Adoptive mom Marcy Bursac has received the Angels in Adoption Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, was United States of America’s Mrs. Ohio in 2022 and is the founder of The Forgotten Adoption Option. Here’s a look at the three books she has written:
“What to Know When You Adopt Through Foster Care: Real Life Stories and Practical Tips”
BookBaby, 2023, 200 pages, $19.99
ISBN: 979-8-35091-920-2
When people are considering adopting a child from foster care, they have many questions. “The Forgotten Adoption Option” is designed to answer those questions that include a simple explanation of what foster care adoption is to the various types of licensing to become a foster, adoptive or kinship parent.
The book also includes QR codes that link to the author’s podcast, The Forgotten Adoption Option. This is a unique way to learn more the subject of each chapter in the book and provides additional information for subject matter experts.
Moving into part two of the book, “real life stories” are shared on issues such as applying to become a foster adoptive parent, completing the training and homestudy, moving through the legal process, getting matched with a child and parenting the children in your care. This section provides anonymized personal perspectives that are oftentimes some of the most valuable learning opportunities for other families. While this is the meat of the book, I was a little disappointed that the stories were anonymous, as it’s fun to also relate to people from different places, backgrounds and experiences.
Overall, the book was an easy, enjoyable read that most foster, adoptive and kinship families would most likely enjoy and learn from.
“The Forgotten Adoption Option: A Self-Reflection and How-to Guide for Parenting Foster Care Adoption”
BookBaby 2020, 70 pages, $11.99
ISBN: 978-1-09833-537-3
Here, Bursac takes readers on a journey through her own process of adopting two children from foster care, including always knowing she wanted to adopt, even before she met her husband, Nathan. Throughout the book, Bursac breaks down the process of adopting from foster care and all of the things families should think about as they’re embarking on the process. She shares the experiences of having fears as new adoptive parents, the fears the children face in joining a new family and the fears that others share as the couple starts the adoption process.
As the book progresses, she shares the various steps to becoming an adoptive parent from selecting an agency and getting licensed to making the big announcement and meeting your child(ren) for the first time. Bursac weaves pieces of their own process within the step-by-step guide to becoming a parent.
And finally, the book dips into what life looks like after a child joins the family, including the ups and downs, challenges and celebrations. The last thing shared are resources, which feels like the perfect ending since the adoption parenting journey is never truly complete and families need help along the way.
“Are you a Forever Family?”
BookBaby, 2022, $15.99
ISBN: 978-1-66784-072-7
This simple, easy-to-read children’s book provides a quick overview of what it means to adopt from foster care. From sharing the statistics on how many children are waiting to be adopted to all the different types of families who can adopt, the book covers a lot of ground in a simplistic way. If you’re looking for a way to introduce the idea of fostering or adopting to the children you’re currently parents, this book might be the very thing you need.
— Reviewed by Kim Phagan-Hansel