For two years, my husband and I were foster parents. Sadly, we recently closed our home though. At some point, I may go into all the reasons behind that decision. But I’m not quite ready to yet. For now, I’ll just say that it’s a very broken system. I know life isn’t fair but these poor kiddos are getting the short end of the deal at every turn. There needs to be change.
Six months into our fostering journey, I wrote this post about What To Expect When Expecting That Call. So that’s a great place to start. However, I also compiled a list of books that I’ve read or that have been suggested to me. I wish I had taken the time to get some of these in before we started our journey. I think they could have been a big help along the way. So that’s why I’m sharing with you today!
Books To Read If You’re Considering Fostering Or Adopting
- Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
- Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
- Three More Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
- Another Place At The Table by Kathy Harrison
- Instant Mom by Nia Vardalos
- Foster Care Survival Guide by Dr. John DeGarmo
- The Connected Child by Karyn B. Purvis, Wendy Lyons Sunshine, David R. Cross
- Reframing Foster Care by Jason Johnson
- Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
- Born From The Heart by Berta Serrano, Alfonso Serrano
- It’s So Much Work to Be Your Friend: Helping the Child with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success by Richard Lavoie and Michele Reiner
- A Long Way From Home by Cathy Glass
- Where Has Mommy Gone?: When There Is Nothing Left But Memories by Cathy Glass
- Listen To The Child by Elizabeth Howard
- Maybe Days: A Book For Children In Foster Care by Jennifer Wilgocki
- Confessions of an Adoptive Parent: Hope and Help from the Trenches of Foster Care and Adoption by Mike Berry
- Love Me, Feed Me by Katja Rowell M.D.
- Faith to Foster: An All-American Story of Loving the Least of These by T.J. Menn
- A Child Called It: One Child’s Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer
- The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris M.D.
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
- Somebody Else’s Children: The Courts, The Kids, and The Struggle to Save America’s Troubled Families by Jill Wolfson
- Murphy’s Three Homes: A Story for Children in Foster Care by Jan Levinson Gilman
- Etched in Sand: A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island by Regina Calcaterra
- Rich in Love: When God Rescues Messy People by
- To the End of June: The Intimate Life of American Foster Care by Cris Beam
Did I miss any of your favorites? If you know any other great books for foster or adoptive parents, let us know in the comments.
I’m a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. I’m blessed beyond measure and can’t wait to see what God has in store.
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This post currently has 4 responses.
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Alice F.
I feel the sadness in your words Miranda. Glad bless all the Foster Parents!
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Sarah L
I tend to read as much as I can before jumping into anything. This looks like a great list of books.
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Sheila Strunk
A Child’s Journey Through Placement
We have so many broken systems in this country. Shame. My niece has been a foster mother for 2 years and shares her story. The children that have been in her care are lucky. She truly cares for them. But I’m sure it will take its toll on her. And the poor children are not #1 in the system’s decisions.