Multicultural and Trans-racial Adoption Books and Resources

This list was developed by Stefani Moon, LPC, Program Director for the Open Arms Adoption Network and Joni Mantell, LCSW, Director of IAC Counseling Center made some additions

 

Books for Adults:

I’m Chocolate You’re Vanilla: Raising healthy black and biracial children in a race-conscious world by Marguerite A. Wright

The Harris Narratives: An introspective study of a transracial adoptee by Susan Harris O’Connor

Weaving a Family: Untangling race and adoption by Barbara Katz Rothman

Inside Transracial Adoption by Beth Hall & Gail Steinberg

Yellow: Race in American, beyond Black and White by Frank H. Wu

Raising Nuestros Ninos: Bringing up Latino children in a bicultural world by Gloria G. Rodriguez

Tripping the Color Line by Heather Dalmage

Black White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self by Rebecca Walker

Half and Half by Claudine C. O’Hearn

Beyond the Whiteness of White by Jane Lazarre

White Like Me by Tim Wise

Does Anybody Else Look Like Me? A Parents’ Guide To Raising Multiracial Children by Donna Nakazawa

In Their Own Voices: Transracial adoptees tell their stories by Rita Simon & Rhonda Roorda

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations about Race by Beverly Tatum

When You Were Born in China.  Sara Dorow.

Dim Sum, Bagels and Grits: For multicultural families by Myra Alperson

Beyond Heroes and Holidays by Enid, Menkart, Okazawa-Rey Lee

A Different Mirror: A history of multicultural America by Ronald Takai

Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance in Preschool And The Early Grades by The Teaching Tolerance Project

Growing Up Global: Raising children to be at home in the world by Homa Sabet Tavangar

Growing Up Black in White by Kevin Hofmann

Waking Up White by Debby Irving

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

What I wish my white parents knew  A Magazine Article

Korea Specific and Of Wider Interest Too

    • A Euro-American on a Korean Tour at a Thai Restaurant. Chris Winston’s book explores the perspective of an adoptive parent of adoptees from Korea who are now adults. Some of her ideas for helping children with cultural heritage are very well thought out, original and useful. (A Joni Mantell favorite)
  • Chinese Eyes. Marjorie Waybill. In this loving book, a first grader adopted from Korea is teased about her appearance. Though she doesn’t understand what CHINESE EYES means, she knows that the comment is meant to be unkind. She is hurt and upset.  
  • I wish for you a beautiful life: Letters from the Korean Birth Mothers of Ae Ran Won to Their Children Edited by Sara Dorow. A beautiful collection of letters from birth mothers to their children whom they gave up for adoption.  To hear these mothers’ words about how difficult this decision was, and their wishes for the best life possible for their child is illuminating and heart-wrenching.
  • Adopted Territory: Transnational Korean Adoptees and the Politics of Belonging by Elena J. Kim. This book examines the history of Korean adoption, the emergence of a distinctive adoptee collective identity, and adoptee returns to Korea in relation to South Korean modernity and globalization. 
  • Books on Adoption from Korea: http://www.comeunity.com/adoption/books/0korea.html

 

Books for Children:

The Colors Of Us by Karen Katz

I Love My Hair by Natasha Tarpley

Bipty Bop Barbarshop by Natasha Tarpley

The Family Book by Todd Parr

Global Babies by The Global Fund for Children

Whoever you Are by Mem Fox

We’re Different, We’re the Same: And we’re all wonderful by Sesame Street

My Head is Full of Colors by Catherine Friend

A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams

Shades of Black: A celebration of our children by Sandra Pinkney

Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester

The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox

To Be A Kid by Maya Ajmera

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

Red or Blue, I Like You! by Sesame Street

You’re Not My Real Mother by Molly Friedrich

My Family is Forever by Nancy Carlson

Brown Like Me by Noelle Lamperu

More More More Said the Baby by Vera Williams

Please Baby Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr

Same Difference by Calida Garcia Rawles

I Love My Cotton Candy Hair by Nicole Updegraff

Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold

I Don’t Have Your Eyes.  Carrie Kitze,

 

Websites/Blogs:

Rage Against the Minivan         www.rageagainsttheminivan.com

The Adopted Life www.theadoptedlife.com

My Mind on Paper – Kevin Hofmann www.kevinhofmann.com

PACT An Adoption Alliance www.pactadopt.org

 

Other Resources

Adoptive Families: The award-winning national adoption magazine, is the leading adoption information source for families before, during, and after adoption. 

Tapestry BooksOnline adoption book store for learning about adoption  

Stefani Moon, LPC, for Workshops and Consultation: SMoon@openarmsadoption.net

IAC Counseling Center: 609-737-8750. jmantellmsw@gmail.com

 

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