I tell you this story because for too many years, people have told my stories for me. I am ready to speak for myself. So where do I begin? ........ Juli Jeong Martin, transnational/transracial adoptee ...... Pieces of Me, Who do I Want to Be is a collection of stories, poems, art, music, quotes, activities, provocative questions, and more all for the young adopted person who wants to figure out his or her story but doesn't know where to begin. A submission based book with over 100 different pieces, this book was designed for the teen who happens to be adopted, but it will reach all those who live, love, and work with them. It is a book of voices, from ages 11 to 63, speaking honestly and authentically about what it means to be adopted. Most are adoptees from around the world some are transracial, some are international, some are from foster care, some are young, some are old. There are a few adoptive parents, birth parents, and professionals who share themselves in here as well. It is a series of experiences, expressions, feelings, hurts, hopes, dreams, and struggles from a wide range of individuals. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, some will make you happy, some will make you feel less alone, some will offer advice, and some will just share. All of them are figuring out where the Pieces of Me fit in with Who I Want to Be. Organized around the idea of putting a puzzle together, there are five major sections: 1. Gathering the Pieces ......... 2. Stolen Pieces .......... 3. Fitting the Pieces .......... 4. Sharing the Pieces .......... 5. Where do These Pieces Go?.......... - all offering hope, encouragement, empowerment, and a sense of not being alone. Although it was conceived for the young adopted person, there are universal themes of healing, hope, and struggle all of us can resonate with. And if you are a parent, birth parent, or professional who works with adopted and foster kids, you will find a glimpse into their world, a place that you might not often be invited to share. This book has hands on activities for teens including t-shirts, sock bunnies, collage and postcards. There are thought provoking questions and places to doodle and think. Reading this book is not just for teens. Others who might read this include social workers who work with pre and post adoptive parents, teen group coordinators, therapists who work with the teen population, school counselors, pre and post adoptive parents, relatives and friends.

A deeply personal and inspiring memoir recounting one woman's struggles--beginning with her birth in prison--to find self-acceptance   Even at twelve years old Deborah Jiang Stein, the adopted daughter of a progressive Jewish couple in Seattle, felt like an outsider. Her multiracial features set her apart from her well-intentioned white parents, who evaded questions about her past. But when Deborah discovered a letter revealing the truth--that she was born in prison to a heroin-addicted mother and spent the first year of her life there--she spiraled into emotional lockdown. For years she turned to drugs, violence, and crime as a way to cope with her grief. Ultimately, Deborah overcame the stigma, shame, and secrecy of her birth and found peace by helping others--proving that redemption and acceptance is possible, even from the darkest corners

From her childhood in China to the moment she won her first National Book Award, literary icon Katherine Paterson shares the personal stories that inspired her children's books. Told with her trademark humor and heart, Paterson's tales reveal details about her life from her childhood with missionary parents, to living as a single woman in Japan, to raising four children in suburban Maryland with her minister husband. Read about the origins of such familiar characters as Leslie Burke and Janice Avery from Bridge to Terabithia, and go behind the scenes to the moments Katherine found out she won her many awards. Filled with personal photos and letters, this funny, heartwarming history from a legendary writer lets fans in on the making of literary classics.

From her childhood in China to the moment she won her first National Book Award, literary icon Katherine Paterson shares the personal stories that inspired her children’s books.Told with her trademark humor and heart, Paterson’s life stories tell tales from her childhood growing up with missionaries, to living as a single woman in Japan, to raising four children in suburban Maryland with her minister husband. Read about the origins of some of her most beloved characters, go behind the scenes to the moments Katherine found out she won her many awards, and more. Filled with personal photos and letters, this is funny, heartwarming history from a legendary name in the field of children’s books.* “What absolutely shines through is Paterson’s warm, self-effacing humor, and extraordinary humility. . . . Like Mark Twain, to whom she is distantly related, Paterson is a true American treasure.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “Honest, flecked with good humor, and heartrending.”—The Horn Book “A gift for Paterson fans.”—Booklist

The top Paralympic swimmer in the world, Jessica Long delivers an inspirational photographic memoir. Born in Siberia with fibular hemimelia, Jessica Long was adopted from a Russian orphanage at thirteen months old and has since become the second most decorated U.S. Paralympic athlete of all time. Now, Jessica shares all the moments in her life—big and small, heartbreaking and uplifting—that led to her domination in the Paralympic swimming world. This photographic memoir, filled with photographs, sidebars, quotes, and more, will thrill her fans and inspire those who are hearing her story for the first time.

The top Paralympic swimmer in the world, Jessica Long delivers an inspirational photographic memoir. Born in Siberia with fibular hemimelia, Jessica Long was adopted from a Russian orphanage at thirteen months old and has since become the second most decorated U.S. Paralympic athlete of all time. Now, Jessica shares all the moments in her life—big and small, heartbreaking and uplifting—that led to her domination in the Paralympic swimming world. This photographic memoir, filled with photographs, sidebars, quotes, and more, will thrill her fans and inspire those who are hearing her story for the first time.

Written for teens who were adopted, this compassionate workbook will help give you the strength, resilience, and confidence you need to thrive—now and on into adulthood.If you’re like many other adopted teens, you may wonder about your birth family. You may question why you were given up. And you may even grapple with feelings of isolation, abandonment, and broken trust. These feelings are valid and deserve to be addressed. This workbook is designed to help you open the door to questioning, explore painful feelings, and develop the skills needed to be a happy and grounded adult.The Adopted Teen Workbook teaches powerful self-resiliency, mindfulness, and somatic skills to help you explore your unique identity as an adopted teen. You’ll find tools to manage loss and grief, and activities that include checklists, contemplations, skill-building, and journaling to help you chronicle present, past, and future relationships with both your adoptive and birth parents.This workbook begins with your first recognition of having been adopted and the feelings that come with that. You will then explore memories of the past and begin work on understanding emotions of anger, shame, and loss. Finally, you’ll learn ways to heal these wounds, learn to trust, and fully connect with both yourself and others.

Keesha Rivers is a woman who has endured much pain, trial, and made many sacrifices. But instead of being bitter, she shares her story and the lessons she learned to forgive those who tormented and abused her. "Mama, They Didn't Mean It" is an account of how savvy business woman Keesha Rivers was able to rise above adoption, rape, abuse and molestation, depression, loneliness and bullying, teen-motherhood, financial trials, crushed friendships, and loves lost to finally love herself. One of Keesha's favorite sayings is, "Know Your Worth". This book is the journey through how she was able to finally learn her own invaluable worth, and how forgiveness can help you to do the same.

A deeply personal and inspiring memoir recounting one woman's struggles--beginning with her birth in prison--to find self-acceptance   Prison Baby is a revised and substantially expanded version of Deborah Jiang Stein's self-published memoir, Even Tough Girls Wear Tutus. Even at twelve years old, Deborah, the adopted daughter of a progressive Jewish couple in Seattle, felt like an outsider. Her multiracial features set her apart from her white, well-intentioned parents who evaded questions about her past. But when she discovered a letter revealing the truth of her prison birth to a heroin-addicted mother--and that she spent the first year of life in prison--Deborah spiraled into emotional lockdown. For years she turned to drugs, violence, and crime as a way to cope with her grief. Ultimately, Deborah overcame the stigma, shame, and secrecy of her birth, and found peace by helping others--proving that redemption and acceptance is possible even from the darkest corners.From the Trade Paperback edition.

How can young adoptees navigate the constantly changing seas that adoptees face? This book overflows with practical suggestions. It provides a way to spark important conversations with adoptees, extended families or friends. It validates and renders compassionate witness to the adoptee experience. Being a teenager is tough. When you factor in the complexities and challenges of being adopted, it is exponentially harder. The graphic-style book, We're Adopted. So What?features five teen girls who share a huge thing in common: each of them was adopted. This shared experience draws them together yet the distinctions between their experiences are as unique as their personalities. Feisty, fun and outspoken, the girls tackle some tough topics.They share their thoughts and feelings being adopted, how adoption shapes their world and relationships, creates challenges, burdens them with curiosity, frustration, anger, and grief, and shows how they strive to blend together their biological and their adoptive worlds. Open adoption has become the norm for most contemporary domestic adoptions yet questions and complications remain for adoptees and their families:How can all these people cooperate to create healthy, supportive relationships that best support adoptees? How does a young adoptee balance their dual loyalties, connections, and heritages?How do they weave the spectrum of their feelings, challenges, and experiences into a cohesive identity?We now recognize that connection to and respect for an adopted child's biological roots is integral to an adoptee's ability to successfully unify their dual heritage. Still, the concept of openness remains shrouded in apprehension, confusion, and curiosity. How is it possible for a child to have two sets of parents involved in their lives? Against this backdrop of openness, how do teens in international or "traditional closed" adoptions, feel about and deal with their lack of connection with birth families?

All adopted teens have questions-questions about their adoptive family, about their birth parents, and about how adoption has affected and will continue to affect their lives. But not every adopted teen knows how to approach these questions or how to handle the intense emotions and high stress often associated with them.This guide has answers. Based on true stories, extensive research, and Danea Gorbett's own in addition to her background in psychology and education, Adopted Teens Only delivers:Suggestions for bringing up sensitive topics with all types of adoptive parentsInsight on what your adoptive parents might be going throughTrue stories of birth mothersPractical information on whether and how to search for birth parentsSeasoned advice on what to expect and how to prepare for reuniting with a birth parent.Gorbett offers confirmation that what you feel, think, wonder, and worry about as an adopted teen is normal and important, and she helps you acknowledge and celebrate the unique gifts and many advantages of growing up adopted.Comforting, empowering, and ultimately practical, Adopted Teens Only is the indispensable survival guide for adopted adolescents and anyone who loves them.

Fourteen-year-old Lizzie is adopted, but it is something she is not comfortable discussing with others, although she wants to, until a tragic accident makes her realize that it is not something to be ashamed of.

The challenging teen years can be even more difficult for adopted teenagers, many of whom have unanswered questions that may result in fear, anger, and low self-esteem. These feelings may be compounded by the isolation they feel because most friends and family members cannot fully relate to their situation. Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide enables young adults to explore their feelings as they read about the personal experiences of other adopted teens. Through these stories, adopted teens can learn how others have resolved some of their adoption issues and gain powerful insights from those who have experienced some of the same frustrations, struggles, and concerns.This book addresses various issues such as:finding out you’ve been adoptedfitting insearching for birth parentsmeeting birth parentsinternational adoptiontransracial adoptionwhat defines a familyThis revised edition also features discussion questions at the end of each chapter that help teens and loved ones acknowledge and verbalize their concerns. With up-to-date statistics, as well as insights from experienced adoption professionals who offer practical advice, this edition of Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide is a valuable resource for adopted teens as well as their families and friends.

Hi - I'm Max, and I'm adopted. You may not know this but many famous and inspirational people were adopted too. Adopted Like Me introduces you to great musicians like Bo Diddley, politicians like Nelson Mandela, and stars like Marilyn Monroe. Meet these along with inventors, athletes, and a princess skilled in judo and fencing - all of them adopted like me. Read about these adoptees and you'll see that you can grow up to be just about anything you want to be!Fully illustrated in color, this book is for children aged 8+ who have been adopted, their parents, teachers and siblings.

From her childhood in China to the moment she won her first National Book Award, literary icon Katherine Paterson shares the personal stories that inspired her children’s books.Told with her trademark humor and heart, Paterson's tales reveal details about her life from her childhood with missionary parents, to living as a single woman in Japan, to raising four children in suburban Maryland with her minister husband. Read about the origins of such familiar characters as Leslie Burke and Janice Avery from Bridge to Terabithia, and go behind the scenes to the moments Katherine found out she won her many awards. Filled with personal photos and letters, this funny, heartwarming history from a legendary writer lets fans in on the making of literary classics.

At last, after sixty years of adoption profiteering, these narratives paint a true portrait of adoption--from the back door--by those most affected. 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!

The search for one's self during the challenging teen years can be even more difficult for the adopted teen. Many adopted teens have unanswered questions that may result in fear, anger, and low self-esteem. These feelings may be compounded by the isolation they feel because most friends and family members cannot fully relate to their situation.Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide enables young adults to explore their feelings as they read the personal experiences of other adopted teens. Through these stories, adopted teens can learn how others have resolved some of their adoption issues and gain powerful insights from those who have experienced some of their same frustrations, struggles, and concerns.Experienced adoption professionals share practical ideas and strategies for teens as they answer their questions in the "Teens Ask" sections of the book. Adoption experts, such as Hollee McGinnis (Policy & Operations Director for the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute), Judy Stigger (Director of International Adoptions at The Cradle), Kathleen Morrison (member of the board of trustees of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys), Katrina Carlisle (adoption counselor and search specialist at St. Elizabeth Coleman Pregnancy and Adoption Services), and others, provide valuable answers to teen questions. Replete with stories, pictures, and artwork by adopted teens, this up-to-date source will benefit teens as they move forward on their adoption journey.

Focusing on topics of special concern to students, this series makes complex issues less intimidating and more accessible; each book presents 10 to 14 readings from a variety of perspectives that allow readers to better understand the topic.; This title in the Issues That Concern You series explores the topic of adoption. The included articles address open adoption; issues specific to adopted children, such as discussing one's adopted status and searching for birth parents; transracial adoptio; Students must often make informed decisions about serious issues that will affect the course of their lives. Focusing on topics of special concern to students, the Issues That Concern You series helps make these complex issues less intimidating and more a

Presents viewpoints on either side of the issues of adoption in the United States, including whether gay couples should be allowed to adopt, if father registries are fair, and on the regulations surrounding international adoptions.

Contemporary debate surrounding adoption involves issues of family preservation, identity, and children's needs. L. Anne Babb, Leslie Doty Hollingsworth, and other adoption experts and advocates respond to the following questions: Should Adoption Be Encouraged? Whose Rights Should Be Protected in the Adoption Process? Are Some Adoptions More Problematic Than Others? Should Adoption Policies Be Changed?