A comprehensive list of adoption resources including podcasts, search angels, organizations, and events.
EVENTS
The Girl I Am Was and Will Never Be
Shannon, a transracial adoptee, blends adoption memoir with speculative fiction in this Printz Honor Book, exploring parallel lives while incorporating official documents and family records.
Crossing the Cherry Blossom Sea
M. Rosales recounts her journey as a Korean adoptee, taken from her homeland at age five. Her search for birth family after 29 years illuminates the complex emotions and cultural identity challenges faced by international adoptees.
The Branches We Cherish
Lori weaves together fifteen adoption stories, sparked by a chance encounter that led to an epiphany about the need to share these narratives. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptee who kept her adoption secret for years, she explores the universal theme of belonging that runs through the adoption community.
Adoption Songs
Lori weaves together fifteen adoption stories, sparked by a chance encounter that led to an epiphany about the need to share these narratives. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptee who kept her adoption secret for years, she explores the universal theme of belonging that runs through the adoption community.
Five Siblings Lost and Found
EM delivers a graphic memoir about five siblings separated by foster care and closed adoption. Through illustrated storytelling, she traces her journey as an Ojibwe/Anishinaabe and European adoptee searching for belonging, culture, and her first family. Her unique visual narrative explores how five siblings, placed in foster care and adopted into three different families, found their way back to each other.
To Be Real
In To Be Real, Anne Heffron provides a many-voiced picture of adoption. With the help of fellow adoptees Hannah Andrews, Dawn Conwell Mulkay, Leah E. Cooper, Brad Ewell, Shelley Gaske, Sharon Stein McNamara, Andrew Glynn, Tonni Johnston, Kathleen Shea Kirstein, Elisa Nickerson, Kristen Steinhilber, Kimberly Van Den Hoek, and other special guests, To Be Real lifts up the voices of the community as they share personal stories of self-discovery.
If you know of an event you would like added to this list, email me at [email protected].
PODCASTS
If you know of a podcast you would like added to this list, email me at [email protected].
BOOKS
Woman of Interest a Memoir
Tracy transforms her pandemic-era search for her Korean birth mother into a genre-defying detective story, earning widespread critical acclaim pre-publication.
Adoption Memoirs: Inside Stories
Marianne analyzes 45 adoption memoirs, identifying patterns in how adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents process trauma, race, and reunion experiences.
Abandoned at Birth: Searching for the Arms that Once Held Me
BJanet challenges adoption’s “happy ending” narrative through her exploration of the primal wound theory and her personal journey of discovery through DNA testing.
In Better Hands
Brandi shares her Appalachian story of adoption intersecting with poverty, addiction, and trauma, offering practical healing strategies while highlighting rural America’s unique challenges.
The Girl With Three Birthdays
Patti’s DNA test launches an investigation into sealed records and family secrets, revealing how adoption secrecy shaped her understanding of identity.
The Girl I Am Was and Will Never Be
Shannon, a transracial adoptee, blends adoption memoir with speculative fiction in this Printz Honor Book, exploring parallel lives while incorporating official documents and family records.
The Girl I Am Was and Will Never Be
Shannon, a transracial adoptee, blends adoption memoir with speculative fiction in this Printz Honor Book, exploring parallel lives while incorporating official documents and family records.
Crossing the Cherry Blossom Sea
M. Rosales recounts her journey as a Korean adoptee, taken from her homeland at age five. Her search for birth family after 29 years illuminates the complex emotions and cultural identity challenges faced by international adoptees.
The Branches We Cherish
Lori weaves together fifteen adoption stories, sparked by a chance encounter that led to an epiphany about the need to share these narratives. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptee who kept her adoption secret for years, she explores the universal theme of belonging that runs through the adoption community.
Adoption Songs
Lori weaves together fifteen adoption stories, sparked by a chance encounter that led to an epiphany about the need to share these narratives. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptee who kept her adoption secret for years, she explores the universal theme of belonging that runs through the adoption community.
Five Siblings Lost and Found
EM delivers a graphic memoir about five siblings separated by foster care and closed adoption. Through illustrated storytelling, she traces her journey as an Ojibwe/Anishinaabe and European adoptee searching for belonging, culture, and her first family. Her unique visual narrative explores how five siblings, placed in foster care and adopted into three different families, found their way back to each other.
To Be Real
In To Be Real, Anne Heffron provides a many-voiced picture of adoption. With the help of fellow adoptees Hannah Andrews, Dawn Conwell Mulkay, Leah E. Cooper, Brad Ewell, Shelley Gaske, Sharon Stein McNamara, Andrew Glynn, Tonni Johnston, Kathleen Shea Kirstein, Elisa Nickerson, Kristen Steinhilber, Kimberly Van Den Hoek, and other special guests, To Be Real lifts up the voices of the community as they share personal stories of self-discovery.
If you know of a book you would like added to this list, email me at [email protected].
SEARCH & SUPPORT
Search Angels & Organizations
- Angel Search Network: A dedicated team of search angels offering adoption search support and assistance. They have a wide network of resources and volunteers ready to help individuals in their search for birth parents, adoptees, and other relatives.
- Search Angels Worldwide: A global community of search angels providing support and guidance to those involved in adoption searches. They offer various services, including document research, DNA analysis, and emotional support throughout the search process.
- Adoption Reunion Registry Search Angels: This organization specializes in reuniting birth families and adoptees through their search angel network. They provide personalized assistance, access to databases, and expert guidance to navigate the complexities of adoption searches.
- DNA Detectives: A group of experienced genetic genealogists who offer their expertise in using DNA testing and analysis to uncover family connections. They specialize in adoption-related searches and can help individuals interpret DNA results and navigate genetic genealogy databases.
- Search Squad: Composed of volunteer search angels, Search Squad assists individuals in finding their birth families through research, public records, and social media platforms. They have a dedicated online community where individuals can seek guidance and support throughout their search journey.
- Find My Family Adoption Search Angels: A team of passionate search angels dedicated to helping adoptees, birth parents, and siblings find each other. They provide personalized search plans, access to databases, and emotional support during the search process.
- Adoption Search Consultants: A group of professional search consultants who specialize in adoption searches. They offer comprehensive search services, including record retrieval, genetic genealogy research, and expert advice on navigating adoption laws and regulations.
- Birth Parent Finder: A network of search angels with expertise in locating birth parents and facilitating reunions. They offer personalized search strategies, document retrieval, and emotional support for both adoptees and birth parents throughout the search process.
- Search Angels of Adoption: A nonprofit organization comprised of dedicated search angels who volunteer their time and expertise to assist individuals in finding their biological families. They provide guidance, research assistance, and emotional support to individuals searching for their roots.
- The Seeker’s Heart: A group of search angels committed to helping adoptees and birth families find each other. They offer a range of services, including record searches, DNA analysis, and personalized support throughout the search and reunion process.
“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
ORGANIZATIONS
The Girl I Am Was and Will Never Be
Shannon, a transracial adoptee, blends adoption memoir with speculative fiction in this Printz Honor Book, exploring parallel lives while incorporating official documents and family records.
Crossing the Cherry Blossom Sea
M. Rosales recounts her journey as a Korean adoptee, taken from her homeland at age five. Her search for birth family after 29 years illuminates the complex emotions and cultural identity challenges faced by international adoptees.
The Branches We Cherish
Lori weaves together fifteen adoption stories, sparked by a chance encounter that led to an epiphany about the need to share these narratives. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptee who kept her adoption secret for years, she explores the universal theme of belonging that runs through the adoption community.
Adoption Songs
Lori weaves together fifteen adoption stories, sparked by a chance encounter that led to an epiphany about the need to share these narratives. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptee who kept her adoption secret for years, she explores the universal theme of belonging that runs through the adoption community.
Five Siblings Lost and Found
EM delivers a graphic memoir about five siblings separated by foster care and closed adoption. Through illustrated storytelling, she traces her journey as an Ojibwe/Anishinaabe and European adoptee searching for belonging, culture, and her first family. Her unique visual narrative explores how five siblings, placed in foster care and adopted into three different families, found their way back to each other.
To Be Real
In To Be Real, Anne Heffron provides a many-voiced picture of adoption. With the help of fellow adoptees Hannah Andrews, Dawn Conwell Mulkay, Leah E. Cooper, Brad Ewell, Shelley Gaske, Sharon Stein McNamara, Andrew Glynn, Tonni Johnston, Kathleen Shea Kirstein, Elisa Nickerson, Kristen Steinhilber, Kimberly Van Den Hoek, and other special guests, To Be Real lifts up the voices of the community as they share personal stories of self-discovery.
If you know of an organization you would like added to this list, email me at [email protected].
