Deciding if you are ready to be a foster parent can be a big decision. There are a lot of factors that can go into your decision. Luckily, there is a lot of literature written on the subject of becoming a foster parent. Below are some of the best books for prospective foster parents.
Three Little Words
Ashley Rhodes Courter, the author of Three Little Words, spent nine years of her life in the foster care system. Within that time, she was moved to 14 different homes. During her time, she suffered different types of abuse and neglect. Eventually, she was adopted into a loving family. This book serves as a memoir of her time in the system. Eventually, Rhodes’s story became a New York Times Best Seller. This memoir is a great look into the real world of fostering.
To The End of June: The Intimate Life of American Foster Care
Cris Beam has written a straightforward, piece of literature about how broken the foster care system can be. Beam was a foster mother herself, so some of the books is written from her perspective. Most of the book is unbiased, and she follows the whole cycle of the fostering procedures. Like many other books about foster care children, Beam does touch on the racist parts of the foster care system. She does remain optimistic for a brighter future for foster children everywhere.
Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America
Nefertiti Austin wrote this book to show the perspective of a single Black mother adopting a child from the foster care system. Austin wanted to give the perspective of the fostering/adoption process from a black woman. Before writing the book, she had only found books written by white families. Austin’s book brings some of the racism and sexism that she experienced during the process to light. Austin’s goal is to change the perception that people may have of black mothers in the foster care, and adoption, system.
Far From the Tree
Far From the Tree is a novel that was written for young adults. The novel is based on the foster care and adoption system. The book follows three siblings who become separated as they start to become adopted and moved into the foster system. Down the line, a situation in Grace’s life causes her to search for her biological family. The novel follows the journey of these siblings as they start to truly understand what family means.