If you've been looking to expand your library to include books relevant to foster care, adoption, kinship care, trauma, diagnoses, or behaviors, we hope this list is helpful to you!

Additionally, if you plan to share these books with any children or teens in your care, please make sure you have read them first. It's important to ensure that they are appropriate for your family's unique experience and that you are prepared for any potential triggers or questions that may arise - not all books will be good fits for all people!

Note: Books are listed alphabetically and not organized by topic, however they are broken down into the following sections: Children's Picture Books, Children's Chapter Books, and Books for Teens/Older Youth and Caregivers.

If there are any books that you love that aren't on this list that you think other families would benefit from, please send recommendations to FCNPWebUpdates@JudsonCenter.org!

Children's Picture Books

And That's Why She's My Mama by Tiarra Nazario
"Affirmations build confidence and positive foundations for little ones. What is a Mama? A mama is someone who is always there for you. She makes you your favorite food, takes you to the park, and kisses your boo-boos better. Some mamas didn't hold you in their belly, but they will forever hold you in their hearts. Mamas come in all different shapes, colors, and ages, but they all have one thing in common. They love you!"

A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M Holmes
"Sherman Smith saw the most terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but something inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous and had bad dreams. Then he met someone who helped him talk about the terrible thing, and made him feel better."

Families Change: A Book for Children Experiencing Termination of Parental Rights by Julie Nelson
"All families change over time. Sometimes a baby is born, or a grown-up gets married. And sometimes a child gets a new foster parent or a new adopted mom or dad. Children need to know that when this happens, it’s not their fault. They need to understand that they can remember and value their birth family and love their new family, too. Straightforward words and full-color illustrations offer hope and support for children facing or experiencing change. Includes resources and information for birth parents, foster parents, social workers, counselors, and teachers."

Foster Care by Julia Cook
"In this heartfelt story from the bestselling author of My Mouth is a Volcano!, Foster meets new friends and a kind foster mom who help him navigate the fears and feelings associated with going into foster care. Foster has lived with his mom and 'sometimes dad' all of his life...until now. And like so many others entering care, he has more questions than answers and so many new feelings to deal with. Written in an honest, approachable way, Foster Care will encourage children entering or already in foster care and help them understand they are not alone. Foster, Daisy, Zeke, Simpson, and Rex all have different circumstances which brought them to foster care. Together they talk through their stories and realize this is right where they need to be for now; under the caring watch of foster mom, Miss Beulah."

I Said No! by Kimberly King
"Helping kids set healthy boundaries for their private parts can be a daunting and awkward task for parents, counselors and educators. Written from a kid's point of view, I Said No! makes this task a lot easier. To help Zack cope with a real-life experience he had with a friend, he and his mom wrote a book to help prepare other kids to deal with a range of problematic situations. I Said No! uses kid-friendly language and illustrations to help parents and concerned adults give kids guidance they can understand, practice and use."

Love You from Right Here by Jamie Sandefer
"The Second Edition of Love You From Right Here is a children’s book for children in foster care. Featuring a diverse representation of characters including men, women, boys, and girls, it is written from the perspective of the foster parent to the child in foster care. This book takes you through an abbreviated look at the emotions a young child experiences throughout their transition to a new foster home. The message to the child is that while they are in that home, they will be safe and loved. Love You From Right Here also serves as a keepsake book, with a journaling section containing writing prompts and places for photos and notes. Since children in foster care move an average of seven times in their lives, the keepsake section of this book gives foster families an opportunity to provide the child with a piece of their history if they leave."

Maybe Days by Jennifer Wilgocki
"For many children in foster care, the answer to many questions is often maybe. Maybe Days is a straightforward look at the issues of foster care, the questions that children ask, and the feelings that they confront. A primer for children going into foster care, the book also explains in children's terms the responsibilities of everyone involved - parents, social workers, lawyers and judges. As for the children themselves, their job is to be a kid - and there's no maybe about that."

Monty's Day in Court by Jessica Miles
"This story is told from the perspective of Monty, a young boy who is subpoenaed to testify in court. We follow his journey from being abused by his father to standing up in court and being heard."

Murphy's Three Homes by Jan Levinson Gilman
"Murphy, a Tibetan Terrier puppy, is told he is a 'good luck dog' - he is cheerful, happy, and loves to play and wag his tail. However, after going through two different homes and an animal shelter, Murphy starts to feel like a 'bad luck dog' who nobody wants."

No Matter What by Josh Shipp
"Josh was a squirrel without a squirrel family, so other families tried to take him in. Between the pelicans, the leopards, the otters, the snakes, and many more, no one seemed to want a squirrel like him. Josh didn't want a family, either. He did everything he could to scare those families away first, but the elephants weren't like other families. The elephants were very large and very patient, and they wanted Josh to be a part of their family today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. When Josh takes his plans a little to far and gets into a sticky situation, will Josh finally be convinced that this family is his? From award-winning motivational speaker and best-selling author Josh Shipp comes a mostly autobiographical tale about finding home."

Once I Was Very Scared by Chandra Ghosh Ippen
"This story was written to help children and grown-ups (parents, teachers, and other important adults) understand how stress can affect children and ways to help them. In the story, lots of little animals went through scary experiences, but they react in different ways. Turtle hides and gets a tummy ache, monkey clings, dog barks, and elephant doesn't like to talk about it. They need help, and they get help from grown-ups who help them feel safe and learn ways to cope with difficult feelings."

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
"Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have declared The Invisible String the perfect tool for coping with all kinds of separation anxiety, loss, and grief. In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they're all connected by an invisible string. 'That's impossible!' the children insist, but still they want to know more: 'What kind of string?' The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach? Does it ever go away? This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love. Recommended and adopted by parenting blogs, bereavement support groups, hospice centers, foster care and social service agencies, military library services, church groups, and educators, The Invisible String offers a very simple approach to overcoming loneliness, separation, or loss with an imaginative twist that children easily understand and embrace."

Children's Chapter Books

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
"Joey Pigza's got heart, he's got a mom who loves him, and he's got "dud meds," which is what he calls the Ritalin pills that are supposed to even out his wild mood swings. Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. He learns the hard way that he shouldn't stick his finger in the pencil sharpener, or swallow his house key, or run with scissors. Joey ends up bouncing around a lot - and eventually he bounces himself all the way downtown, into the district special-ed program, which could be the end of the line. As Joey knows, if he keeps making bad choices, he could just fall between the cracks for good. But he is determined not to let that happen."

Books for Teens/Older Youth and Caregivers

A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer
"This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."
Recommended by one of our trainers!

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway
"Being the middle child has its ups and downs. But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including—Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she’s quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family’s long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can’t help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs. And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he’s learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can’t hurt anyone but him."

From Fear to Love: Your Essential Guide to Parenting Adopted and Foster Children by Bryan Post
"Bryan Post speaks to parents about the challenges they face when dealing with behaviors that are often present for adopted children. He helps parents understand the impact of early life trauma and the impact of interruptions in the attachment process. Bryan’s straightforward, clear-cut approach has created peace and healing for hundreds of families; families who once operated in fear are now experiencing love."
Recommended by one of our trainers!

Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat the Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness, and Love by Alexis and Justin Black
In a stark and wholehearted true story that shares how two individuals on separate paths found each other, Alexis and Justin merge their course into one full of hope and purpose. And hand-in-hand, with a desire to help others, they learned to reject the abusive patterns of their past, thereby intentionally breaking the cycle of generational violence and unhealthy behaviors. 
Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness and Love is a page-turning memoir that will open your eyes to possibilities and dreams. If you like honest tales of triumph, refreshing transparency, and resilient faith in God, then you’ll adore Justin and Alexis’ inspirational story.

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
"Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives."
Recommended by one of our trainers!

The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris, M.D.
"Dr. Nadine Burke Harris was already known as a crusading physician delivering targeted care to vulnerable children. But it was Diego — a boy who had stopped growing after a sexual assault — who galvanized her journey to uncover the connections between toxic stress and lifelong illnesses. The stunning news of Burke Harris’s research is just how deeply our bodies can be imprinted by ACEs—adverse childhood experiences like abuse, neglect, parental addiction, mental illness, and divorce. Childhood adversity changes our biological systems, and lasts a lifetime.  For anyone who has faced a difficult childhood, or who cares about the millions of children who do, the fascinating scientific insight and innovative, acclaimed health interventions in The Deepest Well represent vitally important hope for preventing lifelong illness for those we love and for generations to come."

The Foster Parenting Toolbox by Kim Phagan-Hansel
"What do you need to meet the needs of the children in your care? Each child will be unique and require a different set of tools in your toolbox. The Foster Parenting Toolbox is 464 pages of incredibly helpful information. Over 100 foster parents in the trenches, case workers, social workers, CASAs, GALs and judges contributed to this book to help all those on the child's team understand and work better with the children who are entrusted to their care. Covering topics from newborns to teens and everything in between, this book will help not only foster parents, but be beneficial to those who work with foster parents: case workers, social workers, judges, CASA's, GAL s and others."
Recommended by one of our trainers!

The Great Behavior Breakdown by Bryan Post
"Start understanding the causes and steps necessary to help end, once and for all, some of the most difficult behaviors your child exhibits today. Lying, stealing, defiance, incessant chatter…presented here are 27 of the most serious, problematic and challenging behaviors that parents face and step-by-step guidance from one of America’s foremost child behavior experts on how to deal with them."
Recommended by one of our trainers!

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas."
Recommended by one of our trainers! This book was suggested for understanding trauma.

The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.
"In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. And especially in young children, the right brain and its emotions tend to rule over the logic of the left brain. No wonder kids throw tantrums, fight, or sulk in silence. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth. Complete with age-appropriate strategies for dealing with day-to-day struggles and illustrations that will help you explain these concepts to your child, The Whole-Brain Child shows you how to cultivate healthy emotional and intellectual development so that your children can lead balanced, meaningful, and connected lives."

Therapeutic Parenting Essentials: Moving from Trauma to Trust by Sarah Naish
"All families of children affected by trauma are on a journey, and this book will help to guide you and your family on your journey from trauma to trust. Sarah Naish shares her own experiences of adopting five siblings. She describes how to use therapeutic parenting - a deeply nurturing parenting style - to overcome common challenges when raising children who have experienced trauma. The book describes a series of difficult episodes for her family, exploring both parent's and child's experiences of the same events - with the child's experience written by a former fostered child - and in doing so reveals the very good reasons why traumatized children behave as they do. The book explores the misunderstandings that grow between parents and their children, and provides comfort to the reader - you are not the only family going through this! Full of insights from a family and others who have really been there, this book gives you advice and strategies to help you and your family thrive."

Three Little Words: A Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
"An inspiring true story of the tumultuous nine years Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent in the foster care system, and how she triumphed over painful memories and real-life horrors to ultimately find her own voice. 'Sunshine, you're my baby and I'm your only mother. You must mind the one taking care of you, but she's not your mama.' Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent nine years of her life in fourteen different foster homes, living by those words. As her mother spirals out of control, Ashley is left clinging to an unpredictable, dissolving relationship, all the while getting pulled deeper and deeper into the foster care system. Painful memories of being taken away from her home quickly become consumed by real-life horrors, where Ashley is juggled between caseworkers, shuffled from school to school, and forced to endure manipulative, humiliating treatment from a very abusive foster family. In this inspiring, unforgettable memoir, Ashley finds the courage to succeed - and in doing so, discovers the power of her own voice."

If there are any books that you love that aren't on this list that you think other families would benefit from, please send recommendations to FCNPWebUpdates@JudsonCenter.org!