The Rainbow Egg by Linda Hendricks (ages 5-10) – Hope the chicken lives in the woods, but when she lays an egg and has no nest for it, she realizes she must find a nest for her egg. Her search leads her to the Rainbows who want an egg desperately, but cannot lay an egg no matter how they try. A nice look at adoption from the first parent’s perspective and a good way to start a discussion about why birth parents might choose to place a child for adoption.

Sam’s Sister by Juliet Bond (ages 3-7) – This is the only book I’ve found written specifically for birth siblings of adopted children. Rosa’s mama is pregnant, but she can’t keep the baby. Instead, she’s arranging an open adoption. Sam’s Sister follows Rosa as she navigates her mother’s grief, meets the family who will adopt her baby brother, and learns ways to cope with her own feelings of loss. Eventually, Rosa learns that even though she won’t live with her brother, she will always be Sam’s sister.

The Mulberry Bird by Anne Braff Brodzinsky (ages 6-10) – Mother Bird is looking after her baby bird in the forest, when a huge storm scatters her nest. Try as she might, she just can’t give him the protection he needs. She faces a choice: continue to struggle on her own, or give her precious baby bird to another family who can care for him in their strong, secure nest. In this classic adoption picture book for children, common issues in adoption are addressed―from the enduring force of a birth parent’s love and contact post-adoption to the importance of nurturing an adopted child in his or her new environment. I found that none of my kids would voluntarily read The Mulberry Bird by themselves, but I used it as a read aloud when they were about 8 to stimulate discussion. I had varying degrees of luck with discussion, depending on the kid.

W.I.S.E. Up! Powerbook (ages 6-16) – Created by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE) in 2009, the W.I.S.E. Up Powerbook is designed to help adopted children and children in foster care learn how to confidently handle their story and answer questions from others on their own terms. The book presents realistic situations that adopted and foster kids are likely to encounter, and guides parents and kids through different approaches to answering. Organized around the acrostic W.I.S.E., kids learn that they can Walk away, reply that It’s private, choose to Share something, or Educate others. I used this as a discussion starter to be read to my kids when they were in early to mid elementary school and then left is where they could access it when they were older.

Let’s Talk About It: Adoption by Fred Rogers (ages 4-8) – An oldie but a goodie. You can always count on Mr. Rogers, who had an adopted brother, to deliver a sensitive and calming introduction to any topic. This book opens the door for adopted children and their parents to safely talk about their good and sometimes not-so-good feelings in a book about the joy of belonging and the love that unites families. It applies to all forms of adoption. Dated and can be difficult to get a copy, but a wonderfully supportive text.

So, You’ve Adopted a Sibling by Holly Marlow (ages 4-8) –This book is a companion to Marlow’s Adopting a Little Brother or Sister and is keyed into the post-adoption experience of a resident child who has helped parents welcome home a new sibling by adoption. It explores the good and not-so-good feelings of change and helps kids normalize the emotions they may feel during the transition. Can be read alone, or as part of the series.

Suddenly Siblings: Adventures in Fostering and Adoption by Gail and Molly Heaton (ages 5-12) – This workbook of 25 lessons will help you prepare your children for the impacts of adopting or fostering a new sibling. There are practical, easy-to-implement tools to help your kids overcome the challenges common to siblings of kids from traumatic backgrounds and at the same time, strengthen your parent-child connection. The topics include: preventing sibling overwhelm, getting help when feeling overwhelmed, reducing conflict, improving communication skills, and coping with the stress or anxiety they might feel. There is an activity with each mini-lesson so you can work through the book at your own pace.

Adopting a Little Brother or Sister by Holly Marlow (ages 4-8) – Written and illustrated from the perspective of a 5 year old who is waiting to become a big sister. Big sister shares her suggestions for other kids also going through the process of adoption from foster care. Topics include visits with social workers, meeting a new foster child, and even some of the challenges a young child might experience with the adoption or foster process (like how long it feels like it takes). There are also points that big sisters or brothers might find fun about adopting or fostering, like a new sibling being old enough to play together. Charming preparation for siblings already in the home.