Her memoir, Three Little Words, captivated audiences everywhere and went on to become a New York Times bestseller. Now Ashley reveals the nuances of life after foster care: College and its assorted hijinks, including meeting “the one.” Marriage, which began with a beautiful wedding on a boat that was almost hijacked (literally) by some biological family members. Having kids—from fostering children and the heartbreak of watching them return to destructive environments, to the miraculous joy of blending biological and adopted offspring.Whether she’s overcoming self-image issues, responding to calls for her to run for Senate, or dealing with continuing drama from her biological family, Ashley Rhodes-Courter never fails to impress or inspire with her authentic voice and uplifting message.

    Abandoned as an infant, she was taken in by an American woman living in China. Now eleven, Kara spends most of her time in their apartment, wondering why she and Mama cannot leave the city of Tianjin and go live with Daddy in Montana. Mama tells Kara to be content with what she has…but what if Kara secretly wants more? Told in lyrical, moving verse, Red Butterfly is the story of a girl learning to trust her own voice, discovering that love and family are limitless, and finding the wings she needs to reach new heights.

    Though they both have dwarfism, they have knocked down every obstacle they have encountered together with a positive, can-do attitude. The show has featured the lives of Jennifer (a respected neonatologist) and Bill (a successful entrepreneur) from their marriage in 2009, to the launch of their pet shop, to the adoption of their children, to Jen’s overcoming cancer.Now, for the first time Jen and Bill are letting readers into their private lives with behind-the-scenes, never-before-told stories about how they fell in love, what inspires them, and the passions that drive their success. Jen and Bill have a simple purpose in life: make the world a better place through encouragement and education. A must-have for fans of the show or anyone who has ever faced a difficult challenge, Life Is Short (No Pun Intended) gives readers a glance at what inspires these positive people to approach life with such optimism and share their lives with the public every day.

    A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it's Wolfie who's threatened, can Dot save the day?

    In her thirties, Jillian's most radical act is learning the steadying power of love when she and her rock star husband adopt an Ethiopian child with special needs.  After Jillian loses a close friend to drugs, she herself is saved by her fierce, bold love for her son as she fights to make him—and herself—feel safe and at home in the world.Exploring complex ideas of identity and reinvention, Everything You Ever Wanted is a must-read for everyone, especially every mother, who has ever hoped for a second act in life.“A punk rock Scheherazade” (Margaret Cho) shares the zigzagging path that took her from harem member to PTA member…

    She told Lori, “We all have two lives and we carry the maps of those lives with us. Our left hands mark the lives we’re born with. Our right hands mark the lives we make for ourselves.”Belief Is Its Own Kind of Truth, Maybe is a book about mapping those lives – the lives we are born with and the lives we are allowed – and lucky enough – to make for ourselves.Belief is part adoption narrative and part meditation on family, motherhood, nature vs. nurture, and what it means to make our own authentic human connections. It extends the possibilities of creative nonfiction at a time when many people are talking about what exactly truth-in-memoir means. The book’s patchwork form mirrors the fragmented experience of being an adoptee confronting — and trying to heal — her roots.Belief is the story of one woman’s search for her birth mother coupled with the parallel story of her own motherhood and her own re-making. It’s about what it means to be a mother, what it’s like to have two very different blood connections, and what it means to form a family.Belief is about searching for roots and what that means, exactly. It’s about finding a balance between the families we’re born into and the ones we make ourselves.

    But as the desire for a child grows, so do unexpected challenges. And it's only after thwarted plans and bitter disappointment that their deepest wish miraculously comes true.

    This collection, compiled by Korean adoptees, serves as a tribute to transracially adopted people sent all over the world. It has been hailed to be the first book to give Korean adoptees the opportunity to speak freely since the pioneering of intercountry adoption after the Korean War. If you were adopted, you are not alone. These stories validate the experiences of all those who have been ridiculed or outright abused, but have found the will to survive, thrive and share their tale. Adopted people all over the world are reclaiming the right to truth and access to birth documents. This book is a living testament on why previous "orphans" do not endorse the profitable Evangelical Orphan Movement. Those who work in the human rights field, whistleblowers, or adopted, will see the value of this book.After years of forced "positivity" led by the profiteers, it is time to be real. These are real stories from individuals no longer serving the adoption pioneers' fanciful wishes and advertising campaigns. Read this book before you pay adoption agency fees. These courageous narratives could save you tens of thousands of dollars or prevent you from obtaining a child unethically. Be the first to read these narratives and join the ever-expanding Adoption Truth and Transparency Worldwide Network. It's never too late to walk in awareness!

    An orphan boy is adopted by a childless couple. He grows up in a divided and war-weary Germany with the legacy of a hideous crime on his consience. More than fifty years later, his American daughter, Agnes, prepares to marry her Polish-American sweetheart. But when the wedding day comes, the father of the bride fails to appear and the groom storms away with a mysterious letter. In that moment, Agnes realizes that even half a century isn't long enough to extinguish the flames of war. Hoping to forge a peace between her father and her groom, Agnes ventures to Berlin, Munich, and ultimately Warsaw in search of answers only her father's estranged and ailing mother, Gertrude, can provide. But as Gertrude's health deteriorates, it becomes clear that she holds the key to a horrific secret that she is determined to take to her grave. To uncover the truth, Agnes must race against the silencing jaws of death through a tangled post-Communist bureaucracy, American embassies, Polish convents, Nazi legacies and the spectre of her own doubts. Agnes must decide how far she is willing to go, and if it's worth destroying her father and casting shame over the final days of the woman who raised him.

    Orphaned at birth and born with HIV during a time when just the mention of the immune disorder still scared many people, the precocious twelve-year-old never gives up hope. As Julie and Melissa begin anew life together, they don’t need anything or anyone, except each other. Peter is a middle aged Country Western singer who needs a little miracle in his life. His marriage is crumbling, his career waning and he has to be sobered up before every performance. After one last stint in rehab, he’s alone and lost. Until he meets Melissa and her foster mom. How can one young girl change so many lives? Meeting Melissa is a fun, sassy romance filled with first kisses and first true loves; a sweet mix of romantic interludes that will make you laugh and cry. Isn’t it time you met Melissa?

    The adoptive father of Jesus, he stood by his wife and raised her son—even when it appeared that she had betrayed him. Such is the love of adoption. But this love stands in stark contrast to what we see in our world today: on-demand abortion, unreported abuse, and widespread neglect.Adapted from Russell Moore’s influential book Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches, this short volume calls Christians to seriously consider adoption for their own families and thus take a stand for children—born and unborn.

    Rhonda M. Roorda elaborates significantly on that finding, specifically studying the effects of the adoption of black and biracial children by white parents. She incorporates diverse perspectives on transracial adoption by concerned black Americans of various ages, including those who lived through Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era. All her interviewees have been involved either personally or professionally in the lives of transracial adoptees, and they offer strategies for navigating systemic racial inequalities while affirming the importance of black communities in the lives of transracial adoptive families.In Their Voices is for parents, child-welfare providers, social workers, psychologists, educators, therapists, and adoptees from all backgrounds who seek clarity about this phenomenon. The author examines how social attitudes and federal policies concerning transracial adoption have changed over the last several decades. She also includes suggestions on how to revise transracial adoption policy to better reflect the needs of transracial adoptive families.Perhaps most important, In Their Voices is packed with advice for parents who are invested in nurturing a positive self-image in their adopted children of color and the crucial perspectives those parents should consider when raising their children. It offers adoptees of color encouragement in overcoming discrimination and explains why a "race-neutral" environment, maintained by so many white parents, is not ideal for adoptees or their families.

    Defying convention, Lorraine Dusky reunites with her daughter in the early Eighties when such reunions were rare, and in the process becomes a staunch advocate for reform of America's antiquated adoption system. Richly supplemented with 103 footnotes and sidebars. This follows Dusky's seminal memoir, Birthmark, the first to tell the story of relinquishing a child.

    With a meth addict for a mom and a drug dealer for a stepdad, Jesse spends most nights taking care of his sister, Pony. But when the cops arrest his mom for a mini-mart robbery gone wrong, Jesse hides his sister under a pile of dirty clothes and escapes through a window. In the morning, he finds his mom and stepdad have been arrested, and Pony is gone. And due to a botched drug deal, she may also be in danger.Scared, homeless, and desperate to find her, Jesse sets off on a trek that sends him from dusty rural back roads to the drug-infested streets of Los Angeles. He must dodge drug dealers, gangs, cops, and social workers as he searches to find Pony and ultimately, himself. A gritty story told from the point of view of those most affected by other’s actions. Those with the most to lose. Disillusioned by the institutions designed to help, Jesse is forced to become an adult, and does his best to protect his sister and their way of family. Sometimes without much success. Jesse is villain. Jesse is a hero. Jesse is a survivor. Chance encounters teach him not everyone is who they appear, there are reasons . . . and there are consequences for everything.

    Alternating between humor and heartbreak, she offers a glimpse into a life foreign to most: that of a West Point cadet and her return to South Korea, the country that had once sent her away. Soojung vividly paints a portrait of marriage, parenthood (as both a biological and adoptive mother) and the tumultuous emotions of reuniting, rediscovering, and reestablishing lost familial bonds. Ghost of Sangju is a story of one woman’s journey to merge her two selves, and the universal search for self-discovery, identity, and reconciliation.

    Despite his many positive attributes, Lloyd has reached the age of 32 years, seven months, four days, and six hours without finding Miss Right and converting her into Mrs. Lloyd Schifflebein. Yes, Schifflebein. A surname decidedly lacking romance in addition to being difficult to spell and way too long a signature for checks and the backs of credit cards. Supposing Miss Right is found and is willing to overlook the awkward appellation, there is one other impediment to wedded bliss. Lloyd devotes his whole life to his children. Children he doesn’t yet actually have, but he is working on it. He has been filing adoption applications all his adult life. This devotion to his as-yet-unadopted children leads many people to deduce that Lloyd Schifflebein is crazy. Big and strong, sure. Cute, maybe, but loony nonetheless. When Lloyd convinces the Social Worker From Hell that he really is good father-material, things are looking up. Soon Lloyd is the happy father of six, count ‘em, six special needs children and their six pet bunny rabbits. The Schifflebein household is a regular day at the circus. And they’ll be a forever family, provided they can get through a probationary period with surprise inspections at any time. Then things begin to go wrong. First, the Teapot arrives. The talking Teapot. The one that Lloyd is certain will get him labeled “insane” and remove all chance of finalizing the children’s adoptions. Simultaneously, Miss Right arrives and sweeps the entire Schifflebein family off their multiple feet – then reveals she is engaged to someone else. At the same time, dishonest political schemers threaten Lloyd’s new home business, and the same people contrive several false legal complaints against him. The social worker separates Lloyd from his children pending his day in court. And that turns out to be not only the day he must fight to keep his children, but also the day his business could fail if he’s not present to fulfill a contract, as well as the day Miss Right is going to marry the wrong guy. Lloyd definitely needs supernatural help – even if it comes in the form of a snarky talking Teapot.

    The story graphically blends our new century's domestic and global themes - race, country, family, identity, love, loss, joy, and redemption - set within a soul grabbing backdrop of international and interracial child adoption and a new, breathtaking American Dream, the story takes the reader on an unforgettable, inspirational journey beyond all expectations and experiences.

    Childs's creative writing students are expected to keep personal journals for self-expression. But when clues from a murder investigation cause police authorities to confiscate the students’ journals, writing intended to be private is no longer. Words meant to liberate now condemn. And an innocent writing project, meant to empower students, as well as rescue Mrs. Childs from her own personal tragedy, now open deep conflicts within the class. "A unique and richly interesting story of survival during some of the most complicated years of life; reminding us all about what is truly important." –The Book Stalker "The Other Side of Quiet has enough adventure and mystery to keep you turning pages, but also an underlying message of love and acceptance. This is a book that all teenagers, and parents should read. It will inspire you to believe in our youth, love them through their challenges, and leave you with a desire to be a better parent, teacher and friend." –Katie Millar Wirig, Founder of The Power of Family "I am a firm believer in classroom read alouds, alongside in-depth class discussions. This book is a perfect read aloud for middle grade and high school classrooms. Students in your classroom can learn from the students in Mrs. Childs’s classroom. The Other Side of Quiet brings up questions that students today should be asking and learning how to answer. This novel will help educators to discuss otherwise difficult concepts . . . and help students come out stronger with more understanding toward others." –Brittany Boman, former teacher, Alpine School District Venture Academy High School Creative Writing Students “The Other Side of Quiet is written with amazing craft. It portrays life and family situations that are not only relatable, but also intricately weaved into a story that will keep you reading until the very end.” – Alana, age 15 “Awesome book. Such a good read!” - Josh, age 15 “An intriguing novel that can teach anyone important lessons about life and family. Tara C. Allred builds character that feel real, and that many can relate to in more ways than one, and builds suspense with a thrilling murder mystery. Reading this novel you will laugh, cry, and find a certain peace in its ending.” – Berea, age 16

    Growing up poor in a rural village with a father who didn't believe in educating girls, against seemingly insurmountable odds Sister Abegail earned her nursing degree and began work as a community nurse and educator, dedicating her life to those in need. "Her story tells us," says Desmond Tutu, who wrote the foreword to the book, "what a single person can accomplish when heart and mind work together in the service of others."Overcoming poverty and racism within the apartheid South African system, she adopted her first child at a time when it was unheard of to do so. And then she did it again and again. In forty years she has taken in and cared for hundreds of children who had nothing, saving babies—many of them orphans whose parents died of AIDS—from hospitals that were ready to give up on them and let them die.Empty Hands describes the harshness of Ntleko's circumstances with wit and wisdom in direct, beautifully understated prose and will appeal not only to activists and aid workers, but to anyone who believes in the power of the human spirit to rise above suffering and find peace, joy, and purpose."Ntleko's story, which she tells in simple language, is inspiring and moving. She neither dwells in nor dramatizes the hardships she has faced, preferring instead to focus on 'fill[ing] her hands with love and then spend[ing] all that love until [her] hands are empty again.' A brief, genuine, heartfelt memoir of an awe-inspiring life."—Kirkus Reviews

    At fifteen, pregnant, betrayed, and heartbroken by the baby’s father, she’d made an agonizing decision that she lives with every day. But she’s made the best of things…until an unthinkable tragedy turns her life upside down and brings the ghosts of her past back to town. Officer Mike Donovan is happy to be back home in Redemption where he plans to raise his little girl. He’s also on a mission—to win back the only woman he’s ever loved. Back in high school, he broke her heart with a horrific ultimatum. If he can convince her to give him another chance, he’ll spend the rest of their lives proving they belong together. But when he discovers she’s been keeping an unimaginable secret, one that shifts his whole world on its axis, he questions everything he thought he knew about her…about them. EXCERPT: He strode purposefully toward their table, but stopped short when he caught the tail end of Marone’s last comment. “…and I was hoping we could give it another try. I’d love to take you out to dinner one night this week.” Sonofabitch. Mike waited with bated breath as Bernie looked down at her lap, a sure sign she was uncomfortable. A good sign, from Mike’s viewpoint. Though it didn’t mean she would turn the guy down either, and unwilling to take that chance, Mike cleared his throat. Loudly. Marone glanced over, a frown quirking his brow. “Hey, Mike. Something you need to talk to me about?” “Not you. I was hoping I could steal Bernadette away for a few minutes.” He met her gaze. “I think we should talk.” Panic darkened her eyes. “Is it Noah? Did something happen?” He nodded. Desperate times and all that. “I just need a few minutes. But if now isn’t a good time…” “We were kind of in the middle of something,” Marone pointed out, his words clipped as his annoyance started to show. Bernie touched his leg, setting Mike’s teeth on edge. “I’m sorry. Just give me a minute, please.” His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Sure. Think I’ll go pour myself another glass of lemonade. Can I get you anything?” “I’d love another glass as well, thanks.” “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” “Take your time,” Mike told him as he strode away. Bernie stood and watched him expectantly. “Well? What is it?” “I, uh, just wanted to apologize for yesterday.” Her brows rose. “For what, exactly?” “You know. The whole tip jar thing. I should have given it a few days, waited to see if the money turned up before calling you.” She stared at him, her exasperation clear. “And that’s it? You had me worried to death, dammit.” “Sorry. I just—” “You just overheard John asking me out on a date, and your macho pride couldn’t wait for my response, so you decided to kill the moment.” Damn if she didn’t hit the nail on the head. “Pffft. No.” She crossed her arms and pursed her lips. Those luscious, perfectly shaped lips. “Okay, maybe.

    Their stunning observation: "It was the least we could do!"

    Tim's new book, We Named Her Faith: How we became a gospel-centered family, contains the story of their life together before she came to live with them. Tim weaves stories of how he overcame the childhood trauma of having multiple birth defects, a difficult home life, and alcoholism with teaching about living a gospel-centered life. Michelle's life met with difficulties early on as she was born to teenage parents. Through these experiences, Tim shares their firm belief that God orchestrated His redemptive plan in their lives to prepare them to be Faith's parents. Not only does Tim write about the experiences leading up to Faith's adoption, he recounts the many amazing details surrounding Faith's birth and adoption and how God shaped and molded her life. As Faith grows, it is obvious that she has an overcoming attitude; she learns and grows in spite of her disability. The reader will leave this book inspired to live a gospel-centered life knowing God has everything in his hands no matter the struggle or adversity.

    It concerns an orphaned Roma child, Tomas, who is adopted by a Toronto couple. The traumatized boy is unresponsive to his new environment and withdraws into his own private world, but he comes out of his shell when he is reacquainted with the old and tattered violin he brought with him from Hungary, the only relic of his past life. A book about the love of music and the love of parent and child, it is also one of the few books that deal with the Roma community in Toronto.

    A family, comfortable and secure. A shaky step of faith. An unprecedented complication. A heartbreaking separation. An unyielding quest. A love story that is every Christian's story.Bringing Lucy Home shares the compelling drama of one family's relentless pursuit to bring hope into the life of an orphaned baby girl. In itself, this account would merely duplicate the narratives of other adoptive families. However, Jennifer Phillips' journey unexpectedly detoured into heartache, causing indefinite separation from her husband and three biological children.Her struggle with bureaucratic injustice will make you want to call a politician - and many did just that. Yet, in the end, it was not political or legal pressure that reunited this family. God's hand was at work, using every disappointment to teach a young mother about His unrelenting love.Join the thousands who have walked alongside Jennifer and Lucy as they tried to reunite with their family. Jennifer's humor and vulnerability will captivate your heart and transform her story into your story as your eyes are opened to deep gospel truths that are only unearthed in the soil of suffering.You were lost. You were pursued. You are worth whatever it costs to bring you home, for good.

    I would get married, have kids, and live happily ever after. However, life doesn't always follow the path we plan for ourselves." When Jill Murphy became pregnant at the age of seventeen, she was faced with some difficult decisions. Unsure of how to be the mother she knew her child deserved, Murphy chose adoption for her baby. Years later, after she married the man of her dreams, Murphy decided it was time to create the family she'd always imagined. The couple tried for years to get pregnant before being given the heartbreaking news that Murphy could no longer conceive. Her journey toward motherhood then took an unexpected turn: adoption. Murphy is a birthmother who has reconnected with the child she chose adoption for. She also is an adoptive mother who is forever grateful to the women who made the difficult decision to choose adoption for their own babies. Above all, she is part of a family that is even better than any she could have imagined as a little girl. "I am blessed, and this is my journey to motherhood.

    Although it has become a commonplace practice in the United States, we know very little about how or why it began, or how or why it developed into the practice that we see today.Arissa Oh argues that international adoption began in the aftermath of the Korean War. First established as an emergency measure through which to evacuate mixed-race "GI babies," it became a mechanism through which the Korean government exported its unwanted children: the poor, the disabled, or those lacking Korean fathers. Focusing on the legal, social, and political systems at work, this book shows how the growth of Korean adoption from the 1950s to the 1980s occurred within the context of the neocolonial U.S.-Korea relationship, and was facilitated by crucial congruencies in American and Korean racial thought, government policies, and nationalisms. It also argues that the international adoption industry played an important but unappreciated part in the so-called Korean "economic miracle."Korean adoption served as a kind of template as international adoption began, in the late 1960s, to expand to new sending and receiving countries. Ultimately, Oh demonstrates that although Korea was not the first place that Americans adopted from internationally, it was the place where organized, systematic international adoption was born.

    This anthology offers readers a diverse compilation of literature and artistry from a global community of adoptees. From playwrights to poets, filmmakers to photographers, essay writers to lyricists —all have joined together inside these pages to enlighten and educate. We encourage you to Flip through this book and discover what it truly means to Flip the Script! CONTRIBUTORS: TRACY AABEY-HAMMOND, KEVIN MINH ALLEN, LEIGHA BASINI, MI OK SONG BRUINING, NICOLE J. BURTON, ANNA CAVANAGH, LARRY CLOW, ELIZABETH COLE, LAURA COTTER, JOSHUA CROME, AMIRA ROSE DAVIS, APRIL DINWOODIE, MEI-MEI AKWAI ELLERMAN, PHD, CECILIA HEIMEE FLUMÉ, SHANNON GIBNEY, ROSITA GONZALÉZ, SARAH ELIZABETH GREER, LYNN GRUBB, SUSAN HARRIS O’CONNOR, MSW, JODI HAYWOOD, MEGGIN NAM HOLTZ, SUSAN ITO, SOOJUNG JO, CATHERINE A. JOHNSTON, MELISSA DAE SOOK KIM, MILA C. KONOMOS, ADEL KSK, LUCY CHAU LAI-TUEN, WENDY M. LAYBOURN, KATIE HAE LEO, STEPHEN DAVID LUKESON, JAMIE LYNN, M.C. MALTEMPO, KIMBERLY MCKEE, PHD, GRACE NEWTON, KAYE PEARSE, ZARA PHILLIPS, MATTHEW SALESSES, CHRISTINE SATORY, LIZ SEMONS, BEATA SKONECKI, LMSW, JOE SOLL, LCSW, JULIE STROMBERG, ANNEGHEM WALL, DARYN WATSON, DIANE WHEATON, CHRISTOPHER WILSON

     When Andrew and DJ decided to adopt and bring a child into their lives, little did they know what they were about to endure; yet never did the thought cross their minds to give up. The horrific, pitilessly, and beyond comprehensible hoops one woman would make them jump through demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that little Amelia was going to be much better off in the loving home that Drew and DJ could provide her. Just when you think, how can two people survive such a nightmare and the journey is just about over when little Amelia is born and will be safely in the arms of her loving dads, Sandi decides to pull one more shenanigan that could change their lives forever. More than 10 million adults have been adopted or fostered in their childhood. Along with spiraling increases in adoptions comes a growing need to disclose the significant flaws in adoption laws that open the doors to fraud, manipulation, and abuse of the system. AMELIA is the first book to explore this dark side of the adoption process through the true story of one couple’s journey through hell. Called “the most difficult adoption in U.S. history” by adoption experts, the book appeals to nearly all families (traditional and non-traditional) interested in adoption, foster parenting, or surrogacy. An amazing book filled with tips, advice, and eye-opening first-hand accounts, this is one feel-good story that serves an important purpose and fills a critical gap in adoption literature. – D. J. Herda Keywords – Gay, Dads, Adoption, Horrific, Nightmare, Child, DFS, Adopt, Advice, How To, Relationship, LGBT

    As she was taken from me I knew I might never see my daughter again. 38 years later… ‘You were adopted’. Three short words and Sabina’s life fractures. There would forever be a Before those words, and an After. Pregnant with her own child, Sabina can’t understand how a mother could abandon her daughter, or why her parents have kept the past a secret. Determined to find the woman who gave her away, what she discovers will change everything, not just for Sabina, but for the women who have loved her all these years. From the bestselling author of Me Without You comes another touching, beautifully told story about the pain of separation and the enduring strength of love.

    Now! Please, let me see him.” The nurse reluctantly handed the infant to the mother. She held her baby for just a moment, kissed his forehead and whispered “Someday I’ll see you again,” before the nurse whisked him away. It was 1969 and when eighteen year old Lisa discovered she was pregnant, she knew she was in trouble. She was white. The father was black. Civil rights had not yet reached the hearts and souls of Middle America, especially not as far as Lisa’s family were concerned. She made the heartbreaking decision to relinquish her bi-racial child for adoption. How she survives and ultimately reunites with her son is told in this book. White Lady, Black Sons: a memoir of adoption, abuse and awakening is debut author Lisa Richesson’s riveting memoir of loss, sorrow and survival while she never gave up hope of being reunited with the son she’d given up. Her story will bring both tears and laughter as she learns to believe in the human spirit and the will to love.

    Now he’s back in Riddle and some people think he got off easy. Others, including long time friend Norma, think he was railroaded because he’s the only Native American in town. Grace Donahue is running away from her past. Trapped in Riddle until her car is repaired she develops a friendship with Kort. Suddenly accidents are happening and people are dying. Is Kort adding to his list of victim’s or has someone else taken the reins? As mysteries from the past rise to the surface, more questions will be raised. The suspect file grows as victim’s fall. Is Desiree’s killer back for more or is someone trying to avenge her death? The riddle of Riddle will be solved, but how many bodies will it take to find the answers?

    Usually, his younger brother, Rudy, is the scaredy-cat, but for the first time in his life, Cyrus is terrified. He’s lived at 637 Petunia Boulevard since he came to live with his adoptive mom and dad at two months old. Won’t he go hurtling into outer space without these four familiar walls to hold him in? Luckily, Cyrus has a few sneaky tricks up his sleeve to stop this moving business before it even gets started.

    30 adoptee authors provide support, encouragement and understanding to other adoptees in facing the complexities of being adopted, embarking on search and reunion, fighting for equal access to identifying information, navigating complex family relationships with the latest technology, and surviving it all with a sense of humor.

    If you, as a very small child, were removed from the only culture and constant you knew, how would you feel? If you, as a child, knew nothing of your past, would that be even worse? If you, as a child, were forced to live with a monster, how would you survive? Charlie is orphaned after his entire Romany family perish in an accident. He is forced to change his name and beliefs by his adoptive parents. He finds an ally in a foundling, named Poppy -- and after years of neglect and abuse, they hatch a plan to reclaim their lives. This harrowing story is testament to a child's strength of will - and their ability to survive and to love.

    With nobody to care for them, the workhouse looms and the threat of being torn apart becomes painfully real. The promise of a good home together eases their fears, but it is a promise that is destined to be broken. After being separated from Simon, fate delivers Oliver to the Pritchard farm, where Liza Pritchard, a woman struggling with her own fractured and afflicted life, sees in Oliver the family she so desperately wants. But Oliver has to contend with her husband, an angry and violent man, and he can't see past the terrible life he has been thrust into. Both Oliver and Liza have much to learn about faith and forgiveness, and together they embark on an emotional journey that will change each of them forever.

    Each year, thousands of orphans graduate the system into a life of struggle - poverty, addiction, incarceration...as the Church stands idly by. God's word speaks clearly and decisively on the matter leading to one exacting question - where exactly is your heart? From the pages of Scripture, Bradford Smith issues a surprising call, challenging God's people to take action, to open their eyes to the affliction, to hear the cry of the orphan and to respond. No Higher Call will absolutely destroy any preconceived notions you may have. Shocking, in your face, gut-wrenching - this book will pierce your heart. Absolutely DO NOT read it unless you are prepared for the bitterest of truths, the sweetest of graces, and the reminder that...there is No Higher Call.

    LIke the other titles in the Storyweaver series, this book highlights some of the difficult and complex physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles of children who have been neglected and abandoned,  but makes these struggles understandable and relatable to any reader. Readers will find themselves motivated to care about and to act in others' lives, and to follow God's guidance in answering such questions as: • Who will I follow? • How can I know? • How do I pray? • Who will I serve? • What can I give? • Where can I go?

    But, when Roo is asked to sit still, be quiet and keep his hands to himself at school he runs into some not-so-fun trouble. Discover how Roo's teachers find creative solutions to helping Roo succeed in an environment that was not built for his energetic level of exploration. Reading The Redo Roo will help you and your child replace, time-outs, lectures and consequences with the "redo" parenting technique and help empower you to succeed. This story is one of eight children's books written by Cindy R. Lee and is designed to teach concepts developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross at the Institute of Child Development. Proceeds are being donated to HALO Project and the Institute of Child Development.

    Nearly thirty years later, she met her birthmother who had spent the time since McCaffrey’s birth working at that same hospital, in that same ward—labor and delivery—wondering what had become of the baby she had long ago named Anne Marie.But something else occurred shortly after McCaffrey’s birth. Her birthmother married her birthfather. And together they had four more children, giving McCaffrey an entire biological family she didn’t know existed. A family that owned a biker bar. A family that karaoked together. A family that gave each other guns at Christmas. A family that she had virtually nothing in common with. YOU BELONG TO US tells the story of McCaffrey’s attempt to connect and find common ground across that span of years as well as class and educational lines. The book follows more than a decade in the lives of her unconventional family and asks the question that lies at the heart of adoption: Do we belong to the people with whom we share our blood? Or do we belong to those who raise us?

    He breaks his toys, has difficulty with personal space, and has an energy level that idles on high! Dex deeply desires to play with a family of baby birds, but his request is denied until he can learn to be gentle and kind. Join this misunderstood dragon as he creatively learns how to have a gentle touch. It's Tough to Be Gentle: A Dragon's Tale, helps children understand the gentle and kind concept and the Teaching Tips for Parents provides parents with information on how they can empathize with a child similar to Dex. It's Tough to Be Gentle: A Dragon's Tale is one of eight children's books designed to teach Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI (R)) principles developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross at the Institute of Child Development. Other titles by Cindy R. Lee include: Baby Owl Lost Her Whoo & Doggie Doesn't Know "No!" Proceeds from the books are being donated to HALO Project OKC and the Institute of Child Development.

    Moving through the orphanage that day, Emma found, in the darkened corner, an emaciated and dying baby girl. Struggling for life, her big brown eyes seemed to be pleading, "Please! Will you help me?"Emma ran to her dad, Dwight, calling, "Daddy! Daddy! Come quick! This baby! She's dying! We have to do something!"Following Emma to the darkened corner of the room, he was stunned at what he found, words inadequate to describe. Emaciated. Mere skin draped over her protruding bones. Her sweet head much larger than her boney exposed limbs. He gasped. ‘Dying’ is the only word that really could describe her. And at that divinely God-orchestrated moment, Almighty God broke his heart for her. One baby girl, but a picture perfect representative of the millions and millions of orphans globally needing someone to desperately care about them. Emma and Dwight learned that day that this baby girl was actually just over a year old and she weighed barely six pounds. She was truly dying!

    Here, among other adventures, parents fall hopelessly in love with newborns, secretly fear having made huge mistakes, race to finish birthing at home before the paramedics arrive, struggle with the bureaucracy of international adoption, despair of ever getting a one-year-old to nap, are nearly broken by colic, encounter other judgmental parents in birthing class, learn how to parent children with special needs, and more. Together, these thoughtful, searing, often hilarious essays map the grand (and sometimes terrifying) journey that begins with each new life.

    A few years after adopting her son and daughter from China, Johanna Garton and her husband took them back to the land of their birth - leaving the only lives she and her family knew for the adventure of a lifetime.

    Margo doesn’t look like her Momma, and Margo doesn’t look like her Daddy…Follow along as a young girl searches for her place in the world and discovers what really makes a family.

    This left him sad and confused. He began to be disrespectful to all those around him because his heart was filled with hurt. In this tender book, Penguin goes in search of a pet to love and love him back. He befriends a beautiful fish who takes him on a journey of healing as he discovers what it means to show respect to himself and others. Penguin and the Fine-Looking Fish will help teach your children the importance of showing respect and gets to the heart of why this concept is vital to engaging in healthy relationships. This story is one of eight children's books written by Cindy R. Lee and is designed to teach concepts developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross at the Institute of Child Development. Proceeds are being donated to HALO Project and the Institute of Child Development.

    Their prize - a baby boy. Only the ragtag band of crimefighters known as the Demon's Watch can rescue the child. But first they must unmask the mysterious criminal behind the kidnapping...Who is the Crooked Imp?

    In Defense of the Fatherless will challenge you, inform you and bring you to a deeper understanding of the issues faced around international adoption.

    Thinking of or in the process of adopting? This is THE must-have book!Ever wonder what adoption professionals are really looking for? Go behind the scenes and get the story straight from an insider with answers to the questions you REALLY want to know, like How deep will they look into my past? Who will make a judgement about my suitability to parent? Who makes the final decisions, and how will those decisions be made? Am I even eligible? Glimpse into the world of adoption from the other side of the desk and get the answers to the questions you would love to ask!

    

    Koral and her husband Ken managed to cope with the challenges of making an interracial adoptive family. Strangers ask their children if they speak English, know their birth parents, and realize how lucky they are to live in America. They watch as those children move from happy to confused and angry, rebel, and make terrifying choices. Laughter leaves and fear is a constant companion. How will the family survive? Will the family survive?Equal parts heart-wrenching and uplifting, The Year The Trees Didn’t Die tells of loss on every level imaginable: loss of identity, loss of control, and of a mother who promised to “exchange loss for love…” Unflinching in its honesty and rawness, it is a haunting and remarkable story that is unforgettable.

    Featuring character sheets, superpower quizzes, and even instructions for a Cthulhu sock puppet, this book inspires you to record the memories that truly matter in a 0-level human's life. Complete with wisdom from today's most popular geeks, each interactive page encourages you to create a unique snapshot of your baby's first years--one that the whole family will love when the little geek-in-training levels up.From his first viewing of Star Wars (Episodes IV, V, and VI only!) to the first time she rolled a natural 20, The Geek Baby Book helps you keep track of every sidekick, quest, and victory in your geekling's life.

    Soon the child is reassured that her mom is real and will hold her forever. A touching story about the beauty of adoption and the warmth of a mother's love is told through charming watercolor illustrations and clear, simple text that even the youngest child can understand. Notes from the author include suggestions on how to talk to children about adoption.