Season 6: Choosing Adoption Books for Young Children

Children's books can play an important role in helping young children understand adoption, explore questions of identity and belonging, and find language for feelings that can be difficult to express. This episode focuses on how parents can choose books that support meaningful conversations about adoption and help children see themselves reflected in the stories they read. Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Robin Stevens, author of *Ezra and the Great Bin Jah Meen* and an adoptive parent, about what makes an adoption-related children's book effective. Drawing on both his experience as a writer and as a parent, Robin reflects on the importance of representation, authenticity and including a range of adoption experiences in children's literature. They explore how books can help children process emotions, understand their life story and engage with conversations about adoption in an age-appropriate way. The discussion also considers how stories can support a child's sense of identity, encourage curiosity about their background and heritage, and provide a safe starting point for family conversations. Robin also shares his motivation for writing a story featuring an adopted child at its centre, and why seeing themselves reflected in books can be so important for young readers. This episode offers thoughtful, practical insight for parents looking to build an adoption-friendly bookshelf and use stories to support open conversations, emotional understanding and a sense of belonging. **Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:** Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.