Book picks similar to
Fiona: Forever? by Erinn Uher


middle-grade
trauma-informed-care
adoption
family-read-alouds

The Mother's Bond: A heartbreaking page turner from one of the nation's best-loved celebrities


Denise Welch - 2018
    But these days she barely notices the little daily lies she tells to keep it hidden. She has a new identity now. All she wants is an orderly, predictable life that revolves around her beloved husband and children. Kathryn was once Kelly, a girl who lived on one of the roughest estates in the north and got pregnant as a teen. When she moved away, she left the past behind. Now there's a stranger in her kitchen, and he knows more about her than he is letting on. What does he want? Has he come for help or is he planning to wreck her life?Will Kathryn finally have to admit to her family that she isn't who they think she is?

49 Questions to Annoy Your Parents (The 49... Series)


James Warwood - 2015
    Parents getting on your nerves… again?... Need some verbal ammunition?… Here's 49 (extremely silly) questions to annoy your parents.Join the hilarious adventure of these naughty kids who will ask absolutely anything to make their parents blood boil. With an illustration for each haphazard attempt you're guaranteed to laugh, smirk, and chuckle for hours.Disclaimer: reading this eBook will definitely get you into trouble! (So if your parents ask where you heard these questions you didn’t hear them for me).Recommended Age: 7+

My Crazy Life (Nina the Friendly Vampire #1)


Katrina Kahler - 2018
    What are Glitters? Well obviously they glitter and they cause havoc and chaos among the humans. Why have you never heard of Glitters...well that's because only vampires can see them. And let's face it, you can't fight something that you are unaware of! But you've probably seen the results of Glitters on humans, they like to make humans do silly and naughty things. Why does a baby eat its own poop? Yes, Glitters! Why do teenagers dye their hair several colours when they know it is banned at school? Hmmm...Glitters again. Nina and her handsome (but naive brother) Frank meet up with some cool kids at their new school. Nina is particularly interested in a great-looking boy called Jimmy. Not only is he very handsome, but he also has a great personality and Nina and Jimmy immediately fall for each other. But that is where the moms get in the way. You see, Jimmy's family come from a long line of vampire hunters! Read this great adventure story to find out if the two teens can overcome their inherited differences and if the Glitters can be found and destroyed. If you liked Super Girl and Girl Power, you'll love this book. Perfect for boys and girls aged 9-12.

When love is not enough


Cherry Willoughby - 2012
    How devastatingly and terrifyingly wrong she was.Her entire world was about to be broken apart in more ways than she could ever have imagined.Who could she turn to, and more importantly, who would listen?

Like Rain on a Dry Place: A Birth Mother's Story


Wendy Salisbury Howe - 2016
    What is it like? It is the best gift you can ever imagine, like rain falling on a dry place.This memoir is a great reunion journey, from Paris, to California, to Denmark! A coming together of a mother and son, the only two people who can answer all the questions the other one has.

Horses Of The Rain (The Outback Riders Book 4)


Leanne Owens - 2019
    The peace is fractured by the brewing storms, and hot days end with lightning in the distance as the monsoonal band heads their way, bringing record floods. There are personal storms, as well, with Dane struggling with depression as his family and friends seek to help, and Amy desperate to discover if her father is still alive. When the record rains arrive, their part of the outback becomes an inland sea, and a neighbor's horses and cattle are doomed to drown unless the outback riders saddle up and risk their lives to save them. Horses of the Rain is the fourth in The Outback Riders series, and the teens are a bit older and facing problems that many teens need to overcome. They are falling in love, making plans for the future, and finding their way through life. Polo, the rock star, returns to ride with them, and the Min Min lights continue to watch over them. Leanne Owens lived in the outback for many years and saw the Min Min lights, she teaches high school students, and has won dozens of national titles with her horses - so The Outback Riders is the perfect 'write what you know' series as she knows the outback, teenagers, and horses. This version has U.S. spelling.

Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance: Collection Books 6-10


Katrina Cope - 2020
    With this power, she has a better chance to protect her friends and allies. Except, her magic has captured the dark elves' attention, and when they attack Asgard, they make the fight personal endangering her friends' lives.Desperate for help and answers, Kara discovers the elusive Loki proves harder to track down than expected. He has promised aid but fails to intervene.Enemies turn allies, and allies become enemies. Kara must decipher who is on her side before it's too late. No one is safe, not even the dragons.The dragon rider, twisted Norse tale you won't want to miss, continues. In this collection, the intensity increases. Hang onto your seat for nail-biting suspense, exhilarating adventures, entertaining dragons, and epic battles. The mischievous Loki will never cease to amaze, and with the help of her dragon, the beloved wingless Valkyrie, Kara, must rise from underdog to champion to save Asgard from Ragnarok.The omnibus edition of Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance contains books 6-10:AmbushedWarnedAbductedBesiegedDeceived

Chasing Kites: One Mother's Unexpected Journey Through Infertility, Adoption, and Foster Care


Rachel McCracken - 2017
     Rachel McCracken gets the heartache and the sorrow of the desolate valley called Infertility. She gets the dedication and work that it takes to blend a family. She gets the commitment and purpose needed to help children rise from the ashes of abandonment and fear. For anyone who wonders: What is an orphanage really like? Can you really bond with an adopted or foster child? What is it like to lose a child who is reunified with their birth parent? Can you love an adopted or foster child as much as a biological child? How about fertility treatments, are they actually that bad? Why don’t people just adopt? What’s the big deal?​ Chasing Kites answers all of these questions and more. Going from zero to four adopted children through a Colombian orphanage and then from four to seven through the US Foster Care System, Rachel writes a masterful memoir of the good, the bad, and the beautiful with purpose-driven life lessons learned from each. If you have ever experienced loss, grief, or heartache this book is for you. If you are struggling to create a family or to blend a family this book is for you. If you are trying to support someone you love through any of these things, this book is for you. Lose yourself in this delicious tale of love both lost and found.

Love You From Right Here: A Keepsake Book for Children in Foster Care


Jamie Sandefer - 2017
    It highlights the highs and lows, but most importantly, it emphasizes the stability and comfort that the child so desperately needs. It also serves as a keepsake book providing a section for journaling about the child’s time in the foster home. This gives foster families an opportunity to give the child a piece of their history when they leave.

Married To A Haitian Mob Boss


Natisha Raynor - 2018
    During a trip to Miami to visit her cousin, Shayla, she falls in love right away with the city as well as her cousin’s lavish lifestyle and is set on working hard so she can share in the life of luxury along with her child. When Shayla hints to Emiko that she should try to snag Adair, the infamous leader of the Haitian Murder Mafia, she rejects the advice even though Adair is the sexiest and most thrilling man she’s ever seen. But then her luck takes a tragic turn, yielding one disaster after another and she finds herself in a place where Adair is the only one by her side, literally keeping her alive. In the midst of a drug war with the Dominicans, Adair has some tough decisions to make when Emiko changes into a woman far different from the one she was when they first met. The struggles of a hard life have made her heart cold and turned her into a savage but his addiction to her just won’t allow him to let her go. With the streets calling his name and Emiko pulling at his heart, will Adair be able to maintain control of his empire and be there for the woman he loves? Or will he lose out on one, or both, while struggling to have it all?

The Diary of Janie Ray - Books 6 & 7!


Lila Segal - 2015
    can she? What Do People Wear in the Future, Anyway: Janie gets word that the future is in serious trouble. People have all kinds of cool apps and gadgets that let them read minds and crazy stuff like that - but the people that took her medallion have taken control, and history has gotten way off track. To make matters worse, everyone seems convinced that only Janie can figure out how to get things back to normal. Which she finds pretty, um, ridiculous. Janie doesn't feel like the genius everyone seems to think she is. And if the fate of the world rests on the shoulders of an eleven year old girl, things must be even worse than she thought! Join Janie, Sheila and ....[ahem, no spoilers!] as they try, once again, to save the day.

Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen


Louise Lintvelt - 2013
    In diary of a dancing drama queen Harriet has to face the embarrassment of a dance class after her mother enrols her and her sister at Madam Zangara’s School of Dance. She is not exactly the best dancer in the world and when the most popular girl in school, Melanie joins the dance class, it marks the start of a fun filled adventure that includes a birthday party, a talent show and a school dance. Will she get asked to the dance by her biggest crush, Oliver Russell? This funny book is sure to be a hit with 8-12 year old girls.

Meant to Be: Embracing my Plan B and finding a different path to family


Lisa Faulkner - 2019
    But, in the months and years that followed, she discovered that there was more than one way to build a family – and that there is a lot of joy to be found in life’s unexpected detours.In a raw and inspiring story of one woman’s journey through motherhood, family life and self-discovery, Lisa explores the many forms that family can take, and discovers the power of embracing your Plan B. For anyone who has ever found themselves facing the unexpected in life – whether that’s infertility, adoption, grief or any other personal challenge – this is an uplifting and honest account of finding love in unexpected places, and building your life on your own terms.

Hello, I Love You: Adventures in Adoptive Fatherhood


Ted Kluck - 2010
    Repeatedly. In this humorous and honest memoir, Ted Kluck—father, writer, and sports fan—details his adoption of his two sons from Ukraine. While not always self-flattering, his complaints and struggles will provoke laughter, some fear, and self-examination.In the first part of his memoir, Ted reveals the chaos the Kluck’s first international adoption, the adoption of his son Tristan. He includes stories of:Loads of paperwork, inspections, and prayer in the United StatesTraveling to Ukraine with tens of thousands of dollars in cash tucked in his beltUnexpected waitsConsuming uncountable numbers of Snickers bars and sodaSickness while still in UkraineLetters written to his soon-to-be sonGod’s unending faithfulness and reflections on His adoption of believersIn the second part of his memoir—the story of Kluck’s second international adoption—new struggles arise, causing Ted to process with his readers:Infertility—in a church full of pregnant women and large familiesStruggling in silenceTravel, againMissing the comfort of the United StatesA small amount of electrocution—the result of foreign electrical engineeringSpiritual depression and struggle to provide for his familyComplaint and trusting that God’s provision is sufficientThe blessing of the body of ChristIn each section of Ted’s memoir, you will feel deeply, laugh out loud, and learn. Whether you’re an adoptive parent, seeking to be an adoptive parent, or unmarried, you will enjoy and appreciate Ted’s humorous and honest stories of his adventures in adoptive fatherhood.“While Hello, I Love You is about the stories of two adoptions,in reality, the stories serve to show the trustworthiness of God despite impossible circumstances and the need to find contentment in his providential care.”-Book review by John Starke on The Gospel Coalition An Excerpt from the Book’s Introduction:            This book began as a journal—some spiral-bound notebooks that came with me to Ukraine the first time, and which contained letters that I wrote to Tristan during the experience. In the first half of the book, it reads like I’m addressing Tristan directly, while the second half is a more straightforward narrative of Dima’s adoption. They’re both love letters to my boys, and the whole thing is a love letter to Kristin, my wife.            You’ll also notice lots of frank, often sarcastic prose about cultural differences—usually with the author as the punch line, as it was my inability to deal with these differences that provided a lot of humor (in retrospect) and anger (at the time).            There’s also some tough content regarding infertility. If this is something you’ve struggled with in your marriage, I hope this chapter encourages you, and I hope you feel less alone in your struggle. If you’ve been blessed with biological children, please don’t feel guilty for having them, or in any way judged or made fun of by the observations in that chapter (see also: It not being you, but me).            Finally, the book contains lots of stories of God’s faithfulness—stories that we thought were too meaningful not to be told. Little “piles of stones” along the way that remind us of God’s goodness, love, and faithfulness. We hope that you’ll read them and not only be entertained, but be motivated to think of Christ and our adoption as His sons and daughters. It is only the love of Christ, and our hope in Him, that got us through the first, the most difficult adoption in the history of our agency’s work with Ukraine, then infertility, and finally a second adoption. And it was these adoptions, more than any other events or events in our lives, that truly taught us to find our peace, comfort, and identity in Christ.

I'm 13 Years Old And I Changed The World


D.K. Brantley - 2018
    He's got to find a cure. That’s right—Adam's 13 years old, and he's about to change the world.From the Publisher: The follow-up to D.K. Brantley’s I’m 12 Years Old And I Saved The World, this book tackles the difficult topics of childhood cancer, dealing with death, and battling addiction. I’m 13 Years Old And I Changed The World is an open admission that bad things happen to good people. And while you often can’t fix the bad situation, you can make it better if you’re willing to be a friend.We hope this book comforts those who are dealing with childhood cancer, death, or addiction and increases empathy for all.