I know that God loves adoption! There are lots of wonderful Christian picture books about adoption for you to share with your children.
First, you should know that there are lots of really great adoption picture books that are sort of spiritual, but I did not include them on this list. All of these books are overtly Christian, and talk about God forming their families, or prayer, or things like that.
Second, if you’re interested in my personal favorites, I really like I Love You All the Same. It is just a sweet story, and really something that I think all adoptive families, no matter how they came to be a family, can relate to. Plus, it shows both mom and dad interacting with the kids independently, which can be difficult to find.
I also think that God Found Us You and I Wished for You: An Adoption Story deserve their current popularity. Both have the perfect storm of talking about adoption in a respectful way, darling pictures, and the reminder that God loves all families.
Finally, as with all sensitive subjects, definitely preview these books before adding them to your bookshelf.
Christian Adoption Picture Books
I Love You All the Same by Donna Keith
Type: board book
Age recommended by publisher: none listed, I recommend ages 2 years old and up
Shown parent: adoptive mother, adoptive father
Infertility: no
So, they don’t really SAY that the family in I Love You All the Same is adopted but…one child in a family of brown bears is a polar bear, and the sister is a panda bear. So…I’m going to say it’s an adoptive family! This beautiful, rhyming board book is about how siblings are different, but all loved by their Mama and Papa and God! Don’t be fooled that this is a board book – there’s a lot of text on each page, and this Christian picture book about adoption is certainly appropriate for older children.
I Wished For You: An Adoption Story by Marianne Richmond
Type: picture book
Age recommended by publisher: 2 – 5 years
Shown parents: adoptive mother
Infertility: unclear
This story about baby bear learning from mama bear about his adoption is very sweet. The illustrations are excellent. It sounds like an international adoption, since mama bear says she had to travel a long distance to get baby bear. However, that is just a small piece of the story, so I would not consider this only for international adopting families.
God Found Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Type: picture book
Age recommended by publisher: 4 – 8 years
Shown parents: adoptive mother
Infertility: overt
This Christian adoption picture book shows a young fox learning about when he was adopted. There is a focus on the way God brought the family together. Although birth parents are not shown, they are discussed in a healthy and respectful way.
Related: Christian Picture Books that Make Great Baby Shower or Adoption Day Gifts!
Mommy’s Heart Went Pop by Christina Kyllonen and Peter Greer
Type: picture book
Age recommended by publisher: none listed, I’d recommend 3 years old and up
Shown parents: adoptive mother, adoptive father
Infertility: no
This is an adoption story about an international adoption by a family with biological children. It is specifically about an adoptive mother waiting to adopt a little boy from Africa.
Yes, I’m Adopted by Sharlie Zinnager
Type: picture book
Age recommended by publisher: none listed, I recommend 2 – 5 years old
Shown parents: birth mother, adoptive mother, adoptive father
Infertility: no
This Christian picture book about adoption is only representative of those children who were placed by their birth mothers with adoptive families at birth. It does not speak to other types of adoptions at all. Heads up that it’s a short book – you won’t find a lot of the deeper nuances of the conversation that other books on this list will have.
Forever Families: God’s Gift of Adoption by Natalie Sutyak
Type: picture book
Age recommended by publisher: none listed, I recommend 4 – 7 years old
Shown parents: adoptive mother, adoptive father
Infertility: no
This faith based adoption picture book ties in how God views adoption. It definitely focuses on international adoption, and talks about the parents traveling a long way. The strength is that it is an overtly Christian adoption picture book that talks about how God views adoption for children. The weakness is that it (in my opinion) glosses over the very real trauma of losing a birth family.
Some Babies are Adopted by Cindy Walker
Type: picture book
Age recommended by publisher: none listed, I recommend 2 – 4 years old
Shown parents: birth mother, adoptive mother, adoptive father
Infertility: implied
This Christian adoption picture book depicts a family waiting for a baby, and being chosen by a birth mother. It is solely about infant domestic adoption. I like the way the birth mother prays for the right family for her baby. That is a unique feature of this book.
A Blessing From Above: Little Golden Book by Patti Henderson
Type: picture book
Age recommended by publisher: 3 – 7 years
Shown parents: birth mother, adoptive mother
Infertility: overt
In this faith based infant adoption picture book, Mama Kangaroo really wants a baby, but can’t have one. So, when a baby bird falls in her pouch, she decides to raise it as her own baby. (I have feelings about how this portrays birth families, since Mama Kangaroo seriously could have helped the baby bird get back into the nest. However, reading reviews, I think I’m the only one with this feeling. But I want you to be aware before you add it to your shelf.)
Related: Picture Books About Adoption That Feature Animals Instead of People
