Adoption Books

Two adoptive parents answer the sensitive questions that arise when families adopt cross-culturally.

Cross-cultural adoption by American families has skyrocketed—nearly 22,000 children are adopted internationally each year, according to U.S. State Department figures. Whether these children are from China, Russia, or Guatemala, 1.6 million of our country’s adopted children are born outside the U.S. As a result, thousands of adoptive families are faced with providing a sense of belonging for their new child while dealing with a myriad of inquires from curious friends, co-workers, family members, and caretakers alike.

Drawing from their own experiences, Amy Coughlin and Caryn Abramowitz, both adoptive mothers, provide pointed, sensitive guidelines for relatives and friends of adoptive families that address common questions before everyone gathers around the dinner table. Their new book, CROSS-CULTURAL ADOPTION: How to Answer Questions from Friends, Family, and Community (LifeLine Press), puts the power of information where kids need it most—with their parents and caregivers. This insightful book is a tool to help adults and children foster the respect and compassion that cross-cultural adoptees so rightly deserve by providing simple answers to such complex questions as “Who are his real parents?” and “Why didn’t her real mommy want her?” CROSS-CULTURAL ADOPTION reinforces the notion that families formed by adoption are no different from and just as loving as families formed by birth.

CROSS-CULTURAL ADOPTION provides must-know information in three distinct sections:

* The Questions Kids Ask—Positive, kid-friendly adoption language in a question-and-answer format, with age-appropriate answers for toddlers to teens.
* Do’s and Don’ts for Grown-Ups—Eye-opening tips for adults.
* Want to Know More about Her Birth Country?—Cultural, political, and geographic “snapshots” of the top ten countries from which children are adopted by American families.

Amy Coughlin and Caryn Abramowitz, both lawyers, writers, and adoptive parents, live in Philadelphia with their families. Amy and her husband are parents of two daughters from China. Caryn and her husband recently returned from China with a baby girl.