats
“The Kids Book of Black Canadian History” by Rosemary Sadlier
“Children Just Like Me: Celebrations” by Anabel Kindersley and Barnabas Kindersley (explores cultural traditions of children around the world)
"Come Be Here Lord: Everyday Prayers for Children" byCheryl Willis Hudson (includes a traditional African prayer, and all photographs of African-American and African Children)
Recommended African Authors:
“Long Walk to Freedom: Autobiography of Nelson Mandela” by Nelson Mandela (South Africa)
“Miriam’s Song” by Mark Mathabane (
"Kaffir Boy" by Mark Mthabane (South Africa)
“She Plays with Darkness” by Zakes Mda (South Africa)
“Madonna of Excelsior” by Zakes Mda (South Africa)
“Ways of Dying” by Zakes Mda (
"Heart of Redness" by Zakes Mda (South Africa)
“Red Dust” by Gillian Slovo (
“Bitter Fruit” by Achmat Dangor (
“Rosa’s District Six” by Rozena Maart (
“Between Two Worlds” by Miriam Tlali (
"Amandla" by Miriam Tlali (South Africa)
"Every Secret Thing: My Family, My Country" by Gillian Slovo (South Africa)
"Red Dust" by Gillian Slovo (South Africa)
"South of the Limpopo: Travels Through Africa" by Dervla Murphy
“Icarus Girl” by Helen Oyeyemi (
“Purple Hibiscus” by Chimandanda Ngozi Adichie (
"Half A Yellow Sun" by Chimandanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
“Links” by Nuruddin Farah (
“Aman: Story of a Somali Girl” by Virginia Lee Barnes (
“Love in the Driest Season” by Neely Tucker (Story about an American couple adopting from
“Zenzele: A Letter to my Daughter” by J. Nozipo Maraire (
“Race Against Time” by Stephen Lewis (
“Shadow of the Sun” by Ryszard Kapuscinski (
"Disgrace" by JM Coetzee (South Africa)
"Fools and Other Stories" by Njabulo Ndebele (South Africa)
"Cry, the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton (South Africa)
African Name Books:
"African Names: Reclaim Your Heritage" by N.A. Samaki (2005)
"Call Me By My Name: More than 2000 Xhosa, Zulu, Swazi and Ndebele Names" by Linidwe Mthembu-Salter
General Parenting Books:
"Caring for Kids: The Complete Canadian Health Guide for Children" by
"Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" By Dr. Marc Weissbluth. This is a good resource to teach parents about sleep cycles and “normal” habits. However, for infants who are adopted and have experienced major transition in caregivers, sleep issues are a typical manifestation of that insecurity and transition trauma, therefore, not all these recommendations are relevant. For instance, when building attachment with a child it is suggested that parents respond quickly in order to build and secure trust. (good idea to read this book before you are sleep deprived!)