Adoption and DNA-search related resources that either we’ve found or or others have recommended to us.

Adoption

• Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew — Sherrie Eldridge
• The Girls Who Went Away — Ann Fessler
• The Family of Adoption — Joyce Maguire Pavao
• Adoption Nation: How the Adoption Revolution is Transforming Our Families—and America — Adam Pertman
• Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches — Russell Moore

Issues / Trauma / Guidance

• The Connected Child — Karyn Purvis, David Cross & Wendy Lyons Sunshine
• The Primal Wound — Nancy Newton Verrier
• Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew — Sherrie Eldridge
• Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today’s Parents — Deborah D. Gray
• The Connected Parent: Trauma-Informed Parenting Guide for Building Attachment and Trust in Adoptive and Foster Families — Karyn Purvis & Lisa Qualls
• Raising Adopted Children: Practical Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent — Lois Ruskai Melina
• Wisdom from Adoptive Families: Joys and Challenges in Older Child Adoption – Kris Kittle PhD and Kelly Reed PhD 
• Voices Unheard: A Reflective Journal for Adult Adoptees – Lisa Coppola LMHC 
• Healing for Every Heart in Adoption: Redemptive Prayers and Strategies for Adoptive Parents, Adoptees, and Birth Parents― Betsy S. Kylstra and Lisa C. Qualls
• A Child’s Journey Through Placement — Vera Fahlb
  

Industry Critiques and Systemic Histories

• Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood – Gretchen Sisson.
  Investigates contemporary infant adoption, showing how economic inequality, lack of a social safety net, and systemic pressures drive relinquishment.
•  The Child Catchers: Rescue, Trafficking, and the New Gospel of Adoption – Kathryn Joyce.
  Explores the multi-million-dollar modern Christian adoption industry, looking at international and domestic private adoption agencies, corruption, and marketing.
• American Baby: A Mother, a Child, and the Secret History of Adoption – Gabrielle Glaser.
  Exposes the mid-century private adoption market market run by Georgia Tann and how profit-driven agencies manipulated unmarried mothers.
• The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade – Ann Fessler
  Shares oral histories from birth mothers during the Baby Scoop Era, detailing institutional coercion and societal pressure.
• Selling Transracial Adoption: American Nurseries, Apolitical Politics, and the Marketed Minority Child – Elizabeth Raleigh.
  Analyzes how adoption agencies and brokers market children of color to white prospective parents as a commodity or social good.

Perspectives from Adoptees and First Parents

• Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, and Adoptive Parents – Sara Easterly, Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Lori Holden
  Features interviews with adoption insiders, examining separation trauma, systemic flaws, and hidden industry hurdles.
• All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir – Nicole Chung
  A Korean American adoptee’s powerful memoir navigating transracial adoption, identity, and the closed adoption system.
• The Language of Blood: A Memoir – Jane Jeong Trenka
  Recounts transracial and transnational adoption from South Korea, critiquing the commercialization of international adoption networks.

Books for Children

• Jazzy’s Quest series (elementary/middle school)- Carrie Goldman & Juliet Bond
• Sam’s Sister – Juliet C. Bond, LCSW
• A Mother for Choco – Keiko Kasza 
• Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born— Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
• God Found us You — Lisa Tawn Bergren and Laura J. Bryant 
• Little Branch Gets Adopted — Sherrie Eldridge
• Happy Adoption Day! —  John McCutcheon and Julie Paschkis 
• I’ve Loved You Since Forever – Hoda Kotb
• Yes, I’m Adopted – Sharlie Zinniger

Novels/Biographies

• The Unwanted Adoptee— Shirley Albritton
• One Yes At A Time: How Open Adoption Transformed Our Family – Susan Strong
• Found: Adopted Friends Search for their Birth Families— Trish Diggins & Sherri Craig-Evans
• Awakening East: Moving our Adopted Children Back to China— Johanna Garton

Stories connect us. Explore podcasts that open conversations about adoption, DNA discoveries, family secrets, identity, and the many ways families are formed.

• Adoptees On
  Adult adoptees share personal stories about adoption, identity, reunion, rejection, and healing.
• Who Am I Really?
  Features adoptees exploring their origins, biological family searches, and reunions. Hosted by Damon L. Davis.
• DNA Surprises
  Stories of unexpected DNA discoveries, family secrets, NPE experiences, and the emotional impact of learning the truth.
• Everything’s Relative with Eve Sturges
  Conversations about surprising DNA discoveries, family secrets, identity, and the meaning of biological relationships.
• CutOff Genes
  A mix of genetic genealogy, DNA mysteries, unexpected family discoveries, and biological family searches.

Online Support Groups

Whether you’re searching for biological family, navigating an unexpected DNA discovery, exploring your identity, or looking for people who understand your experience, these organizations and communities offer places to begin.

There are thousands of support groups out there, and they’re often run by non-professionals. We recommend you proceed with caution when looking into any support group, whether internet-nased or social media. There’s a great article with all kinds of great info about what support groups may be like, some that have been around a while, and some of the etiquette that a lot of groups will use. Again, proceed toward any oneline support with care and caution. Safety first.

Click here to read an article on Adoptee Support groups published on consideringadoption.com.

Adoption & Adoptee Support

• Concerned United Birthparents (CUB)
  Support groups for birth/first parents, adoptees, and extended families affected by adoption. Offers virtual peer meetings and writing groups.
• Adoptees United
  An adoptee-led organization advocating for adult adoptees’ rights, access to original birth certificates, and identity-related legislation.

Donor-Conceived People & Families

• Donor Conceived Community
  Peer-led support groups, workshops, and educational resources for donor-conceived individuals, parents, and families.
• We Are Donor Conceived
  A community platform sharing donor-conceived perspectives, personal experiences, research, and resources.
• U.S. Donor Conceived CouncilDonor-conceived-led advocacy and education focused on ethical practices, transparency, and the rights of donor-conceived people.

DNA Discoveries & NPE Support

• Right to Know
  Education and support for people affected by unexpected parentage discoveries, adoption, and donor conception.
• DNA Surprises Community
  Resources, peer support, and community connections for people navigating unexpected genetic discoveries.

Family Connections & Search Resources

• Search Angels
  Volunteer search assistance for people seeking biological relatives using genealogical records and DNA research.
• Donor Sibling Registry
  Helps donor-conceived people, donors, and genetic relatives find one another and establish mutually desired connections.

Pay to Play Services

Ancestry.com

23andme.org

myheritage.com

famfinder.com

Free Services

searchangels.org

GEDmatch.com

famfinder.com

Adoptee Scholarships

• The Adoption Network Law Center Scholarship Program
• Adoption STAR Academic Scholarship Program
• Calvin College Richard and Janice Van Deelen Scholarship
• Holt Adoptee Scholarship Contest
• Article with 35 top scholarships for Adopted Children and Fostser Children – Scholarships360.com

Birth/First Mothers Scholarships

Lifetime Adoption Foundation Scholarship for Women who Chose Adoption

Foster Children Scholarships

Scholarship listings, Federal info, Tuition waiver information for children from Foster Care

Of course we’ve got to add the disclaimer that we don’t necessarily agree with or promote any of the information or ideas in the books we have on this website.. All outside resources are provided for information and support, not as formal endorsements.

All purchasable links are affliiate links – as in, we get paid a tiny bit if you purchase the book through the link on our site, which helps keep FOUND up and running. Thanks!