I went to a bookstore today to look for my favorite book on adoption, Adoption Nation, by Adam Pertman. When I got to the Family and Childcare section I skimmed four bookcases on pregnancy before I came across a couple books on Adoption. They were mixed in with other books on sex education on the same shelf.
I then recalled my frustration of looking for books on adoption when my husband and I were waiting for Connor. I remember finding books on adoption on the Internet and thought I would just go to the bookstore and pick them up and look to see if they would be something I would want to purchase. But at the bookstores I couldn’t find the books I wanted or very few books on adoption at all. Meanwhile they had plenty of books on pregnancy and childbirth. I wasn’t looking at small bookstores either but major chains in the East. They will remain nameless.
I remember having a feeling of discrimination. After all if you were to look at adoption today it is becoming an ever increasing way to build families. And if you could find an adoption book in the bookstore it would tell you just that.
To me it is very puzzling why information on adoption is difficult to find or get, whether it is about the process of adoption, raising an adopted child, about being an adoptive parent, or a birthparent. There are more books on raising dogs and cats then on raising adopted children in bookstores. Now dogs and cats are great but I think there is something wrong when it’s harder to find a book on adoption than it is to find a book on raising a Poodle.
I really don’t have an answer, except maybe the bookstores do not feel that they have a market or a demand to carry them.
I would like to hear from others if you have found similar experiences or if you have any idea why they are not carried in bookstores. If you are looking for books on adoption you can find a wide variety on different topics on the Internet on websites such as Amazon.com or Adoption.com