THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A remarkable autobiography' Andrew Billen, The Times 'You're struck by his raw honesty in tackling big issues head-on' Tom Bryant, Daily Mirror 'So full of heart' Davina McCall 'I was riveted by it in a heartbreaking way . . . you will be gripped' Ranvir Singh, Lorraine 'So moving . . . it's a beautiful book' Zoe Ball 'Commendable honesty . . . a poignant book about the search for belonging' Daily Express 'Remarkable . . . contains a lesson for all of us and delivers a resounding message of hope and of love' James O'Brien ************* The brave and moving memoir by Long Lost Family presenter and Radio 5 breakfast show host Nicky Campbell reveals how the simple unconditional love of Maxwell, his Labrador, turned his life around and helped him come to terms with his difficult journey as an adopted child. Raw, honest and courageous in One of the Family, Nicky opens up about how being adopted has made him always feel like an outsider; the guilt he has carried towards his Mum and Dad for needing to trace his birth mother, and the crushing disappointment he felt when he finally met her. And for the first time, he writes about his emotional breakdown and how he has learned to live with a late diagnosis of bipolar. Through it all his passion for dogs and animals has been a lifeline. It is Maxwell's magic, a lesson from a Labrador in simple unconditional friendship, that has allowed him to see all the good in his life: from the security and safety of his childhood home, the love of his wife and four daughters and above all, to better understand the decisions taken by his birth mother to give him up for adoption.

Adoption doesn't end when the papers are signed -- not for the birth mother, not for the adoptive mother and not for the adopted child. It is a decision with consequences that last a lifetime. While there are many wonderful books on how to adopt, when to adopt, making an adoption plan, and the like, ADOPTION IS FOREVER is at times humorous, sometimes gut-wrenching, but always honest. "A refreshingly new look at adoption," reviews Roger H. Rubin, Ph.D.

Adopting a child can be an exciting and anxious time in prospective parents' lives. There are rooms to decorate and clothes and toys to buy. There are many preparations to make before welcoming the new arrival. In "Before You Finalize the Adoption-The Pre-Adoption Workbook," author Joyce Vrooman provides advice and information for parents who are thinking about adopting a child.

Based on personal experience, Vrooman developed this workbook to guide parents through the adoption process to ensure they are knowledgeable and informed. In addition, Vrooman discusses information that parents need to know so the child will receive the proper counseling, therapy, medical treatments, or educational assistance.

Loaded with an array of helpful details, "Before You Finalize the Adoption-The Pre-Adoption Workbook" contains forms, checklists, worksheets, and questionnaires to help adoptive parents learn everything about their new child prior to the finalization of the adoption. All information pertaining to this child and their adoption is contained in one book.

"When I read Bracha Stock's delightful diary and afterthoughts, the prose had a poetic ring to it: distilled memories written by a native Israeli, married to an American, who writes in English in a voice that is uniquely hers. At the heart of this enchanting and provocative read, there are two absorbing themes-the joys and fears involved in raising an adopted child, coupled with the experience of rearing one who is bi-lingual from the earliest age-at home in two languages. Within this structure there are other nuggets of interest-ranging from insights into the parenting process in general to glimpses of life as lived in the sixties in Tel Aviv in Israel and New York. Over and above all, every word resonates with heartwarming truth. This is definitely a book to be enjoyed and savored and not just by adoptive parents."

"Ruth Seligman-"
"American-Israeli author and journalist."

A Foster-Adoption Story tells the story of a brother and sister experiencing abuse, neglect, multiple foster care moves, sibling separation, and eventually adoption. The goal of this workbook is to open the door to discuss difficult topics; issues like abuse, neglect, birth parents, and loyalty conflicts. It can be used as an aid in helping children heal; one that allows them to read about "kids like me." Youngsters can color the pictures as they wish and share their feelings as they go along. This workbook will be a useful therapeutic tool to help children process their experiences and grief along the path to healing.

Wanted:Home for baby boy, aged 1 month, complete surrender. In late 1942, that advert was placed in the Reading Mercury. Two weeks later, on the deserted platform of Reading railway station, a young couple who had read the advert were to fleetingly meet the mother of this baby boy as she passed the child over to them. The reasons for the surrender of her child were never explained. The boy, Dave Sharp, grew up happily, never knowing the full story of his parentage. But a chance discovery some sixty years later was to set him on a quest to uncover the truth behind his mysterious abandonment. This search would lead to shocking and uncomfortable revelations, both for Dave and for the family that he discovered. Not only was Dave, a bricklayer by trade, to be united with the brother he never knew he had, world-famous novelist Ian McEwan, but the two men were to discover a shared history and a relationship closer than they could ever have imagined.

For twenty-four years, Ray Martinez served as a police officer in Fort Collins, Colorado, working everything from minor crimes to hard-to-solve homicides. But all that time, a personal mystery nagged at him. Ray was adopted, and he desperately wanted to find his biological mother. Ray delved into his search in April 2005, soon after retiring. He was hopeful but not overconfident since his past searches had always ended in failure. This time, he put the investigative skills he acquired as a police officer to full use. By searching through public records, visiting Web sites to study ancestry, and traveling through small towns in Colorado, Ray gathered clues with dogged persistence. In the process, he met new people, developed lasting relationships, and gained a fresh perspective on life. But by far, the most significant outcome was finding his mother, four sisters, and brother-the family he had been without for fifty-four years. "Baby Boy-R" is a heartwarming story of a son who refuses to give up trying to discover where he came from and the courageous mother who welcomes back the boy she thought died at birth.

"I didn't know if I could be a mother. I wasn't sure if I even wanted to be a mother. Nothing in my upbringing seemed to support motherhood." So begins Corinne Chateau's odyssey to claim the mother in herself and embark upon an unexpected journey that will lead her to a child in the distant Republic of Georgia.The Road to Cali is about not giving up. It is the story of a rescue--of both a child and oneself.

A Dress for Anna: The Redemption of the Life of a Ukrainian Orphan tells the fascinating story of how God led Deborah and Rob Amend to adopt a handicapped preschooler from an orphanage in Ukraine, and intricately knit her into their family. Beginning with the circumstances that opened their hearts to adoption, continuing through the entire process, and culminating with the difficult adjustments for Anna as she experiences life in a new culture, this book honestly shares the struggles, grief, and joy the Amend family faced as they followed God down the rocky path of international adoption.

This powerful narrative not only provides readers with a clear understanding of the often challenging aspects of adoption, particularly for special needs children, it also offers inspiration by illustrating just how much an average, ordinary family can do when listening to God and following His call.

"Children of Dreams" is borne out of Lorilyn Roberts' shattered dreams. The inspiring story of turning stolen dreams into life-changing hope not only for her but two destitute children will bring tears to the reader as he identifies with her feelings of insecurity and fear. The timeless theme of God's faithfulness-the stuff out of which God brings redemption-will leave the reader riveted to the pages of this book. "Children of Dreams" is more than an adoption story set in the remotest regions of the planet. Facing insurmountable odds-communist blockades, life-threatening illness, betrayal and deceit-Lorilyn Roberts' courage and determination never to give up will touch the reader. Despair transformed into heavenly joy and evil overcome by God's redemptive love will inspire even the most skeptical to believe in miracles. "Children of Dreams" resonates with Biblical truth at a deep level and in a sense is everyone's story. Timeless in nature, "Children of Dreams" is sure to be a favorite adoption story for years to come. Ms. Roberts is intimately familiar with adoption, having also been adopted as a child, and is able to present the spirit of adoption, as never before captured, in this tender story. Comparing the adoption of her daughters to her adoption by the heavenly Father throughout the story flows naturally.

John Sonego and his partner, Michael, had always wanted to start a family. Little did they know they would become the fathers of not one, not two, but three precious boys.

"My Three Sons" shares the heartwarming true story of this incredible family. Born to a drug-addicted mother and taken from her after a string of arrests, the three biological brothers come to their new home to begin a new life. With John and Michael's unconditional love and acceptance, the five became an instant family, learning to lean on each other for the support and devotion only a family can give.

Poignant and funny, heartbreaking and inspiring, "My Three Sons" recounts one family's life and reaffirms the transformative power of love in children's lives.

""This is the story of five very lucky people, three brothers and the two men who raise them. The story of how this family came to be is inspirational but it's more than that. It reminds us of one simple and powerful truth - that in raising children, it is often difficult to determine who is the teacher and who is the student. John's journey is proof that in parenting you get as much as you give.""

-Joan Garry, former executive director of GLAAD, activist, and parent

AUTHOR BIO
John Sonego is an author, adjunct professor, and consultant serving internationally respected health, education, and advocacy organizations. He writes about social, spiritual and family issues as a Midwesterner, progressive Christian, national gay advocate, adoptive parent, and active citizen of the broader community. Sonego received a BA from the University of Michigan and a MA from the University of Santa Monica. He and his family live in Hollywood, California.

"Psychology of Orphans" is written by Dr. Lyudmila Shipitsyna Rector of the Institute of Special Education and Psychology Saint-Petersburg, Russia. She has a Doctorate in Science and Biology and works as an honored professor in this specialty in the Russian Federation. Considered an expert and pioneer in this field in Russia, she has authored over 400 publications. Today these books have formed the foundation in teaching on special education within Russia and beyond. "Psychology of Orphans" is the combination of written theory with the clinical practice and experience of dealing with orphans, adoptions and families.

"Psychology of Orphans" was written as a resource book for students, researchers, academics and professionals. Those who work with orphans and families with special needs children affected by social and psychological problems will find "Psychology of Orphans" invaluable.

Any potential adoptive parent needs to know the research and conclusions that "Psychology of Orphans" reveals. Question on children's behaviors and actions are answered presenting a better understanding of those from state institutions.

The exciting fact that sets "Psychology of Orphans" apart from other books is that the research obtained is for the first time based from within Russia.

"Inside the Adoption Agency" provides a glimpse inside the fascinating world of international adoption and explains the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, which is revolutionizing a process that was previously uncontrolled and marred by scandal. "Jean Erichsen gives order to the often overwhelming mix of foreign and domestic requirements and provides the reader with many heart-warming and humorous moments as well." -Laura Kalish, attorney "Jean Erichsen has a lively and entertaining style of writing that makes this book hard to put down." -Sandra Carlson, LCSW "What I really appreciated about this book was how clearly it spelled out the total dependence of agencies and adoptive parents on the whims of the host countries." -Ruth Arnold, adoptive parent "This fascinating book will give the reader a renewed appreciation of the dedication and hard work by which trustworthy adoption professionals arrange for homeless children overseas to join their new American families. The Erichsens' unique historical perspective provides an understanding of why the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption will be coming into effect in this decade, in an effort to insure sound adoption agency practices with well prepared adoptive parents." -Deborah McCurdy, founder and supervisor of social work, Beacon Adoption Center Jean Erichsen is one of the leading pioneers of intercountry adoption. Part history lesson and part "how-to guide," this book provides valuable insights and information from someone who has witnessed and shaped intercountry adoption practice for the past twenty-five years. -Thomas Atwood, President and CEO, National Council For Adoption

Martin was only 7 years old when he arrived in Canada in 1892, with a contingent of young British orphans. Not only did the young boy just lose his father, but this death had brought about the dismantling of his whole family and, when he emigrated to another country, this enhanced his feeling of being a bird "fallen from the nest."

His adoptive parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Vzina of Ste Genevive de Batiscan were warm-hearted, and they did all they could to recreate for him a happy home, which greatly helped the young immigrant to slip into his new life. But, so many obstacles strew his path!

First, he had to learn French and then be accepted by his schoolmates, some of whom considered the arrival of this newcomer as a threat. And this was just the beginning!

A father's journal of his 2 week trip to China with his wife and daughter to adopt their 2nd child is captured from the daily email's he sent to friends and family.

Aching to expand from a couple to a family, Jeff Gammage--a reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer--and his wife, Christine, embarked upon a journey that would carry them across a shifting landscape of emotion and through miles of red tape and bureaucratic protocol. On the other side of the world--in the smog-choked city of Changsha in Hunan Province--a silent, stoic little girl was waiting for them: Jin Yu, their new daughter. Now they would have to learn how to fully embrace a life altered beyond recognition by new concerns and responsibilities--and by a love unlike any they'd ever felt before.

Alive with insight and feeling, China Ghosts is an eye-opening depiction of the foreign adoption process and a remarkable glimpse into a different culture. Most important, it is a poignant, heartfelt, and intensely intimate chronicle of the making of a family.

"I am Robert, but once I had another name. As an infant I was held and loved by two women, one who would give me up, and another who raised me and loved me more than life itself. I suppose I should consider myself blessed to have been loved by two mothers when most of us get only one, and some none." Who am I, where did I come from? Why do I feel lost, incomplete, and isolated? These questions haunted my for my entire life growing stronger as time passed by. I finally chose to find my answers and this is my story. It's about my methodology, how it changed me, and who I became at its final destination. Not Remembered Never Forgotten is an examination of the resolution of an adoptee's emotional memories and the search for the authentic self. Not knowing his name at birth, and barred by archaic secrecy laws that seal adoption records forever, the author searched back through fifty years of his past to find the truth that would redefine the essence of who he is.

A true love story that will touch your heart
~A soulful and heart-filled story that doesn't shy away from the often harsh, heartbreaking realities of adoption; a must for potential parents in preparation for the adoption process.~ Karen H, LSW former adoption counselor and hospice counselor
~It is an absolutely amazing weave of many facets of the adoption journey; raw, honest, and deeply touching. You truly have reached the 'soul'; of the adoption triad. I feel so privileged to be a part of your amazing story!~ Lori Teeter, BSW, Adoption Counselor
~This book offers real feelings and thoughts from an adoptee perspective, but it also offers serious feelings, challenges, questions, and the emotional ups and downs that anyone who is thinking about adopting goes through.~ Sharon Bumbarger, parent and fellow adopter.

As an adoptive parent, or someone considering adoption, you are making a leap of faith into a world of endless joys and challenges. A world of mystery and awe. A sacred world. When you adopt a child, hearts open. Deep feelings are stirred. Things happen that leave you shaking your head in wonder. Everyone is touched by something magical, something bigger than all of us. Many call it God. Others call it spirit, or the holy, or the divine. Others have no name for it, but they know it's present. This guided journal will help you capture and preserve everything about this wondrous time. Simple phrases will prompt you to remember, to record, and to savor your most important memories and experiences at every step along the way, leaving you with a treasured keepsake for you and your child. This book will serve as a perfect guide for any parent(s) adopting a child of any age, through a domestic or international adoption. It also serves as a valued gift for anyone at any stage of the adoption journey.

If you are thinking about fostering or adoption, this is a good book to start with. It doesn't offer beautiful pictures of waiting infants or angelic toddlers. Those, you can get from any agency. Instead, in fifty-two short chapters on different topics related to adoption and foster care, this book invites you to consider and prepare for realistic possibilities your agency may not think to mention. This book is written from the point of view of a foster and adoptive parent who has found the experience to be fulfilling, rewarding, gratifying, and exhausting! Each thought-provoking topic is illustrated with a poignant example from the author's life, and followed by worksheets on which the reader is challenged to provide his or her own perspectives in response. In the thirty years between 1977 and 2007, the author parented one birth son, two stepsons, three foster daughters, one foster son, and three adopted sons. Most of these young people presented with some combination of characteristics that put them in a category known as "special needs" or "hard to place." These characteristics included being older than five at the time of placement (the youngest was six and the oldest eighteen), being in a racial minority (one daughter and one son), and being part of a sibling group (the two youngest brothers). Their medical and psychiatric diagnoses include Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Major Depression, Physical Abuse, Manic Depression with Psychotic Episodes, Hemophilia that resulted in AIDS from a blood transfusion, Multiple Personality Disorder (now known as Disassociative Identity Disorder), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Addiction, Sexual Abuse, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Borderline Intellectual Functioning, Sociopathy, Hypertension, Failure to Thrive, Hearing Impairment, Rickets, and Polycystic Kidney Disease. Some of the stories are funny. Some are tragic. All are true.