Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide

by Suzanne Buckingham Slade

Overview

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 family
This 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810885684
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/17/2013
Series:	It Happened to Me Series , #34
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 7.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Suzanne Buckingham Slade is the author of more than 80 books for children and young adults. She is also an adoptive mother.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments
Introduction: Is This for Real?
Reader’s Note

1. Finding Out You’re Adopted
2. Fitting In
3. Learning about Your Adoption
4. Why Did My Birth Parents Choose Adoption?
5. Should I Search?
6. Searching for Birth Parents
7. Meeting Birth Parents
8. International Adoptions
9. Transracial Adoption
10. Adopted at an Older Age
11. A Real Family

Glossary
For Further Information
Index
About the Author and Photographer

What People are Saying About This

Ashley Rhodes-Courter

"As an adopted teen, I had a lot of unanswered questions about my past and biological family. This wonderful resource will help adopted young adults as they explore their own histories."--(Ashley Rhodes-Courter, adopted from foster care at age 12, 2004 NACAC Youth Advocate of the Year, 2007 Golden Brick Award Winner, Author of Three Little Words, Simon & Schuster, 2008)

Rita Soronen

"Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide is a comprehensive look at the issues, challenges and joys that youth experience as they make their journey through adoption. The voices of teens provide insight and wisdom and underscore the notion that although families take many forms, the common thread for us all is a need to belong, to be loved and to understand our history as we work to determine our future."--(Ms. Rita Soronen, Executive Director, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption)

Editorial Reviews

This revised edition of Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide is designed with the high school age student in mind who wants a broad overview of the emotional issues that the adopted teen may feel. While the teenage years are a time of great emotional and psychological change, there are many issues that may arise for the adopted teen, including questions about where they came from, why their birth parents chose adoption, the idea of meeting their birth parents, and questions about what defines 'family.' Information in this work is presented through the personal stories of teens and young adults who have lived through these experiences; most of the stories focus on adopted teenagers and the various emotions and steps they took to resolve them. Within there are stories of meetings with birth parents, fitting in to peer and family situations, finding out one's been adopted, and the realities behind international and transracial adoptions. This revised edition has added discussion questions at the end of each chapter to help teens verbalize their questions, up-to-date statistics, and first-hand advice from adoption professionals. Teens who are experiencing strong emotions surrounding their adoption and who have questions about how others have handled the questions behind locating birth parents will find this guide useful. The personal experiences shared in this book will appeal to this target audience and could be useful for students this age researching this topic.” —American Reference Books Annual

From the Publisher

This revised edition of Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide is designed with the high school age student in mind who wants a broad overview of the emotional issues that the adopted teen may feel. While the teenage years are a time of great emotional and psychological change, there are many issues that may arise for the adopted teen, including questions about where they came from, why their birth parents chose adoption, the idea of meeting their birth parents, and questions about what defines 'family.' Information in this work is presented through the personal stories of teens and young adults who have lived through these experiences; most of the stories focus on adopted teenagers and the various emotions and steps they took to resolve them. Within there are stories of meetings with birth parents, fitting in to peer and family situations, finding out one's been adopted, and the realities behind international and transracial adoptions. This revised edition has added discussion questions at the end of each chapter to help teens verbalize their questions, up-to-date statistics, and first-hand advice from adoption professionals. Teens who are experiencing strong emotions surrounding their adoption and who have questions about how others have handled the questions behind locating birth parents will find this guide useful. The personal experiences shared in this book will appeal to this target audience and could be useful for students this age researching this topic.

American Reference Books Annual

Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide is a comprehensive look at the issues, challenges and joys that youth experience as they make their journey through adoption. The voices of teens provide insight and wisdom and underscore the notion that although families take many forms, the common thread for us all is a need to belong, to be loved and to understand our history as we work to determine our future.

Rita Soronen

As an adopted teen, I had a lot of unanswered questions about my past and biological family. This wonderful resource will help adopted young adults as they explore their own histories.

Ashley Rhodes-Courter

As part of a series on social issues for inquisitive teens, this book answers questions and recommends resources and coping strategies regarding adoption. Chapters include vignettes and photographs and address how teens react when they learn they are adopted, the decision to search for and meet birth parents, issues in international and transracial adoption, and adoption at an older age, among other topics.

Reference and Research Book News

As part of a series on social issues for inquisitive teens, this book answers questions and recommends resources and coping strategies regarding adoption. Chapters include vignettes and photographs and address how teens react when they learn they are adopted, the decision to search for and meet birth parents, issues in international and transracial adoption, and adoption at an older age, among other topics.

November 2007 Reference and Research Book News