I love books and my kids love books – we read together every night and make very good use of our library cards. I’m determined to have books on our book shelf that help my kids understand the concept of adoption and help them find the words to understand it in an age appropriate way. I’m also a hundred per cent convinced that representation matters and that my kids need to be reading story books with characters that look like them and have hair like them.

I have reviewed some South African books written by local authors and I think that these are great buys for South African families:

How Many Ways Can You Say Hello by Refiloe Moahloli

The Lemon Tree by Katharine Graham

Below is a list of adoption-themed books compiled by Arise Cape Town and we’re working our way through this list too:

Title Author
Dennis Duckling Sambrooks
Finding a Family for Tommy Daniel
God found us you Lisa Tawn Bergen
I Wished for You: an Adoption Story Richmond
Nutmeg Gets A Letter Foxon
Nutmeg Gets A Little Help Foxon
Nutmeg Gets A Little Sister Foxon
Nutmeg Gets Adopted Foxon
Nutmeg Gets Into Trouble Foxon
Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children’s Story about Interracial Adoption Nepa
Star of the week: A story of Love, Adoption and brownies with sprinkles Friedman
Tell me again about the night I was born Lee Curtis
The Teazles’ Baby Bunny Bagnall
The Velveteen Rabbit Williams
We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Fostering Parr
A blessing from above  Henderson
A mother for Choco  Kaska
All About Adoption: How Families are Made & How Kids Feel About It Nemiroff and Annunziata