Mike Berry knows the loneliness and isolation you can easily feel—because he’s been there. He’s still there, and he wants to give you the hope and encouragement you so desperately need.

More than a how-to guide on parenting, this one-of-a-kind book addresses your needs as a parent of an adopted or foster child. You’ll find honesty, empathy, and care on every page, and you’ll discover you are definitely not alone on your journey. Take heart—God is telling an awesome story through you and your family.

About the Author: Mike Berry is an author, blogger, speaker, adoptive father, and former foster parent. He and his wife, Kristin, are co-creators of the award-winning blog confessionsofanadoptiveparent.com, which has more than 100,000 followers monthly and was named number 3 in the Top 100 Foster Blogs on the Planet in 2017 by Feedspot. It was also named one of the Top Adoptive Mom Blogs in 2016. Mike travels extensively throughout the United States every year with a passion to reach overwhelmed foster and adoptive parents with a message of hope and camaraderie. He is the author of several books, including The Adoptive Parent Toolbox and The Weary Parent’s Guide to Escaping Exhaustion. Mike is also a featured writer on Disney’s babble.com and on The Good Men Project. His work has also appeared on Yahoo Parent, Your Tango, Huffington Post, MichaelHyatt.com and Goinswriter.com. Mike and Kristin have been married 18 years and have eight children, all of whom are adopted. They reside in the suburbs of Indianapolis, Indiana.

By the Same Author: The Adoptive Parent Toolbox: Insights and Stories for the Journey (with Kristin Berry; 2016, Lulu.com)

About the Author: Regina M. Kupecky, LSW, has worked in the adoption arena for more than thirty years as an adoption placement worker and therapist. She was named “Adoption Worker of the Year” in 1990 by the Ohio Department of Human Services. She is currently a therapist with Dr. Keck at the Attachment and Bonding Center of Ohio, where she works with children who have attachment disorders. She trains nationally and internationally on adoption issues, sibling issues, and attachment. Ms. Kupecky authored a resource guide, Siblings Are Family Too, which is available through the Three Rivers Adoption Council in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has coauthored a curriculum with Dr. Keck and Arleta James called Abroad and Back: Parenting and International Adoption and has written a curriculum on sibling issues titled My Brother, My Sister: Sibling Relations in Adoption and Foster Care.

Written by two research psychologists specializing in adoption and attachment, The Connected Child will help you:

• Build bonds of affection and trust with your adopted child;

• Effectively deal with learning and behavioral disorders;

• Discipline your child with love without making him feel threatened.

About the Author: Karyn B. Purvis, Ph.D., is director of Texas Christian University’s Institute of Child Development, which hosts the Adoption Project and its Hope Connection® camp.

David R. Cross, Ph.D., is associate director of TCU’s Institute of Child Development and a professor in TCU’s psychology department.

Wndy Lyons Sunshine is an award-winning journalist.

• Is adoption right for me?

• How do I go about adopting a child?

• Will I be accepted for adoption?

• What are the pros and cons of older or disabled children?

• What about interracial or overseas adoptions?

• How to provide the best care for your adopted child.

About the Author: Sarah Biggs is the co-author of The Subfertility Handbook (2003). She has adopted two children herself, and has been involved in numerous support groups.

About the Author: Alan F. Guttmacher is President of the Planned Parenthood Federation, former Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital of New York, and former Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University.

Aquiles J. Sobrero, M.D., is Director of the Margaret Sanger Research Bureau.

Rael Jean Isaac is a teacher, editor, and the author of Adopting a Child Today.

Complier’s Note: See, particularly, Part III: Adopting a Child (pp. 124-166), which consists of the following chapters: The prospects improve; Adopting through a licensed agency; Private or independent adoption; Adopting a child from overseas; Interracial adoption; Foster parenthood; and Raising the adopted child.

During the adoption of her youngest child, this non-Catholic author was miraculously assisted by The Blessed Mother Mary. Eleven years later, she would again experience serendipitous events and the presence of Mother Mary in the painful surrender for adoption of her first grandchild, who was conceived in rape. This book reads like a spiritual mystery as you live through the eyes of this nurse who has been unexpectedly graced by Mother Mary’s presence. The author opens the possibility that each soul is placed by the grace of God. A near-death experience, a past-life regression and a look at the abortion issue are included in this refreshingly honest and easy reading book that is beautifully illustrated by Ruth Hook Colby, an award-winning artist.

About the Author: Barbara Harris lives on the west coast of Florida with her husband, Chip. Together they are the parents of nine children and ten grandchildren.

“Bobbi” has been a registered nurse for more than four decades. She recently earned the coveted certification in holistic nursing. She also was awarded a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, magna cum laude in 1975, and completed holistic studies and certification as a natural health care practitioner and massage therapist in 1992. Her postgraduate studies include diverse courses in transpersonal psychology, counseling and mental health.

Bobbi has organized and served as chairperson of three national nursing conventions: “Exploring the Healing Tides,” “Celebrate the Magic of Touch” and “Reclaiming Your Joy—Creating Holistic Strategies for Healing.”

Guided by the Blessed Mother Mary, her personal and professional life has taken an unexpected turn in the writing of this spiritual book. Bobbi considers this book a culmination of her soul’s work.

Award-winning artist Ruth Höök Colby uses the medium of pastel to express her vision. Her paintings have been featured throughout the United States, including “Pastels USA,” at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center in Carmichael, California; the “45" Artists National” at the Coastal Center for the Arts on St. Simons Island, Georgia; and “For Pastels Only,” on Cape Cod, at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham, Massachusetts. In Florida, her work has been shown at the Park Shore Gallery in Naples, the Venice Art Center in Venice, the Manatee County Cultural Alliance in Bradenton, the State Capitol Building in Tallahassee, and the Sarasota Visual Art Center, the Unity Gallery and New College in Sarasota. Ruth was born in Chicago and has lived on the west coast of Florida with her husband, Bob, for the past twenty years. They have three children and three grandchildren.

— presents possibilities, it can be used by each participant differently.

— adds options, it is not a solution for infertility or pregnancy, but an alternative.

— recognizes the child’s access to ALL family members.

— encourages the chhild’s progressive participation in decisions that affect his/her life.

— extends families, it is a journey into relationships that last a lifetime.

About the Author: Mary Jo Rillera, adoptee and birthparent involved in adoptions that have changed from closed to cooperative; author of The Adoption Searchbook, national speaker and consultant on family separation and continuity; Guardian Trustee International Soundex Reunion Registry; Founder TRIADOPTION Library, Inc., P.O. Box 638, Westminster, CA 92684.

Sharon Kaplan, adoptive parent involved in cooperative adoptions; social worker for twenty-five years working with birth and adoptive families; national lecturer on adoption issues; member of Board of Trustees TRIADOPTION Library, Inc.; Director of Parenting Resources, 250 El Camino Real, Suite 111, Tustin, CA 92680.

When Wall Street Journal reporter Amanda Bennett meets the eccentric, infuriating, yet somehow irresistible Terence Bryan Foley while on assignment in China, the last thing she expects is to marry him. They are so different—classic and bohemian, bow ties and batik, quirky and sensible. But Terence is persistent. “You are going to be somebody,” he tells her. “You’re going to need somebody to take care of you.” Though initially as combative as their courtship, their marriage brings with it stormy passion, deep love and respect, two beloved children, and a life together over two decades. Then comes illness, and the fight to win a longer life for Terence.

The Cost of Hope chronicles the extraordinary measures Amanda and Terence take to preserve not only Terence’s life but also the life of their family. After his death, Bennett uses her skills as a veteran investigative reporter to determine the cost of their mission of hope. What she discovers raises important questions many people face, and vital issues about the intricacies of America’s healthcare system.

Rich in humor, insight, and candor, The Cost of Hope is an unforgettable memoir, an inspiring personal story that sheds light on one of the most important turning points in life.

About the Author: Amanda Bennett is an executive editor at Bloomberg News, directing special projects and investigations, and was the co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board. She formerly served as editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, editor of the Herald-Leader (Lexington, Kentucky), managing editor of The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), and Atlanta bureau chief (among numerous other posts) at The Wall Street Journal. In 1997, Bennett shared the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting with her Journal colleagues, and in 2001 she led an Oregonian team to a Pulitzer for public service. Her previous books include In Memoriam (1997, with Terence B. Foley), The Man Who Stayed Behind (1993, with Sidney Rittenberg), and The Death of the Organization Man (1990).

Compiler’s Note: The couple adopted the younger of their two children, a daughter whom they re-christened “Georgia,” as a three-year-old from Wuhan, China, in 1998.

Could you be my parent? is a book of stories—the stories of children who need a new, permanent family and the stories of people who have welcomed them into their homes. These stories describe, often in people’s own words, what it’s like to want to care for someone else’s child—a child who is vulnerable and often traumatised—and what it’s like when it actually happens. Children also give their view of adoption, and the part it has played in their lives.

For nearly fifteen years, many people, both children and adults, have shared their adoption experiences with the readers of BAAF’s family-finding newspaper, Be My Parent. Now, this enthralling anthology gathers together a selection of these informative, often moving accounts, taken from the newspaper over the last decade, to create a fascinating snapshot of the process of adoption and foster care, and the experiences of the carers and children involved.

This collection is essential reading for adopters, foster carers, social services professionals, and for all those considering adopting a child, or simply interested in adoption and fostering today.

About the Author: Leonie Sturge-Moore was the editor of Be My Parent from 1999 to 2005. Previously, she had worked with families of disabled children and with people affected by cancer, further back, in medical, sociological and architectural research. She is the mother of two birth sons.

About the Author: The birth of this book, much like the birth of their own families, evolved through courage and persistence. Meeting monthly in each other’s basements, the five authors shared their stories over wine and chocolate. They passed tissues, passed their reservations about sharing embarrassing moments, and passed the hour their husbands expected them to be home. These five friends currently live in Wisconsin and dwell in the chaotic yet rewarding world of motherhood.

They were the author’s idols as well. But they were also her parents.

Cheryl Rogers-Barnett practically grew up on the Republic Studios lot where her parents made their great movies. She remembers, as a little girl, rehearsals with the original Sons of the Pioneers. She was aware of Roy and Dale as celebrities—but also saw them as loving parents to a large and very diverse family. She shared their joy when they received honors and fame, and wept with them through the tragic loss of three siblings. Through it all, her parents remained in private what all of their fans believed them to be—honest, straightforward, loving people who lived lives of generosity, adventure, and humor—especially humor.

Cowboy Princess: Life with My Parents, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans tells the story of Cheryl’s beloved parents from a point of view that is uniquely hers. It’s filled with hilarious and touching stories of their relationship with each other and with their children and includes countless behind-the-scenes stories of Roy and Dale’s movies, television appearances, and music. Leavening the warm and illuminating stories and memories are dozens of rare photographs—family snapshots, studio portraits, behind-the-scenes stills—most of which have never been published in a book and many of which have never been published anywhere.

For fans of the King of the Cowboys and the Queen of the West—and for anyone interested in the great performers of yesteryear—this book provides an up close and personal introduction to Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, their family, and the many colorful characters who rode beside them on those happy, happy trails.

About the Author: Cheryl Rogers-Barnett is the eldest daughter of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Together with her husband, Larry, she is the publisher of The Double R Bar Ranch News, the official newsletter of the Roy Rogers Riders Club. She’s also active in the Roy Rogers—Dale Evans Museum and its thriving gift shop—a magnet for cowboy fans of all ages. She lives in Apple Valley, California.

Frank Thompson is coauthor of I Was That Masked Man with Clayton Moore, the author of AMC’s Great Christmas Movies, and the author of more than a dozen other books on film and general history. He also writes for television. Thompson lives in North Hollywood, California.

By the Same Author: Cowboy Princess Rides Again (2015, Riverwood Press).

By the Same Author: Crackhead: New Millennium (2003) and Crackhead: Suffer Little Children (2003), both of which continue to tell the story begun in Crackhead.

The authors, a single mother with two adopted children and a social worker specializing in adoption, have joined forces to create a rich and vital resource to help adoptive families better cope with the day-to-day changes and challenges of life together. Carefully written to reach out to the range of families—two-parent, single-parent, foster-parent, as well as families with gay or lesbian parents and those of multiracial, multi-ethnic, or multicultural origin—the ceremonies presented here cover the spectrum of life-cycle phases, from preadoptive to moving in, from adjustment to reinforcement and beyond.

Among the ceremonies: “Forever Family,” “Getting Ready for a New Person in the Family,” “End of the School Year,” “There Is a Place for Both of Us,” “Rejection and Abandonment,” “Monsters and Nightmares,” “The Day We Met,” “You Are Safe Here.” Used verbatim or customized to address a similar situation or a specific interactive style, the scripts will help family members move toward fresh, energized perspectives. They can be used again and again to provide short-term resolutions to particular problems and to reflect a long-term commitment to the family’s well-being.

An appropriate way to say welcome home—or to say goodbye. A means to express painful feelings. A bridge between differing perspectives. A helping hand to a youngster in trouble. A commitment to hope. Another milestone. For the professionals who work with adoptive families—for the families themselves—Creating Ceremonies extends and enriches the vocabulary of caring.

About the Author: Cheryl A. Lieberman, Ph.D., is a single adoptive parent. Her sons, Eric and Christopher, both from the same birth family, came to live with her when they were seven years old and six years old respectively. They have an open adoption arrangement.

Dr. Lieberman holds a Master’s in Social Work and City Planning and a Ph.D. in Organizational Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is Founder and President of Cornerstone Consulting Group, Cambridge, Mass., which provides strategic performance enhancement and change management services to numerous profit and nonprofit organizations.

Rhea K. Bufferd, LICSW, has been an adoption social worker since 1974, when she joined the Massachusetts Department of Social Service. She went on to work with Cambridge Family and Children’s Service and is currently an adoption consultant to the Adoption Resources Program at Jewish Family and Children’s Service.

Ms. Bufferd earned her MSW at Boston University School of Social Work and did postgraduate work in family therapy at The Institute at Newton, Mass.

Playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy (PACE) are four valuable elements of parenting that, combined with love, can help children to feel confident and secure. This book shows why these elements are so important to a child’s development, and demonstrates to parents and carers how they can incorporate them into their day-to-day parenting. Real life examples and typical dialogues between parents and children illustrate how this can be done in everyday life, and simple stories highlight the ideas behind each element of PACE.

This positive book will help parents and carers understand how parenting with love and PACE is invaluable to a child’s development.

About the Author: Kim S. Golding is a consultant clinical psychologist with a longstanding interest in parenting. She is the author of Nurturing Attachments, published by Jessica Kingsley Publisher.

Daniel A. Hughes is a psychologist who specializes in working with children and young people with trauma/attachment problems and their families. He developed Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, and is the President of the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute, Pennsylvania, USA. He is the author of several books including Building the Bonds of Attachment, 2nd edition.

By the Same Author: Nurturing Attachments: Supporting Children Who Are Fostered or Adopted (2007); Nurturing Attachments Training Resource: Running Parenting Groups for Adoptive Parents and Kinship Carers (2013); and Using Stories to Build Bridges with Traumatized Children: Creative Ideas for Therapy, Life Story Work, Direct Work and Parenting (2014), among others.

Families who adopt children from other countries are faced with myriad questions—from friends, coworkers, family members, classmates, and caretakers alike. If left unanswered, these questions can spawn misunderstanding and hurtful remarks capable of shattering a vulnerable child’s sense of belonging: “She’s not my real cousin! She’s Chinese!”

Drawing from their experiences as adoptive parents of foreign-born children, authors Caryn Abramowitz and Amy Coughlin give us Cross-Cultural Adoption, a unique guidebook to help relatives and friends of adoptive families address important questions before everyone gathers around the dinner table.

Inside, you’ll find:
The Questions Kids Ask

Simple, age-specific answers to eighteen critical questions
Do’s and Don’ts for Adults

Ten eye-opening rules that adoptive families want you to know
Want to Learn About Her Birth Country?

Brief but informative introductions to the top ten countries from which adoption takes place
Resources for Learning More About Adoption

Websites, publications, and organizations providing information about cross-cultural adoption

International adoption rates have increased by more than 300 percent in the last decade alone. Cross-Cultural Adoption responds to this changing face of the American family by providing you accessible answers and information on this often sensitive subject.
■ Learn to talk to your kids about adoption without doing more harm than good
■ Find out how her adoptive parents really feel when you say how “lucky” she is
■ Explore the culture, history, and traditions of her birth country
■ Learn to foster respect and compassion in your community and family with positive adoption language
■ Discover the secrets to making her feel like a regular, happy kid

Written by two adoptive mothers, Cross-Cultural Adoption responds to the changing face of American families by providing accessible and extremely useful information in response to some of the most common—and toughest—questions asked about cross-cultural adoption.

Cross-Cultural Adoption is an invaluable learning tool for anyone whose life is touched by international adoption. Whether you’re a parent or grandparent, a teacher or bus driver, a Little-League coach or Girl Scout Troop leader, you can make a difference. With support and understanding, you can let her know that no matter where she came from, she belongs.

About the Author: Amy Coughlin is an adoptive mom, a lawyer, teacher, and writer. She lives in Center City, Philadelphia with her husband, Rich, and their two daughters, Audrey and Natalie.

Caryn Abramowitz is a freelance writer and editor. She is a lawyer by trade and the author of many legal and other types of articles in a variety of publications. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Andy, and their daughter Chloe Skye.

Compiler’s Note: Chapter 3, “Want to Know More About Her Birth Country?”, includes sections about Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.

About the Author: Nancy McCabe is Associate Professor and director of the writing program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and a faculty member in the brief-residency MFA program in creative writing at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. She is the author two previous books, including the adoption memoir Meeting Sophie (University of Missouri Press). She lives in Bradford, Pennsylvania.

By the Same Author: Meeting Sophie: A Memoir of Adoption (2003).

About the Author: Kelly Kiser-Mostrom is from the heartland of Nebraska and the adoptive mother of four children. She has pursued adoptions for twenty years with agencies, attorneys, facilitators, and the Department of Family Services. The impact of these events in her life has compelled her to share those experiences. Adoption holds a special place in her heart as her husband and other family members are also adoptees.

From a husband and wife who instantly become “Mom and Dad” when they adopt their first child to biological brothers welcoming their new sister, this inspiring collection will touch your heart and pay tribute to the strength of your own family.

About the Author: Colleen Sell has compiled and edited thirty volumes of the Cup of Comfort® book series. A veteran writer and editor, she has authored, ghostwritten, or edited more than a hundred books and served as editor-in-chief of two award-winning magazines. She lives in Eugene, OR.

During the first night, Cathy awoke to see Dawn looming above Cathy’s baby’s cot, her eyes staring and blank. She sleepwalks—which Cathy learns is often a manifestation in disturbed children. It becomes a regular and frightening occurrence, and Cathy is horrified to find Dawn lighting a match whilst mumbling it’s not my fault in her sleep one night. Cathy discovers Dawn is playing truant from school, and struggling to make friends. More worryingly she finds her room empty one night, and her pillow covered in blood. Dawn has been self-harming in order to release the pain of her past. When Dawn attempts suicide, Cathy realises that she needs more help than she can give.

Dawn’s mother eventually confides in her that Dawn was sent away to live with relatives in Ireland between the ages of 5 and 9, and Cathy soon realises that the horrors Dawn was exposed to during this time have left her a very disturbed little girl.

About the Author: Cathy Glass has been a foster carer for over 20 years, during which time she has looked after more than 50 children, of all ages and backgrounds. Cathy runs training courses on fostering for her local Social Services, and helps draft new fostering procedures and guidelines. Cathy has three teenage children of her own; one of whom was adopted after a long-term foster placement.

By the Same Author: Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child (2006); Hidden: Betrayed, Exploited and Forgotten: How One Boy Overcame the Odds (2007); I Miss Mummy: The True Story of a Frightened Young Girl Who is Desperate to Go Home (2009); Saddest Girl in the World: The True Story of a Neglected and Isolated Little Girl Who Just Wanted to Be Loved (2009); The Night the Angels Came (2011); A Baby’s Cry (2012); Another Forgotten Child (2012); Please Don’t Take My Baby (2013); Will You Love Me?: The Story of My Adopted Daughter Lucy (2013); Daddy’s Little Princess (2014); and Saving Danny (2015), among many others.