Books About Foster Care
The foster care system can be difficult to navigate. When looking for tips for foster parents, be sure to read these books about foster care to set you up for success in foster care before you begin the or as you complete the home study process.

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Foster parenting is becoming an increasingly popular topic. When I first became a foster parent, there was not a wealth of information available like there is today. The only foster care information available came from our foster care agency during out training classes.
Thankfully now, there are lots of books and blogs available sharing information from experienced foster parents. Here are some of the best books I have found:
Best Books About Foster Care
There are a ton of good books about foster care on Amazon. There are books for foster parents and books for foster children. There are even books for foster parents to read aloud to foster children. These are some of the best!
Books for Foster Children
These particular books are written for children to read. They address issues of identity and belonging and aim to promote a strong sense of security and self confidence in children who are fostered and adopted.
Books About Foster Care
In this heartfelt story from the bestselling author of My Mouth is a Volcano!, Foster meets new friends and a kind foster mom who help him navigate the fears and feelings associated with going into foster care.
Love You From Right Here is a children’s book for children in foster care. Written from the foster parent to the foster child, it takes you through an abbreviated look at the emotions a young foster child experiences throughout their transition to a new home. The message to the child is that while they are in that home, they will be safe and loved.
We Love You Hundreds and Thousands enables children who are fostered and adopted to frame their identity in a positive way from a very young age. Written by an adoptee who is now a mother, this vibrant and touching story is about belonging and having a strong sense of self.
Murphy, a Tibetan Terrier puppy, describes the emotional ups and downs of being in multiple foster homes and living in unfamiliar surroundings until he is placed in a caring foster home where he feels comfortable and valued once again.
Delly Duck: Why A Little Chick Couldn’t Stay With His Birth Mother is intended to help support and stimulate discussion around some of the questions an adopted or fostered child (or another child trying to understand adoption) may have. The story can be used to help answer difficult and emotive questions, such as “Why can’t I live with my birth mother?” and “Why didn’t someone just teach her how to parent me safely?”
Calvin is in foster care, and he wants to trust someone, anyone, but is afraid to open his heart. He has lived in a lot of houses, but he still hasn’t found his home. When he moves in with Maggie, she shows him respect, offers him kindness, and makes him see things in himself that he’s never noticed before. Maybe this isn’t just another house, maybe this is a place Calvin can call home, for a while.
Useful to read with a caring adult, Somebody Cares is a book for children who have experienced parental neglect and have been taking care of many things on their own. It helps them understand their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors and prepares them for changes in their families.
Straightforward words and full-color illustrations offer hope and support for children facing or experiencing change. Includes resources and information for birth parents, foster parents, social workers, counselors, and teachers.
From award-winning motivational speaker and best-selling author Josh Shipp comes a mostly autobiographical tale about finding home. With hilarious illustrations and a heartwarming message, No Matter What is sure to have your own family laughing out loud and holding each other tight.
For many children in foster care, the answer to many questions is often maybe. Maybe Days is a straightforward look at the issues of foster care, the questions that children ask, and the feelings that they confront. A primer for children going into foster care, the book also explains in children's terms the responsibilities of everyone involved - parents, social workers, lawyers and judges.
What is a Mama? A mama is someone who is always there for you. She makes you your favorite food, takes you to the park, and kisses your boo-boos better. Some mamas didn't hold you in their belly, but they will forever hold you in their hearts. Mamas come in all different shapes, colors, and ages, but they all have one thing in common. They love you! Enjoy the multiple characters in this children’s story which explores the loving tasks of what makes a mama.
Why is reading books to foster children important?
Foster children need foster parents who can think up creative ways to foster attachment and hopefully, foster adoption. Reading aloud is a great bonding tool. For foster children, you can combine the bonding experience with a helpful book that will help the foster child to better understand his or her situation. You can find other great bonding and attachment activities here.

Best Books for Foster Parents
These books are resource books for foster parents. They address issues like trauma and loss on a level that parents can understand. They offer advice on parenting foster children and dealing with birth parents. They even offer perspectives on navigating the foster care system.
Books for Foster Parents
Un-Adoptable? reveals deeply personal questions that arise when pursuing this parenting path.
An autobiographical collection of photos and stories that illustrate the daily experiences of those involved in foster care.
Filled with personal stories and Scripture, Faith & Foster Care shows how to practically and specifically live out your faith in foster care ministry. An encouraging resource for novice or experienced advocates and parents, specific issues addressed include advice on marriage and foster care, how to love the foster child and birth family, how to pray for your foster child and birth family, and how to let go when children leave your care.
Breathing through Foster Care is a honest and sometimes raw account of the daily joys and challenges of fostering. This honest glimpse into an imperfect family offers practical tips on how to avoid the missteps they made. It also provides many strategies they learned along the way to maintain a healthy family with children who have experienced trauma.
Renowned child-development expert Dr. Karyn Purvis gives you practical advice and powerful tools you can use to encourage secure attachment in your family. You will benefit from Karyn’s decades of clinical research and real-world experience. Coauthor Lisa Qualls demonstrates how you can successfully implement these strategies in your home, just as she did in hers.
ReFraming Foster Care is a collection of reflections on the foster parenting journey designed to help you do just that—find hope—and to remind you that your work is worth it and you are not alone.
This multi-faceted book can be read alone or used as a group support resource.
If you have questions about Foster Parenting
You can join my Foster Care and Adoption Questions and Answers Facebook Group here and you can join my email list below for free resources and encouragement.


A touching and valuable resource about this very important topic. Thanks for sharing.