National Adoption Month takes place every November and raises awareness around the process of adopting a child. It’s an initiative of the Children’s Bureau created to bring attention to the need for permanent families for children currently in the foster care system.

The library has many books on the topic of adoption. If you’ve been considering adoption (or foster care) you can learn more from these resources and adoption experiences:

Considering Adoption by Mary Motley Kalergis– A road map and travel guide to the emotional landscape of adoption that tells the stories of people from all walks of life who the author met as a documentarian.

Instant Mom by Nia Vardalos – The writer and star of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” shares her story of adopting a preschooler, relating her parenting experiences while discussing innovative ways to conquer the challenges new moms face.

You Can Adopt: An Adoptive Families Guide by Susan Caughman – Counsels prospective parents on common questions and concerns, providing coverage of every stage of the adoption process from selecting an agency and making financial plans to understanding legal issues and enabling successful transitions.

China Ghosts: My Daughter’s Journey to America, My Passage to Fatherhood by Jeff Gammage – Traces the events following the author’s decision to adopt a baby from China, an effort during which his wife and he endured an emotionally turbulent foreign-adoption process that forced them to confront their deepest beliefs and cultural biases.

The Post-Adoption Blues by Karen J. Foli – Presents an overview of the unforeseen problems and stresses that adoptive parents face, and offers advice and concrete solutions for identifying and resolving any conflicts or issues which may arise.

Everything You Ever Wanted by Jillian Lauren – Follows the story of a former drug addict and international concubine whose latest radical act in her thirties has become learning the steadying power of love when she and her rock star husband adopt an Ethiopian child with special needs.

No Biking in the House Without a Helmet by Melissa Fay Greene – The author describes the humorous and heartwarming moments from her and her husband’s life as perpetual adoptive parents.