Kids need to be able to find characters who look like them in the books on their shelves. Here are some of our favorites that provide that powerful affirmation.
“I Forgot to Be Scared”
A 13-year-old shares his adoption story.
“You’ve Got to Have Friends”
My daughter’s fascination with China was matched by her pleasure at sharing the return trip with friends who’d made the same journey.
[BOOK EXCERPT] The Hundred-Year Flood
This poetic novel features a transracial adoptee protagonist as he explores his identity and seeks answers about his past in an unfamiliar city. Accompanying the excerpt is a Q&A with the author, Matthew Salesses.
“Rooting Our Children in Our Latino Heritage”
As Latino parents, we know firsthand the discrimination our children will face.
When Children Deny Their Heritage
A strong connection to role models and to others who share their ethnic background is as important now as ever.
Heritage Starts at Home
How we can help our children feel good about who they are — and where they’re from.
“Teaching My Children That Black Is Beautiful”
I tell my African-American children that they are smart and beautiful because I know that the world may tell them otherwise.
Ask AF: Celebrating Heritage
Answers to your parenting questions.
Webinar Replay: Growing Up as a Transracial Adoptee
View the replay of this webinar with Deborah H. Johnson—on growing up as a transracial adoptee and what parents today need to know about talking about race and adoption, finding role models for their children, dealing with teasing, and more.
Daughters in Demand
Given a choice, many parents prefer to adopt girls. But should parents be allowed to select their childs sex? And how does the desire for daughters affect the adoption communityand the children themselves?
Ask AF: Balancing a Biracial Heritage
Answers to your parenting questions.
Two Adoptees on Going “Home” to China, Again
After a birth country visit to China that was too much, too soon for my seven-year-old daughter, she and a friend returned on their own terms as teens. The trip helped them imagine what their lives might have been and explore their Chinese-American identities.
Ask AF: Cultural Connections
Answers to your parenting questions.
6 Questions to Ponder Before Making a Homeland Trip
More and more families are finding that “going back,” whether to San Antonio or San Salvador, gives their children a foundation for building identity.
“Visiting Our Daughter’s Orphanage”
One of the cold realities of adopting an older child from China is that she comes with a lot of questions, many of which you can’t answer.
“Why Tae Kwon Do?”
So far, each step I have taken into my future daughter’s world has taught me nearly as much about myself as it has about her culture.
Hooray for Heritage!
How do you honor your child’s origins? Readers share what they’ve done, from summer culture camps or taking homeland (or home state) trips, to everyday ways to reinforce ethnic pride.
Ask AF: How Do We Find Role Models Who Share Our Child’s Race?
We’re white and our son is black. I’m ashamed to admit that we do not have any black relatives or friends. Will it seem offensive and shallow if I try to befriend someone simply because they are black?
“A Family Commitment”
In this personal essay, one adoptive mother describes how her family learns about her daughter’s Chinese heritage at a school with other families.