From the Publisher: Each adoption is a unique event for the people who are personally involved, or for those who feel connected to the parents-to-be. The adoption period takes you to a new world and can wear you down emotionally if you are not prepared for what can be expected. It is not the regular pregnancy with which some people like to compare it. It is a pregnancy between cold bureaucracy on one side and the daily feelings of vulnerable tenderness on the other.

Many books have been written about the ins and outs of pregnancies. But there was never a book to prepare oneself for that very special time we call adoption. Geeri Bakker takes you there with her positive attitude and her sense of humour. She takes you along the unpredictable, uncomfortable and sometimes seemingly endless path that is the adoption procedure. The Adoption Handbook teaches adoptive parents-to-be how to face stress in its many appearances during the sometimes dark and winding road that leads to their adoptive child.

To illustrate the book, Geeri Bakker shares her own story of the procedures that she and her husband endured when adopting their two children. It is not the (Dutch) procedure that makes this story so touching and at times breathtaking. It is the way that stress burrows into hearts that desperately wish to adopt a child; something that anyone going through an adoption procedure will recognize. The Adoption Handbook helps adoptive parents acknowledge their feelings of stress during their long-term “pregnancy” and deal with them: facing the main goal, and feeling energetically able, both physically and mentally, to “conceive” their child when the time is right.

It is only normal that pregnant couples gather information to prepare themselves. So now it is time that adoptive parents prepare themselves, as well. For the well-being of this special child, given to you to have, hold, love, cherish, and to let it grow and grow up in your family.

---

About the Author: Geeri Bakker made her debut in 2005 with Het Adoptieboek, in which she used her own experiences as an adoptive mother to help others. Her versatility is represented by her work. She has published eleven titles to date.

In 2011 she started the exciting and educational children’s book series featuring Mette, the adopted daughter of flight attendant Josje, the main character in WIT. Mette and Jort on winter sports is the latest installment in this series.

Besides writing books Bakker is a columnist, flight attendant, and foot reflexologist.

I am writing this book to help alleviate some of the stress and concern that arises because of the adoption homestudy process. There are a number of “horror stories” out there, in rumor and on the Internet, that help exacerbate the stress and fear of having a homestudy completed. Yet, homestudies do not have to be that stressful. After helping hundreds of families complete their adoption homestudy and addressing the concerns and fears these families have shared before, during and after the process, I have come to the conclusion that a resource was needed that put the adoption homestudy in perspective. While I cannot say this information will alleviate all the stress related to the homestudy, I am confident that this information will make the homestudy less of a monster, less of something to be feared.

Adoption in India 101: Everything You Need To Know To Adopt A Child From India! is a user-friendly, detailed guide for parents and individuals who are hoping to adopt a child internationally. This complete report is designed for couples who can’t have children, as well as families who are hoping to give a child in need a loving, stable home. The report will also cover specific guidelines for single women who are interested in adopting a child from India. Adoption in India 101 has been compiled from extensive research based on the laws, rules, and regulations that govern adopting a child from India. You will find everything that you need to know within this all-inclusive guide, like basic adoption rules in India, how to qualify to adopt a child from India, and the state of the adoption market in India today.

From the Publisher: Navigating the complex U.S. system of adoption is no easy feat. Don’t go it alone! Educate yourself with this invaluable guide. This is the only comprehensive book that includes information on both the medical and health aspects of adoption and the different laws and procedures regarding adoption for each state. The authors provide a consolidated picture of the regulations for intercountry adoptions in addition to those for adoption from public foster care and domestic infant adoption. This book is a must read prospective parents, adoption professionals, educators, and students.

---

About the Author: Martha J. Henry, M.A., Ph.D., is director of the Center for Adoption Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Her background in developmental psychology informs her work creating adoption and foster care curricula and training sessions for medical, social service, and educational professionals, as well as for families. She has developed seminars for medical students regarding health care practice that includes considerations for adoption and foster care. Her research focuses on permanency solutions for children needing families.

Daniel Pollack, M.S.W., J.D., is professor of social work at Yeshiva University and senior fellow at the Center for Adoption Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has held positions at the Ohio Department of Human Services, Maryland Social Services Administration, and has been the executive assistant to Ohio’s governor. He is an executive committee member for the World Initiative for Orphans and a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), as well as the Family Court Reform Coalition. He is an honorary fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and has published extensively.

From the Back Cover: A child is coming—whether you approve or not! It’s time to get with the program!

If someone you care about—a family member, co-worker, or close friend—has recently announced that their family will be growing through adoption, you may have questions. After all, beyond what you’ve read in the paper or seen on television (most of which is so atypical that it paints a frightening picture), unless you’ve personally experienced adoption, you may know very little about how adoption works and what it means.

Are you thinking this might not be a good idea? Are you wondering about open adoption in the face of stories you’ve heard? Are you questioning the legality and permanence of adoption after reading about those “Internet twins,” Baby Jessica, and Baby Richard? What does it mean to “search?” Just what are the privacy boundaries that families built by adoption should expect from those around them? What is it okay to ask about?

Adoption Is a Family Affair! will answer all of these questions and more, offering you information about who can adopt, why they consider adopting, how they adopt, how kids understand adoption as they grow up, and more. As its subtitle makes clear, this short book is crammed full of “what relatives and friends must know” in order to welcome a new member of the clan with enthusiasm.

---

About the Author: Patricia Irwin (Pat) Johnston is the wife and sister-in-law of adopted people and the mom, through adoption, to three young adults, who in 2001 (the year of this book’s publication) will be 17, 20 and 26.

She has been a prodigious award-winning volunteer within the infertility and adoption communities for over 25 years, serving on the boards of directors of several influential organizations. Currently she moderates discussion boards for Adopt: Assistance, Information Support and for INCIID and is a national advisor to INCIID and to Pact: An Adoption Alliance and to the new magazine Fostering Families Today.

Pat has written several books, including Taking Charge of Infertility, Understanding Infertility: Insights for Family and Friends, Adopting after Infertility, and Launching a Baby’s Adoption, and her articles appear frequently in niche newsletters and magazines.

With a son grown and on his on and a daughter half way through college, Pat lives in Indianapolis in a rapidly emptying nest with her husband, her mom, and one nearly grown daughter. She’s looking forward to grandparenting—by birth or by adoption.

Quotes from adoptive parents and adopted children like Jesse Jackson, Nicole Kidman, and others illustrate beyond a doubt that adoption is love. Attached is a silver-plated heart charm that can be used as a bookmark or on a bracelet.

There are many people in our congregations who live with the complex impact of adoption. The author believes that the Christian community is particularly well placed to support and care for them. However, if Christians are to offer good pastoral care through the companionship of those who are ready to share both tears and laughter, they need to be well informed about the reality of the adoptive experience—from each corner of the adoption triangle. In addition, Christians who consider adopting will want and need to address the question of whether God may be calling them to become the parents of children who would otherwise not have a family. This booklet addresses the need for accurate information about the adoptive experience through the stories of the different people involved in the adoption triangle and by reference to research findings. It explores whether becoming a parent by adoption may be a God-inspired calling and what theological themes may help us understand and be resourced for the task and it offers a challenge to Christian communities to be places of support and encouragement for those who undertake it.

From the Back Cover: Adoption doesn’t end when the papers are signed, not for the birth mother, not for the adoptive mother and not for the adopted child. It is a decision with consequences that last a lifetime.

---

About the Author: USA Today best-selling author Rhonda Pollero has penned more than 40 novels, including the Finley Tanner Mystery series; receiving numerous Reviewer’s Choice Awards and two Career Achievement Awards. Pollero contributed a non-fiction essay to Special Gifts: Women Writers on the Happiness and Heartbreak of Raising a Special Needs Child and has written several articles on grief following the loss of a child. She has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Traci Hall sold the first of four Young Adult novels in 2005. Her new paranormal historical trilogy was released from Medallion Press in 2008. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, and is currently the president of Florida Romance Writers. Her diverse career has included being a florist, wedding consultant, and a paraprofessional in elementary school working with special needs children.

From the Dust Jacket: Adoption Journeys chronicles eleven stories of adoptive parents—from married couples struggling with infertility, to single women, a gay couple, and foster parents—all of them helping to reshape what “family” means today.

Yearning parents follow varied paths to their adopted children: through U.S. adoption, through orphanages abroad, through foster care. But the search often presents thorny questions—from practical to philosophical—about race, money, power, prejudice, and social class. From many angles, would-be parents are scrutinized closely and judged, sometimes arbitrarily. Adoption Journeys intimately explores these complexities.

Poignant stories reveal the difficult but somehow always miraculous odysseys undertaken by adoptive parents, celebrate adoptive families, and dislodge lingering prejudices about adoption. Adoptees who read this uplifting book will understand the wrenching experiences of adoptive parents. Those considering adoption will be encouraged to begin their own journeys.

Countless families are touched directly or indirectly by adoption, but every reader will rejoice in the Adoption Journeys chronicled in this extraordinary book.

---

About the Author: In 1988, Carole S. Turner became the mother of a baby girl adopted from Thailand. Her empathy with the parents she interviewed for this book has yielded intimate portraits of men and women struggling with the momentous decision to adopt a child and traces the poignant journeys they take to that goal.

The softer side of the abortion debate ... In contrast to the front line war of words that emanate with most protest views, Doris takes us behind the scenes into real life drama. The stories contained in this book will make you smile, cry, and find a place in your heart for hurting people that are usually blurred out of the media headlines. As a Pastor, I appreciate the caring way she approaches the issues and the caring hands that she reaches out with to touch hurting hearts. — Pastor Rudy Bond, New Life Worship Center, Tyler, TX

Doris has gathered a treasury of hope and joy surrounding the adoption process, including Scriptural encouragement and honesty about the fears and challenges involved. This book is a testament to the hand of God with even the least of these. — Sara Maynard, a Texas attorney specializing in representing children

Adoption Joys: They Expected a Miracle explains God’s plan for unplanned pregnancies through moving testimonies of families who have experienced the joy of adoption. As the mother of two adopted children and one adopted grandson, I found myself rejoicing with the families through their stories. This book will be an effective tool to encourage couples to consider adopting children to complete their family. Birth parents will also understand the joy their baby will bring to the adoptive couple; and, perhaps, cause them to consider releasing their baby for adoption. God patterned adoption by adopting us into His family through His Son Jesus Christ. May this book challenge birth and adoptive parents to allow children to experience God’s unconditional love through the gift of adoption. — Judith E. Shalllcross, Retired Christian School principal

From Reference Books Bulletin: This annotated bibliography provides an extensive list of literature on adoption issues for youth. Complementing Lois Ruskai Melina’s work, Adoption: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide, which lists mostly books for adults, this volume is arranged by age level and includes newer and broader-based titles. Lengthy annotations reveal each book’s strengths and weaknesses. Books address topics like age of arrival, sibling adoptions, single-parent and foster-parent adoption, step families, transracial and inter-country adoption, minority families, special needs, surrogacy, and other adoption-related situations. To compile the bibliography, the editor consulted standard selection aids, adoption agencies, databases, and interested professionals. Both in-print and out-of-print items are included. The 500 titles are arranged in four major sections: “Preschool and Primary Readers,” “Intermediate Readers,” “Junior High Readers,” and “High School Readers.” Titles seem appropriate to the levels, although librarians should consult bordering sections to incorporate those titles that appeal to a wider readership. Entries vary from five to twenty lines and include full bibliographic citations. Content is summarized, and critical comments about applicability and bias make the annotations most useful. Appendix A lists significant adult titles, usually professional, to guide librarians. Appendix B provides names and addresses of adoption-related organizations. Three indexes follow: author and illustrator, title, and subject. Some cross-references are provided. With its wide coverage, critical comments, and varied access points, this bibliography should be useful in most youth-related libraries. About the Author: Susan G. Miles, Reference Librarian and Associate Professor at Central Michigan University, is a parent of eight adopted children.

Always wanted to adopt a kid, but super-confused about the entire process and don’t know where to start? Fret not! Discover how to sail through the entire adoption process and find out how it really works! At last! You have the ultimate guide to make your adoption an event that you would not regret! Don’t waste your time and money trying to muddle through the adoption process... instead, walk in completely prepared and be in control of the entire situation!

From the Dust Jacket: Adoption, once a clandestine process shrouded in shame, is rapidly metamorphosing into a radically new process that is both sweeping the nation and changing it. It is accelerating our transformation into a more multicultural and multiethnic society, even as it helps redefine our understanding of “family.” Adoption is also a highly visible example of a social institution that has benefited from and been reshaped by both the Internet and the exponential growth of alternative lifestyles, from single to transracial to gay. But negative stereotypes still remain, and new problems—mostly stemming from the corrosive influence of money—are becoming pervasive.

In Adoption Nation, Adam Pertman, an award-winning journalist and adoptive father, provides valuable insights into the pleasures and perils of adoption. He shows how it now affects almost all our lives, whether we realize it or not. And he lays out the ways in which policymakers should revise our laws to improve the process of adoption, stop treating members of the “adoption triad” as second-class citizens, and remove the obstacles that keep the children who most need permanent homes from getting them.

Filled with up-to-the-minute information and a wealth of dramatic real-life stories, Adoption Nation is essential reading for adoptive families, for anyone contemplating adopting a child, and for the more than 22 million Americans who are touched by or curious about this extraordinary cultural transformation.

---

About the Author: Adam Pertman reports on family and children’s issues for the Boston Globe. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his work on adoption and has been awarded the Century Foundation’s Leonard Silk Journalism Fellowship for Adoption Nation. He and his wife, Judy Baumwoll, live with their two adopted children in Newton, Massachusetts.

From the Publisher: A revised version of Adam Pertman’s groundbreaking book, with new essays and updated information on key issues. The updated edition coincides with the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Dog), and it contains new material highlighting the experiences and contributions of a rapidly growing community of families across the United States; indeed, as this book is released, the 50,000th child is being adopted from China into an American family. This remarkable community has been especially active in integrating Chinese culture into family life and has actively sought—based on the experiences of earlier Asian adoptees—to learn what aspects of parenting in a transracial family were successful, and where greater sensitivity and different approaches were needed. Because of its activism, visibility and sheer size, our community has played a major role in the revolutionary transformation of adoption in the United States during the past decade.

From the Back Cover: Do you desire to start a support network for those in your church and community whose lives are impacted by adoption?

In The Adoption Network, Laura Christianson, founder and director of Seattle-based Heartbeat Ministries, walks you through the basics of planning and launching a support system for adoptive families, foster families, birth parents, or adoptees. You’ll learn how to:

• Develop a mission statement

• Plan a budget

• Recruit leadership

• Reach out to the community

• Create workshops, support groups, social events, mentoring programs, and more

Packed with practical pointers and worksheets, this handbook will equip you with the tools you need to create a vibrant adoption support network.

---

About the Author: Laura Christianson shares her passion for adoption with a worldwide audience through her award-winning “Exploring Adoption” blog. An adoptive mom, Laura founded Heartbeat Ministries, a Christian support network for adoptive families. She is the author of The Adoption Decision and is a popular speaker at adoption events and writers’ conferences. Laura lives in Snohomish, Washington with her husband, Robert, and their two sons.

The practice of adoption in Nigeria is quite novel as there is a dearth of information concerning adoption for the general public. The need to write the book arose out of the desire to make such relevant information readily available to the public who have the desire to give a needy child the ball of his life. It details out the process of adoption from start to finish. A lot of research went in to give it flesh and to make the book and easy read for everybody. The issue of adoption has over time moved from providing a childless person with a child for his convenience to considering as foremost, the best interest of the child. Children are the next generation and as such should be given a chance, there is no other way than to give such child a home and proper guidance from a willing and ready parent. The book consists of thirteen well structured chapters and eight appendices. The appendices contain relevant statues and precedents which will be very useful to readers who are not lawyers. Its simplified language makes is ideal for the general public, law students will find useful study material in the book and it is also a necessary handbook for a lawyer seeking an in-depth knowledge and guidance on adoption. It is a very handy book for the man or woman seeking help in adopting a child. It is a book that cuts across borders. About the Author: Ojochide Okunnu Atojoko-Omovbude was born at Idah, Kogi state in 1976. She had her education at the Ochaja girls secondary Ochaja, and federal government college Ugwolawo Kogi state. She holds a degree in law from the university of Ibadan, Nigeria and graduated with ll. B Hons. Thereafter in 2003 she proceeded to the Nigerian law school and was called to the bar in October 2004. She also wrote and passed the chartered secretaries and administrators exam and has been admitted to the membership of chartered secretaries and administrators. She has attended conferences and presented papers in Nigeria and abroad. She has worked with the private and public international sectors including the embassy of Belgium where she developed the interest in adoption-related issues. She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, international federation of women lawyers. The talented multi-linguist is in active legal practice in Abuja Nigeria. She is married with two children. Her hobbies are traveling and reading.

From the Publisher: Adoption is for parents looking to begin or to build their families. It is for children in search of a forever home. Adoption is for sharing ... life, love, and dreams.

Angela Elwell Hunt presents a unique book, one that is both personal story and guidebook. She describes her own odyssey in adopting two international children, weaving this with practical information on issues faced in adoption. She explores the very real hopes, fears, and doubts that surround prospective parents, while simultaneously taking the reader through the adoption process from A-Z. The book is packed full of resource information on adoption. If you’re a parent-to-be, concerned relative, infertile couple, or interested Christian who wants to discover more about the topic, then The Adoption Option is for you.

---

About the Author: Angela Elwell Hunt has published more than seventy titles for adults and children, in fiction and nonfiction. She is best known for the classic story, The Tale of Three Trees.

From the Publisher: Adopting a child is a complicated, often difficult, process. But the end result makes it all worthwhile. The Adoption Option Complete Handbook gives you everything you need to know to adopt—and answers questions you might be afraid to ask. This comprehensive guide, enhanced with articles from well-known adoption professionals, details a myriad of adoption resources available in the U.S., Canada, and abroad. Whether you’ve already adopted or are considering adopting for the first time, you’ll discover:

• How to find an agency you can trust

• How long the adoption process takes

• Whether or not to hire an attorney

• Types of parents adoption agencies are looking for

• And much more!

The Adoption Option Complete Handbook is your source for the most reliable and up-to-date information on adoption, including:

• Adoption procedures in the U.S., Canada, and abroad

• In-depth profiles of over 200 adoption agencies and 100 adoption attorneys

• State-by-state support groups and organizations

• Inside tips from agencies for prospective parents

• A 10-point plan to a successful adoption

---

About the Author: Christine Adamec, an adoptive and biological parent, has written numerous articles and five books on adoption over the past 15 years. She also publishes a newsletter, Adoption/Medical News, which is edited by a physician. She lives in Palm Bay, Florida, with her husband and three children.

Are you thinking about adoption as a way to expand your family, but are utterly overwhelmed about where to start? Adoption Options: For Prospective Adoptive Parents breaks down the basic types of adoptions in the United States—public, private and international—and lists the pros and cons to each. Additionally, the book describes how you should start the process of deciding whether adoption is right for you and how to pursue the right fit for your family.

From the Back Cover: Finally, a comprehensive parenting book for adoptive families!

Over 100 contributors from across the globe have come together to weave a stunning tapestry of advice specifically for adoptive parents. Parenting adopted children is parenting plus—there’s an extra layer that adopted kids often have and understanding their perspective is key. This book is a wealth of information for the family newly arrived home as well as the more experienced one. It’s a book you won’t read all at once, but will come back to again and again as your child’s understanding and awareness of who they are develops and your experience in parenting expands.

Adoption Parenting looks at the core issues all members of the adoption triad face, and how they affect parenting techniques that just might not be the right fit for adopted children. Chapters include Getting Started, Claiming, Language, Food, Baggage, Discipline, Loss and Grief, Transitions, Siblings, Narratives, Learning, School, Race, Older Child Adoption, Challenges (including Physical and Emotional issues), Support, Therapy, and Journey. We look hard at the joys and challenges of our rewarding role ... Adoption Parenting!

It’s an indispensable resource that no adoptive family should be without.

---

By the Same Author: At Home in This World: ...A China Adoption Story (2003).

From the Back Cover: After the waiting, after the legal process, after the child comes home, adoptive families are left with one monumental question: now what? Adoption Piece by Piece is the series that answers that question and guides parents through the many issues related to adoption. With a comprehensive collection of articles from experienced parents and professionals, Adoption Piece by Piece brings together all the information families need to build healthy, lifelong relationships.

A Toolkit for Parents covers the nuts and bolts of parenting adopted children with chapters on health care, the legal system, education, self -help and support, financial planning, self-care for parents, and advocacy.

---

About the Author: Sara Graefe is also the author of SNAP’s best-selling book, Living with FASD: A Guide for Parents. She works as a freelance writer and in the story department of the CBC series Edgemont.

---

By the Same Author: Adoption Piece by Piece: Lifelong Issues (2003) and Adoption Piece by Piece: Special Needs (2003).

From the Back Cover: After the waiting, after the legal process, after the child comes home, adoptive families are left with one monumental question: now what? Adoption Piece by Piece is the series that answers that question and guides parents through the many issues related to adoption. With a comprehensive collection of articles from experienced parents and professionals, Adoption Piece by Piece brings together all the information families need to build healthy, lifelong relationships.

Lifelong Issues covers the core topics of adoption, including grief and loss, open adoption, attachment, identity, search and reunion, disruption, single parent and gay and lesbian adoption, and inter-racial families.

---

About the Author: Sara Graefe is also the author of SNAP’s best-selling book, Living with FASD: A Guide for Parents. She works as a freelance writer and in the story department of the CBC series Edgemont.

---

By the Same Author: Adoption Piece by Piece: Special Needs (2003) and Adoption Piece by Piece: A Toolkit for Parents (2003).

From the Back Cover: After the waiting, after the legal process, after the child comes home, adoptive families are left with one monumental question: now what? Adoption Piece by Piece is the series that answers that question and guides parents through the many issues related to adoption. With a comprehensive collection of articles from experienced parents and professionals, Adoption Piece by Piece brings together all the information families need to build healthy, lifelong relationships.

Special Needs is a comprehensive overview of the challenges that adopted children often face such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Prenatal Drug Exposure (PDE), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, mental health issues, histories of abuse and neglect, and post-institutionalization.

---

About the Author: Sara Graefe is also the author of SNAP’s best-selling book, Living with FASD: A Guide for Parents. She works as a freelance writer and in the story department of the CBC series Edgemont.

---

By the Same Author: Adoption Piece by Piece: Lifelong Issues (2003) and Adoption Piece by Piece: A Toolkit for Parents (2003).

What every Married, Single, Gay or Straight potential adopting parent should know before starting the adoption process The decision to adopt can be one of the most rewarding that a couple or individual can make. As with any important decision; it can also be quite complex. Persons who are interested in adopting a child must not only be willing to welcome a new person into their hearts, but they must also be willing to cope with the bureaucratic and legal issues that can often be involved and can frequently take months, if not years. The primary key to a successful adoption is doing some background research which can include locating reputable agencies and attorneys, understanding the pros and cons associated with different types of adoptions and understanding the importance of being actively involved in each step; all without allowing frustration or impatience to take over. Adoption takes place for many different reasons. Many people are not able to have children on their own. Other people wish to provide a loving environment for children who need a home. In fact, many people who ultimately adopt have already given birth to other children. Some individuals choose to adopt children who have “special needs”; such as children who have disabilities or who would be difficult to place for adoption because of their age or ethnicity. Regardless of the reasons for adoption, the most important requirement to adopt is for future adoptive parents to realize that it is a lifelong commitment. During the last few decades, international adoptions have become more and more common. Many prospective parents looked to countries such as China, Russia and South and Central America to adopt. A variety of factors spurred this trend; including a reduced fear of legal challenges to the adoption and a larger number of available children. Widespread legal challenges are not usually associated with domestic adoptions; however, it is also not unknown. For this reason, it is crucially important to work with agencies and professionals who have experience in the adoption process and who understand the factors involved in a successful adoption.

From the Back Cover: With eloquence and conviction, more than thirty birth mothers, adoptive mothers and adopted daughters explore what is a deeply emotional, sometimes controversial and always compelling experience that affects millions of families and individuals.

These personal essays and stories are informed by the contemporary adoption movement and raise timely issues that illustrate its complexity, among them: open and closed adoption, cross-cultural adoption, the birth record debate, the experience of biracial adoptees, adoption by lesbian couples, and the search for identity.

Featuring the work of well-known writers and activists, The Adoption Reader is a helpful, hopeful and vital collection about growth and self-understanding and a must-read book for anyone who has been touched by the adoption experience.

---

About the Author: Susan Wadia-Ells, a writer and long-time feminist, educator and activist is co-director of The Wise Ones Conference Group. She is working towards a Ph.D. in Women’s Studies and lives in Vermont with her nine year-old son, Anil.

Your adoption is struggling and the path you have been walking down is not working. You need a new direction and new ideas in your adoption journey. Adoption Reinvention author, Jennifer Chase, is the mother of five children, including a special needs adopted teenage son. Jennifer offers a completely new way of thinking and parenting in your adoption. Full of encouragement and an action plan for you to take, it’s time to change your path, it’s time for an Adoption Reinvention!

From the Back Cover: With the heart of an adoptive mother and the eye of a journalist, Lois Gilman navigates the often complicated but ultimately fulfilling world of adopting a child.

This practical, wise, and encouraging book contains all the information a couple or an individual needs to investigate adoption alternatives, arrange for and complete a successful adoption, and raise an adoptive family. Beginning with a broad overview of options for both domestic and foreign adoption, the author provides details about agencies, home studies, paperwork, and legal issues. Also covered are procedures for agency and independent adoptions as well as concerns about intercountry adoption, special-needs children, preparing for a child’s arrival, and longer term questions about the impact of adoption on your family over the years.

THIS NEWLY REVISED FOURTH EDITION FEATURES:

• more information on open adoption and creating the relationship with birth parents that’s right for you and your child;

• the latest on financing an adoption, including loans, government subsidies, and tax credits;

• the best sources for pursuing an international adoption;

• new stories throughout from birth mothers, adoptive parents, and adopted children to illustrate adoption issues today, and a detailed bibliography for further reading;

• and completely updated listings of over a thousand domestic agencies, parent groups, information exchanges, and public service offices.

---

About the Author: Lois Gilman is the author of The New York Parents book and a freelance journalist writing on adoption, parenting, and other topics. She is the adoptive mother of Seth, who was born in Chile, and Eve, who was born in South Korea. She and her family live in Mount Kisco, New York.