Representation matters now more than ever. November is National Adoption Month, so I’m highlighting six recent picture books that feature queer families adopting both infants and older children.
The first two books involve children adopted from foster care; the others have children adopted as infants, and three explore sibling relationships. Click titles or images for full reviews—and stay tuned, I’ll be doing a middle-grade adoption roundup shortly! (Additionally: While these books provide important representation, we also need more picture books showing queer adoptive families with parents other than two dads!)
Miles Comes Home, by Sarah S. Brannen, illustrated by Forrest Burdett (Little Bee Books). Brannen is author of Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, the now-classic 2008 tale of a girl who worries that her favorite uncle won’t have time for her after he marries his boyfriend. Her new book is a warm and lovely story about a boy going to live with his new parents (two dads) after being in a foster home. His new sister helps him settle in and gradually feel part of the family, despite his conflicting feelings about the change. Brannen’s spare text and lively dialogue work beautifully in tandem with Forrest Burdett’s expressive illustrations to create a highly recommended title that should find a welcome place in many homes and libraries.
Chloe and the Fireflies, by Chris Clarkson, illustrated by Julie Jarema (Abrams). This book is also about a foster child coming to live with two dads, although here, she is initially uncertain whether this will be her permanent home. It is “the first foster home where I didn’t hide,” she tells us, and she is doing well in school and making friends. She wishes that she could stay, but tells herself that regardless, she will still have good memories of the time with them. Chloe seems perhaps too accepting that she’ll be content with the memories, but at the risk of spoilers, I’ll say that her wish to stay with them comes true. For many children and families, Chloe’s story may resonate and reassure. While there’s no sibling here as in Miles, we see some of Chloe’s school friends; the different representation may appeal to different families.
Our Wish for You: A Story About Open Adoption, by Dano Moreno, illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke (Charlesbridge). This story about open adoption spends much time on the birth mother and her journey, making it clear that she has agency in the adoption process and that she stays connected to the child, even after the adoption by two dads. We see the child learning and growing—and a final spread shows the child, adoptive dads, birth mother, and (presumably) extended family members all gathered for the child’s birthday party. A sweet and gentle book.
Sibling Relationships
All Our Love, by Kari-Lynn Winters, illustrated by Scot Ritchie (North Winds Press). Life was “just right” for Sofia and her two dads—but now, a new brother will soon arrive, and Sofia has lots of questions. Will her dads like the new child better? Does the new child even want a sister? While she waits, she writes her brother a welcome letter about life in their family. Most of the text plays out as the illustrations show Sofia being picked up at school by one dad and rushing to the hospital to meet the other, who is already holding a baby in a birthing ward. It’s a lovely way of combining action and reflection without making the book itself too long. The story does not actually indicate whether the family was formed via surrogacy or adoption; that makes it more broadly applicable, but does mean that the birthing parent is not part of this tale; you may wish to supplement it with Our Wish for You if appropriate.
Harper Becomes a Big Sister, by Seamus Kirst, illustrated by Karen Bunting (Magination Press). Harper is excited to become a big sister and happily helps her two dads get things ready. But new baby Wyatt just sleeps, eats, and needs his diaper changed. Harper’s dads are too tired or too busy with Wyatt to spend much time with Harper. She gets mad, and her dads gently help her work through their feelings and adjust their own actions, too. The book shares the same protagonist family as Kirst’s Dad and Daddy’s Big Big Family although each can be read separately.
Real Siblings, a sequel of sorts to Harper Becomes a Big Sister (though it could also be a standalone), shows Harper and Wyatt encountering another child who tells them that because they’re adopted, Wyatt isn’t Harper’s “real” brother. Harper knows this isn’t true. She thinks through all of the things they do together and how they support each other. Most of all, Harper says, she knows they are real siblings “because I feel it in my heart.” They affirm their love for each other “Forever and ever and always.” Read this with Kirst’s other titles about the family (see above) and/or with with Real Sisters Pretend, by Megan Dowd Lambert, which explores the same theme in a two-mom family.
