There are several good choices for parents looking to prepare a sibling for the arrival of a sibling by adoption.
The following two books address jealousy issues. Jin-Woo, by noted children’s author Eve Bunting, is told from the viewpoint of a boy (who was adopted here in the U.S.) who is getting a baby brother from Korea. Some Korean customs are explained in the book. The boy feels a bit left out at first. Then an older neighbor tells him how uncharacteristically excited the father was when he was adopted and he realizes he is just as special to his parents as the new baby.
Susan and Gordon Adopt a Baby refers to the Susan and Gordon of Sesame Street fame. The “older child” who is jealous is Big Bird.
I’ve already reviewed William is My Brother, in which the narrator is his parents’ biological child and his brother is adopted. This book has general information about adoption as it shows us two brothers—one born to his parents and one adopted—growing up together and preparing for the adoption of their baby sister.
I’ve also reviewed Is That Your Sister? — written by a six-year-old with her adoptive mother about the adoption of a three-year-old –have general information about adoption. William is his parents’ biological child. He has an adopted brother. Catherine is adopted and so is her younger sister. She also has two older brothers. This last book explains how the social worker visited the house, the family visited the adoption agency, the toddler visited her new family and they visited her foster home, and how they stayed in touch with the social worker after the littlest one arrived in the home and how the adoption was finalized.
Many more general books on preparing for a new sibling are also applicable to kids whose siblings are coming through adoption.
On Mother’s Lap, by Ann Scott, was my two-and-a-half-year-old son’s favorite. (Theme: room in mother’s lap for Baby Sister and for Michael both.)
We also liked Mr. Rogers’ book The New Baby and a Sesame Street video called A New Baby in My House has a boy prince dealing with a newborn sibling and also has Snuffy and his mother dealing with feelings when one-year-old sister Alice destroys her brother’s toy. This video would be good for those adopting older babies or toddlers—most books and videos about siblings assume a newborn; They don’t prepare the older child for the younger one getting into their stuff.
Please see these related blogs:
Positive Sibling Relationships in Adoption
Promoting a Positive Sibling Adjustment