Last year, we started out our local library to investigate their selection of adoption related books. They even hunted down some additional books we could borrow through the interlibrary loan system. They were very gracious, and we appreciate them so much. We learned about the process of adoption mostly through reputable websites and from adoption social workers. Most of the books we’ve read thus far have mostly been repetitive, but there is always something to learn from each resource.
One of our favorite books has been Secrets of the Successful Domestic Adoption by Jennifer Joyce Pedley. She has a unique perspective of adoption, because she is both a birth mother and a social worker. Pedley’s book walks through the basic steps of the adoption process, offers suggestions on how go about the process of matching with an expectant mother, recounts personal experiences with adoption, and discusses the more convoluted emotions of adoption. She offers very poignant statements about adoption including, “Adoption is bittersweet. Mixed emotions. One persons joy is another’s pain.” Pedley definitely captures the emotions we imagine ourselves feeling when we first see our child.
We’d recommend this book to anyone pursuing adoption or those interested in a detailed description of the process.
What books should we add to our reading list? Adoption related or not…Any suggestions?
Recipe for Family 