Just the baby for me

Just the baby for me
by Barbara Sue Levin
Language: English
Lulu, 2008
15 p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 22 cm.
My annotation: This autobiographical story was written as a bedtime story for the author’s daughter. It is a tender story about a woman who always “wanted to grow up to be a mommy.” As time went by though and she did not find the right man, she decides to have a baby on her own and goes on to explain how this was done. First, two things are needed: sperm from a man and an egg from the woman. Since she had no man in her life, she had to visit a “sperm bank” in order to get the sperm. Then she went to a doctor who “helped put the sperm in her belly.” When the sperm and egg came together, they said to each other, “You are just the sperm for me!” And the sperm replies, “You are just the egg for me!” thus conveying to her daughter how she was just the baby for her. Although the term "donor" is not used, this is still a wonderful book for a choice mom to help her explain sperm donation to her child, as well as how much a child is wanted. Full color illustrations are hand drawn by the author and depict a very happy woman from childhood all the way to adulthood as she lives in anticipation of having a child of her own one day. This book takes a family-building approach and employs the “labor of love” script. Recommended for ages 3-5.
Available: http://www.lulu.com/content/2475872

Daddy, was mommy's tummy big?

Daddy, was Mommy's tummy big? 
by Carolina Nadel 
Language: English 
Arlington, VA : Mookind Press, ©2007. 
[32] p. : col. ill. ; 19 cm.
ISBN: 9780979276118; 097927611X 
My annotation: This story begins when a baby elephant asks his father, “Daddy, was mommy’s tummy big?” His daddy then begins to explain how much he was wanted but that “seasons passed...and no baby came.” So they visited several doctors, endured a lot of tests, and finally a doctor helps them find “some parts” they need, which was sperm. He puts the sperm into Mommy’s body, which joins with mommy’s egg, and a baby starts to grow. This is a simple story which begins with a child’s questions about how big his mommy got when she was pregnant and ends with her saying she got bigger than anybody else but not as big as her smile at having him. This book introduces children to the terms “sperm” and “egg,” but does not use the word donor to convey where the sperm came from. This book takes a child-conception approach and employs the “spare parts” and the "labor of love" scripts. The full-color illustrations of the elephant family are appealing and depict other pregnant animals. Recommended for ages 3-5.
Available: http://www.carolinanadel.com/

Nick's story : [how one family proved that miracles can happen]

Nick's story : [how one family proved that miracles can happen]
by Meg Corning
illustrations by Deborah J. McGee.
Language: English
Bloomington, IN : Authorhouse, 2008.
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 22 cm.
ISBN: 1434372111; 9781434372116
$9.95
Reading level: Ages 3-9
Summary: Tells the story of how a little boy was born to a surrogate mother. 
Review: This discussion-starter is narrated by four-year-old Nick who tells the story of how he “didn’t grow inside [his] mommy’s tummy,” but rather inside the tummy of his surrogate mother who happened to be his aunt. The story is unclear whether the aunt is a traditional surrogate or a gestational carrier for her sister and brother-in-law’s embryo. Nice illustrations.
Available: http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000240038/Nicks-Story.aspx

Before you were born : our wish for a baby

618.178

RG134 .G75 2004
Before you were born : our wish for a baby 
by Janice Grimes
illustrations by Mary Moye-Rowley 
Language: English 
Webster, Iowa : X, Y, and Me, ©2004. 
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 22 cm. 
ISBN: 0975502883; 9780975502884

$14.97
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Review: Each book in this series presents a different conception story. Written by a nurse, this is the story of a baby bear who loves to hear the story of how he was born. Though mommy and daddy bear had trouble having him, they were finally able to have him with the help of a “nice man called a donor.” Excellent illustrations. High-quality paper.

others in the series:
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of An IVF Baby
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of A Frozen Embryo
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of Donor Insemination
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of A Donor Egg
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of Donor Sperm (IVF)
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of A Gestational Carrier
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of Surrogacy
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: The Story Of A Donor Embryo
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: A Baby Conceived For Female Partners
Before You Were Born…..Our Wish for a Baby: A Baby Conceived For Male Partners
Available: http://xyandme.com/

Hope & Will have a baby

PZ7.C313 Gif 2006
Hope and Will have a baby 
by Iré́né Celcer
illustrations by Horacio Gatto 
Language: English 
Niskayuna, N.Y. : Graphite, ©2006. 
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 21 x 26 cm.
ISBN: 0975581031; 9780975581032
$19.95
Reading level: Ages 2-5
Summary: Hope and Will fall in love, get married, and try very hard to have a baby before their doctor tells them that they need special baby-making seed from a sperm donor before Hope can become pregnant. 
Major Book Review: School Library Journal

others in the series:
Hope & Will Have a Baby: The Gift of Egg Donation, ISBN 9780975581018 (0975581015)
Hope & Will Have a Baby: The Gift of Embryo Donation, ISBN 9780975581025 (0975581023)
Hope & Will Have a Baby: The Gift of Sperm Donation, ISBN 9780975581032 (0975581031)
Hope & Will Have a Baby: The Gift of Surrogacy, ISBN 9780975581049 (097558104X)
Available: http://www.hopeandwill.net/pages/main/synopsis.php

I’m I.V.F

I'm I.V.F. 
by Katrina Kay Logan
illustrations by Geoff Logan 
Language: English 
Chandler, Qld. : K. Logan, 2009. 
1 v.
ISBN: 9780980616217; 0980616212
Reading level: Ages 4-6
Review: This sequel to Who’s Ivy F.? is told in rhyme and narrated by the same little boy in the first book. It goes into a little more detail about IVF: “Mum’s egg went under the microscope, joined by dad’s sperm and lots of hope.” This book is a discussion starter as it prompts parents to explain what sperm and egg are.
Available: http://www.ivfbooks.com/
Available: http://www.katrinalogan.com/content/im-ivf

Who's Ivy F I.V.F.?

Who's Ivy F I.V.F? 
by Katrina Kay Logan 
illustrated by Geoff Logan 
Language: English 
Chandler, Qld. : K. Logan, 2009. 
1 v.
ISBN: 9780980616200; 0980616204  
Reading level: Ages 4-6
Review: Written by a woman whose nephew was conceived by IVF and who could not find any books that were “neither too scientific nor too clinical” on the subject. It is narrated by a little boy who overhears his parents talk about their “special I.V.F. baby.” But, not knowing it is he they are talking about, he has no idea who Ivy F. is. After going on a search to find Ivy and being unable to, he finally asks his parents who Ivy F. is and they explain to him that he is their IVF baby.
Available: http://www.ivfbooks.com/
Available: http://www.katrinalogan.com/content/welcome

How babies and families are made: (there is more than one way)

HQ53. S3 1988

How babies and families are made : (there is more than one way!)
by Patricia Schaffer
illustrated by Suzanne Corbett
Language: English 
Berkeley, Calif. : Tabor Sarah Books, ©1988.
52 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
ISBN: 0935079173; 9780935079173
$7.95
Recommended for ages: 8-12
Review: This is the first sex book ever published for children that mentions artificial insemination. This book includes a description of how babies are conceived naturally as well as how they are made in the cases of IVF, donor sperm, and adoption. The book also discusses pregnancy, miscarriage, fetal death, labor, types of delivery, prematurity, and disabilities. The author also discusses kinship in families and terminology for birth parents, step-parents, half-siblings, adopted parents, and biological parents. Language is straightforward and there are drawings in black and white with nudity, body parts, and a couple hugging in bed to represent sexual intercourse. Book could be updated to include donor egg, embryo, and surrogacy.
Annotation: The author writes in her preface that she “tried to make all children feel included in the pages of this book,” (including disabled and adopted children), earlier stating that to teach children that all children are conceived via sexual intercourse is “simply untrue.” The book begins with the story of Rachel and Michael, two friends who are alike in many ways, different in others, but both want to know how babies are born. With anatomical drawings labeling all reproductive parts of a woman’s and a man’s body, the book begins by describing what each part does, beginning with how the parts fit together during sexual intercourse. This is how Michael’s parents made him. The book then goes on to explain that not all babies are conceived in this way. Rachel, for example, was conceived via artificial insemination because her father could not make sperm. This book, published in 1988, explains that artificial insemination can also be used by women who do not want to make a baby with a man, thus making this a groundbreaking book being that it was the first non-fiction book published in the United States that hints at single mothers and lesbians who can also resort to artificial insemination in order to have children. Although not necessarily outdated, with so many books on assisted conception published since this one (and this one only covers one method), there are now many more to choose from. As its title states, this is also a book about how families are made and includes the subjects of divorce, death, and remarriage thereby also introducing children to the concepts of step-siblings and half-siblings. Because this is a short book, all these subjects can’t possibly be treated in more than a cursory way, therefore other books on human reproduction, blended families, and disability are recommended. Realistic black and white illustrations depict nudity and lovemaking. Although recommended for children ages 8-12, given the amount of text on each page, children may already be familiar with some of the concepts introduced in this book by the time they get to this one. 
Available: http://leeanne.com/taborsarah/
Available: http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/9780935079173/

My parent(s) made me in a special way : with love and the help of donor insemination

306.874
HQ761 S54 1996
My parent(s) made me in a special way : with love and the help of donor insemination 
by Holly Jean Smith 
illustrated by Janet Boley
Language: English 
Ladysmith, B.C. : H.J. Smith, ©1996. 
8 p. : col. ill. ; 28 cm.
ISBN: 0968063306; 9780968063309
Available: http://mylats.com/book

Let me explain : a story about donor insemination

306.874
HQ761 .S36 1995
Let me explain : a story about donor insemination 
by Jane T. Schnitter
illustrated by Joanne Bowring 
Language: English 
Indianapolis, Ind. : Perspectives Press, ©1995. 
32 p. : ill. ; 27 cm.
ISBN: 0944934129; 9780944934128
My annotation: Written for older children, this book explains the concept of donor insemination. The story is narrated by a fictional little girl who herself was conceived this way. The book begins with her talking about all the great things she does with her dad and that she loves about her dad and adds, “My mom says my dad and I are two of a kind except for one thing. We don’t look anything alike. And I know why. It’s because we don’t have the same genes.” The little girl then goes on to explain what genes are and where they come from introducing the words sperm and ova and what happens when the sperm and ova get together. “Everybody in the whole world starts out that way...But I don’t have any genes from my dad because I didn’t come from his sperm.” The book asks and answers a series of questions any child might have at this point, from "Whose sperm did I come from?" to “Will I ever meet the donor?” to "Does all this make me different?" to which the book answers, "NO! It doesn't make me any different or any more special than anyone else in the world." This book is quite a gentle description of both donor insemination as well as the love between a father and his child, regardless of how that child got here. “What the whole thing comes down to is this...The sperm came from someone else, but once that wonderful baby started to grow, (Me! Remember?), there was only one dad. My dad. The dad who liked to put his hand on Mom’s tummy and feel me kick. The dad who watched me first sit up, bled when I tried out my first tooth on him, and always caught me when I fell. He still does. After all, he's my dad." The book takes a child-conception approach and employs “the helper” script. There are two tone illustrations and the book is recommended for children ages 8-12. Although this book is out of print and the publisher is no longer in existence, it is still available in bookstores specializing in used and out of print books.
Available: http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/9780944934128/

The very special ducklings : (a very simple story about egg donation)

843.92
PS3603
The very special ducklings : (a very simple story about egg donation) 
by Wava Cirisan 
illustrated by Stella Schultze 
Language: English 
Victoria, B.C. : Trafford, ©2004. 
16 p. : col. ill. ; 21 cm.
ISBN: 141204216X, 9781412042161
$10.15
Reading level: Ages 2-5
Review: This is a story of two duckling families who were friends; one mother duck was able to lay six eggs and one mother duck could not lay any. Seeing that her friend was so sad because she could not lay any eggs, she decided to give two of her six eggs to her eggless friend. This story is for very young children but introduces the concept of egg and embryo donation in a simple way without all the possible questions that could be raised in the future about being a child of a known egg/embryo donor. What is interesting is that it does not discuss the father duckling’s role in the decision to receive or donate eggs but highlights the mother duck’s.
Available: http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/9781412042161/

The kangaroo pouch : a story about surrogacy for young children

PZ7.P3638 Ka 2006x
The kangaroo pouch : a story about surrogacy for young children 
by Sarah Phillips Pellet 
illustrated by Laurie A Faust 
Language: English 
[Bloomington, Ind.] : Trafford Pub., ©2006. 
[24] p. : col. ill. ; 21 cm.
ISBN: 1425105572; 9781425105570
$14.95
Reading level: Ages 2-6
Review: This discussion-starter is narrated by Oliver the Kangaroo who lives happily with his parents and brother. He tells the story of how his mother one day had the idea to help another family have a baby by carrying that baby in her kangaroo pouch. It was written by a mother to help explain her decision to become a gestational surrogate to her children. Very nice illustrations.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/The-Kangaroo-Pouch-Gestational-Surrogacy/dp/1425105572 
Interview with the author: https://adoption.net/a/infertility/blogs-infertility/the-kangaroo-pouch-review-explaining-surrogacy-on-your-childs-level/21963/

Our story - for children conceived through double or embryo donation in heterosexual families

618.178

Our Story - for children conceived through double or embryo donation in heterosexual families
by Donor Conception Network
Language: English
Nottingham : Donor Conception Network, ©2002.
24 p. : col. ill. ; 20 x 21 cm.
ISBN: 9780954399535
$8.00
Reading level: Ages 2-6
Web site summary: Mummy and Daddy tried for a long time to make a baby. The doctor said there were problems with Mummy’s eggs and Daddy’s sperm and this made Mummy and Daddy very sad. The doctor said there are kind ladies and kind men called donors. They wanted to help so that Mummy and Daddy could have a happy family of their own." This new book is suitable for hetersexual couple families.

other books in the series:

Our Story: for children conceived through egg donation

Our Story - For children conceived through sperm donation in lesbian families

Our Story - For children conceived through sperm donation in solo mum families

Why don't I have a daddy? : a story of donor conception

Why don't I have a daddy? : a story of donor conception 
by George Anne Clay
illustrated by Lisa Krebs 
Language: English 
Bloomington, Ind. : Author House, 2008. 
[28] p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 22 cm.
ISBN: 142599587X; 9781425995874
My annotation: Written by a mother whose desire it was to help her son understand his origins, this story begins when a lion cub notices the many different families around him on the African plain: zebra families, elephant families, and monkey families. He also notices that they all have two adults in their families, a mommy and a daddy. When he asks his mom why he doesn’t have a daddy, she begins to explain how a “kind and generous” “donor lion” gave some of his “special seed” so that she could have a cub of her own. After hearing the story of his conception, the little lion asks his mother, “Mama, what am I supposed to say when other cubs ask about my daddy?” To which she replies that it may be hard for other cubs to understand why he doesn’t have a daddy if they themselves have a daddy who they love, but that he could simply say that his family just consists of him and his mama. When he gets older, she adds, he might want to tell his friends if they ask, that his father is a sperm donor. This book introduces children to the concept of sperm donation as something simple you go to the doctor for, but also uses the term “father” to describe the donor who gave his sperm, as opposed to a “daddy” who is a part of the family. It’s possible the term “biological father” might have been more accurate, but as with many of these books written by mothers, these are the personal stories that they wish to tell their children, using their own vocabulary, and in their own way. Because the mama lion consistently refers to their twosome as a family, this book takes a family-building approach and employs “the helper” and the "labor of love" scripts. It also includes an insightful “note to the Grown-Ups…” written by a licensed clinical professional counselor at the end. There are full color illustrations and the book is recommended for children ages 3-5.
Available: http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000574312/Why-Dont-I-Have-A-Daddy.aspx

A tiny itsy bitsy gift of life, an egg donor story

A tiny itsy bitsy gift of life : [an egg donor story] 
by Carmen Martínez Jover
illustrated by Rosemary Martínez 
Language: English 
[Mexico] : Carmen Martínez Jover, ©2009. 
30 p. : col. ill. ; 21 cm.
ISBN: 9709410326; 9789709410327
$15.00
Reading level: Ages 2-6
Review: With rabbits as stand-ins for a Mummy and a Daddy, this simple story for very young children tells how Pally and Comet tried to have a baby but couldn’t, so they borrowed some “tiny itsy bitsy seeds,” a “tiny itsy bitsy gift of life” from another rabbit Mummy to help them grow their baby inside of Pally. It may be difficult to explain to children how the donor knew that seeds were needed and that the gift was so small even though it is so large. Illustrations are excellent. High quality binding.
Available: http://www.carmenmartinezjover.com/

Mommy, Was Your Tummy Big?

Mommy, Was Your Tummy Big?
written and illustrated by Carolina Nadel
Language: English
Arlington, VA : Mookind Press, ©2007.
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 21 cm.
ISBN: 9780979276101; 0979276101
$19.95
Reading level: Ages 2-6
Review: Written and illustrated by the author, a doctor who had fertility problems. This story begins when a baby elephant asks his mommy elephant if her tummy was big when he was in it and how he got there. She begins to explain that after several visits to the doctor and several attempts at pregnancy, the doctors helped her find a “special lady” whose eggs helped her become pregnant. The story’s purpose is to help parents explain IVF and egg donation to their children. The author wrote a second book with the same characters and similar illustrations—a little elephant asks his daddy if his mommy’s tummy was big and how he got there. The daddy elephant goes on to explain that mommy needed to borrow a “part” (sperm) from someone else in order to have him. Colorful illustrations. High quality binding.
Available: http://www.carolinanadel.com/books.html

Super special sisters : A story about the miracle of in vitro fertilization

813.6
PS8627 A63 S86 2006
Super special sisters : A story about the miracle of in vitro fertilization 
by Juliet Napier 
illustrated by Sheila G Johnson 
Language: English 
Victoria, B.C. : Trafford, ©2006. 
32 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm.
ISBN: 1412078660
$14.77
Reading level: Ages 6-11
Review: Written by a mother and librarian who conceived her second child, a son, after four attempts at IVF, it is narrated by her older son who is six to eight years old at the time of the telling. The story is written for older siblings to help them understand that some families may take longer to have a family. The story is realistic in that it explains that medical help may be needed to help a couple conceive, and even that may not always work. The story is altered in that the parents in the story conceive with fraternal twin girls, the “super special sisters” that their older brother is talking about. Includes a child’s glossary and a frequently-asked-questions section.
Available: http://www.trafford.com/05-2764

A part was given and an angel was born

618.178

A part was given and an angel was born
by Rozanne Nathalie
illustrations/graphics by Jennifer Lofchie and Bruce Sulzberg Language: English 
Edina, Minn. : Beaver's Pond Press, ©2002. 
[15] p. : col. ill. ; 24 cm.
ISBN: 1931646783; 9781931646789
$19.95
Reading level: Ages 2-6
Review: Told in rhyme, this story explains how Mommy had to use a “part” from a “very special lady with a heart” in order to make her baby. Again metaphors are used as symbols for baby-making ingredients. The story is told very simply for young children but may be unclear for children over six years of age. Colorful illustrations. High-quality binding.
Available: http://tellyourchild.com/

Recipes of how babies are made

Recipes of how babies are made 
by Carmen Martínez Jover 
illus. by Rosemary Martínez
[translation, Diana Guerra] 
Language: English 
[Mexico] : Carmen Martínez Jover, ©2007. 
31 p. : col. ill. ; 22 cm.
ISBN: 9789709410341; 9709410342
$15.00
Reading level: Ages 3-5
Review: The book uses the metaphor of baking a cake to begin the discussion about baby-making. It describes traditional babymaking as the “classical recipe” for making a baby and then goes on to discuss the various other ways for making a baby when something goes wrong with one of the “ingredients.” These include the need for donor sperm, donor egg, donor embryo, or a surrogate mother and goes on to explain that when none of these options works, there is also adoption as an option for having a child. Excellent illustrations. Includes nudity. High-quality binding.
Annotation: Using the metaphor of cake-making, where milk, flour, eggs, butter and an oven are needed, the author introduces children to the ingredients for making a baby: sperm, an egg, and a tummy. While a cake takes thirty minutes in the oven, a baby takes 9 months in a woman’s tummy. When sperm and egg join, (there is no information on lovemaking), the egg is fertilized and becomes a single cell until it begins to divide to form an embryo and then a fetus, which is carried for nine months. This is the “classical recipe” for making babies. When things don’t work out this way, the book goes on to describe several other methods for making a baby, all of which require a doctor’s help. In vitro is discussed, as well as sperm donation, egg donation, embryo donation, surrogacy, and adoption, and all necessary vocabulary is introduced, “fertilization,” “embryo,” “fetus,” and “pregnancy.” One small critique I have is that for the discussion of in vitro, there is a picture of a test tube instead of a petri dish, which could be confusing to children if their parents combine this book with other books to explain IVF to their children. The description of sperm donation is also combined with the in vitro procedure, “The doctor fertilizes Mummy’s egg in a test tube with the donated sperms,” and “When the embryo starts growing the doctor places it in Mummy’s womb,” which is not always the case with sperm donation. Each procedure for sperm donation, egg donation, etc. is reinforced by accompanying pictures at the bottom of a two-page spread, showing the need for sperm, an egg, a test tube, and a womb. The book ends by reassuring children that no matter how they were conceived, one way is no better than another and that “No matter with which recipe you were born or how you came into Mummy and Daddy’s arms, they love you just the same because they had been longing for you to be part of their family.” Cartoon drawings depict nudity and lovemaking although there is no verbal description of lovemaking. Recommended for children ages 3-5. 
Available: http://www.carmenmartinezjover.com/

The baby doctor : explaining IVF to your child

618.178
The baby doctor : explaining IVF to your child 
by Leah Bryan 
illus. by Sara Riches 
Language: English 
Elanora, Qld. : Nuhouse Press, 2008. 
14 p. : col. ill. ; 21 x 30 cm.
ISBN: 0980469619; 9780980469615
$37.00
Reading level: Ages 2-9
Review: Narrated by a little girl, this is the story about how her parents want to give her a baby brother or sister, and about her anxiety over all the treatments her mother has to go through in order to have that baby. One of the goals of the book is to help older siblings understand IVF and reduce their anxiety about it. It also is a helpful book to explain to IVF children, when they are older, how they were conceived.
Available: http://www.nuhousepress.com/

And Then There Was Me

And Then There Was Me
by Gloria Finkbeiner, Susan L. Pierce
Language: English
Published by AdoptShoppe Press, 2002
Reading level: Baby book for parents to make for their children
ISBN: 1930218036; 9781930218031
108 pages
$36.95


http://www.adoptshoppe.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=421

From out of my body your soul did grow

306.8743
From out of my body your soul did grow 
by Rozanne Nathalie 
illustrations/graphics by Jennifer Lofchie; Bruce Sulzberg 
Language: English 
Edina, Minn. : Beaver's Pond Press, ©2002. 
[15] p. : col. ill. ; 24 cm.
ISBN: 1931646775; 9781931646772
$19.95
Reading level: Ages 2-6
Review: Told in rhyme, this is the story of how a couple could not carry their own child, so a gestational carrier, a “wonderful lady with a heart made of gold” carried their baby in her own tummy. The story is about surrogacy, but it is left unclear whether the egg was from the surrogate, an egg donor, or the couple themselves. Colorful illustrations.
Available: http://tellyourchild.com

Our beautiful work of A.R.T.

618.178

Our beautiful work of A.R.T. 
by Rozanne Nathalie
illustrations/graphics by Jennifer Lofchie; Bruce Sulzberg Language: English 
Edina, Minn. : Beaver's Pond Press, ©2002.
[13] p. : col. ill. ; 24 cm.
ISBN: 1931646767; 9781931646765
$19.95
Reading level: Ages 2-6
Review: Told in rhyme, Mommy and Daddy couldn’t make a baby on their own, so they went to the doctor and the doctor helped them. Although cataloged as “Fertilization in vitro, Human,” baking metaphors rather than technical explanations are used as symbols for how to make a baby. High-quality paper and binding. Colorful illustrations.
Available: http://tellyourchild.com

You are a gift : a post infertility-success support tool for parents

618.178

RG133.5 M42 2003

You are a gift : a post infertility success support tool for parents 
by Rebecca Miller 
illus. by Edie Costa 
Language: English 
Victoria, B.C. : Trafford, 2003. 
21 p. : col. ill. ; 21 cm.
ISBN: 1412012503; 9781412012508
My annotation: A Mommy and a Daddy who were ready to start their family learn that they need help to have a baby. “Some people have babies by themselves while others need help,” they explain. So they visit a doctor who tells them that the “parts” they need to make a baby were “broken or missing.” On the opposite page the doctor is presented showing the couple a picture of a sperm and an egg, thus introducing children to those terms, but the book does not say exactly what part was missing in this instant, only that they should come back to his office so that he could give them “the missing parts.” They do, and then they wait, and while they waited, they dreamed. “We didn’t mind waiting because we wanted a baby very, very much….We dreamed about how wonderful it would be to hold you and to play with you and to take you to fun places! We dreamed about how much we would love you.” Then one day the doctor tells them that they are pregnant, introducing the term “pregnant” as well. This book is lovingly told and is written directly to the child, “Our family is now complete and we are so very happy that you were born.” It conveys the hoping and the waiting that parents, especially those who must use ART, often feel and the book is meant as a support tool for parents to explain how their children were conceived, filling in more parts to the story over time. This book takes a family-building and a child-conception approach and employs “the helper,” the ”spare parts,” and the “labor of love” scripts. There are full color illustrations and it is written for children ages 3-5.
Available: http://www.trafford.com/03-1628

Mommy, did I grow in your tummy? : Where some babies come from

612.6

PZ7.G67 Mo62

Mommy, did I grow in your tummy? : Where some babies come from. 
by Elaine R Gordon
illus. by Kathy Clo 
Language: English 
Santa Monica, Calif. : EM Greenberg Press, 1992. 
28 p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 25 cm.
ISBN: 0963456105; 9780963456106
My annotation: A little girl asks her mommy, “Did I grow in your tummy?” and the mommy tells her that she’s asked a very important question and takes that as a good time to read her little girl a story. It is the story of Sandy and Bob who really wanted a baby. They “read all the books on how to make a baby, but no matter how hard they tried, no baby was made.” So they visit a doctor who tells them that there are “all kinds of reasons why” some people can’t make babies, but that there are other ways and that Sandy and Bob have to pick the best way for them. Terms and what they mean are all explained in a way that a child could understand them. For egg donation for example, “A mom might not have an egg to join with the dad’s sperm. But she can still grow a baby in her body. When this happens, another woman, called an egg donor, can help by donating or giving her egg to meet and join with the dad’s sperm.” The book does not say however, how sperm and egg would get together under normal circumstances. All the methods, sperm donation, egg donation, surrogacy, and adoption, are introduced and explained in simple terms like these except for gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT) and zygote intra-fallopian transfer (ZIFT), two terms introduced but not explained at all, one reason being that "fallopian tubes" had not been previously mentioned. At the end of the story, Sandy and Bob have a baby (the book doesn’t say by what method), but adds, “but it really doesn't matter because they ended up with their dream - a wonderful, wonderful baby.” This was one of the first five books ever published for children on the subject of assisted reproduction and was updated in 2011.The book takes a family-building approach and a child-conception approach and employs the “all families are made differently” and “the helper” scripts. There are full color illustrations and it is recommended for children ages 3-5.
Available: http://www.elainegordon.com/Elaine_R._Gordon,_Ph.D./Books.html

Phoebe’s Family: a story about egg donation

Phoebe’s Family: a story about egg donation
by Linda Stamm
illustrated by Joan Clipp
Language: English
Graphite Press, c2010
20 pp.
ISBN: 0975581074; 9780975581070
$19.95
Reading level: Ages 4-9
Review: Written by a clinical psychologist, Mama loves to tell eight-year-old Phoebe the story of how Phoebe came to be with the help of an anonymous egg donor. This book is for children who have a mommy and daddy. The author understands that children will often be confused by the discussion about eggs and sperm, and for that reason she raises and answers some of the questions about egg and sperm that a child of that age might have. Younger children might not understand some of the terminology used here, but it is a wonderful discussion-starter for explaining egg donation to children. This is a good starter book when talking about the donor and the feelings that the child may have about not looking like her mommy but still being like her mommy.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Phoebes-Family-Story-About-Donation/dp/0975581074/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338393063&sr=8-1  
Available online: http://www.infertilitynetwork.org/files/in_phoebes_family.pdf

Making miracles

Making miracles 
by Mal Leicester
illus. by Taryn Shrigley 
Language: English 
Derby : ACeBabes, 2001.
20 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.
ISBN: 0954186109; 9780954186104
Available: http://www.acebabes.co.uk/store.htm

Sometimes it takes three to make a baby : explaining egg donor conception to young children

618.178
Sometimes it takes three to make a baby : explaining egg donor conception to young children
by Kate Bourne
illus. by Don Thompson. 
Language: English 
[S.l.] : Melbourne Ivf, 2002. 
ISBN: 0958190305; 9780958190305
24 pp.
Reading level: Ages 3-9
Review: Explaining that “lots and lots of kids begin like this” and written by an infertility counselor, this is the story of a Mum and Dad who tried very hard to have a baby and couldn’t. When the doctor said it was because the Mum’s eggs didn’t work, the Mum and Dad used an egg donor to help them get pregnant. Excellent illustrations.
Available: http://www.mivf.com.au/downloads/orderform.pdf
Available: http://mivf.com.au/sites/mivf.com.au/files/attachments/sometimes_it_takes_three_to_make_a_baby.pdf

My beginnings: a very special story

618.178
My beginnings: a very special story
by Tim Appleton
Language: English 
Published by IFC Resource Centre, 2005
ISBN: 187366303X; 9781873663035
40 pages
Available: http://www.mybeginnings.org/

Butterflies & magical wings

Butterflies & magical wings 
by Amy Margolis
illus. by Natalie Marino 
Language: English 
[Old Brookville, NY : A. Margolis, 2006, ©2003. 
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 27 cm.
ISBN: 0977669203; 9780977669202
Reading level: 7+
Review: Using butterflies as a metaphor for people conceiving with help from a third party, Flutter and Milo do a “magic baby butterfly dance” to have a baby of their own. Unfortunately, their magic dance doesn’t work until they meet a special butterfly who has “magical spots” that she can lend them. With the help of “scientific technology,” they have a baby butterfly of their own. Colorful illustrations. The story is wordy for children under five and would be best suited for ages seven and up.
Available: http://www.butterfliesandmagicalwings.com/order.html

My story: for children conceived by donor insemination

My story: for children conceived by donor insemination 
by Julie Heath; Jessop Hospital for Women; Infertility Research Trust 
Language: English 
Infertility Research Trust, ©1991. 
18 p. : col. ill ; 20 x 22 cm.
ISBN: 0901100293
My annotation: Told in the first person and narrated by the child, this is the story of how Mummy and Daddy “loved each other very much” and “tried for a long time” but could not make a baby. So they went to the hospital to see if they could get some help and they were told that Daddy’s sperm was “not able to meet Mummy’s egg…” However, the doctor tells them, “some very kind men” give their sperm so that couples like them can have babies of their own. Although this is a book about donor insemination, the term “donor” is not introduced. Parents should also be apprised of the fact that there is one page of nudity depicting a naked pregnant woman early on in the story. Published in 1991, this book was only the third book in the world to be published about third party reproduction for children and the only book published that year on the subject. This book takes a child-conception approach and employs “the helper” and “labor of love” scripts. Full-color cartoon-like drawings depict people of all races. Recommended for children ages 3-5.
Available: http://www.dcnetwork.org/products/product/my-story-sperm-donation-heterosexual-couples
Available in French here: http://cecos.cluster005.ovh.net/sites/default/files/files/mon_histoire_a_moi.pdf

How I began : the story of donor insemination

649.65
How I began : the story of donor insemination 
by New South Wales Infertility Social Workers Group
edited by Julia Paul
illus. by Merri Spencer
Language: English 
Carlton, Vic. : Fertility Society of Australia, ©1988. 
[27] p. : ill. ; 21 x 26 cm.
ISBN: 0947285008; 9780947285005
My annotation: Published in 1988, this was the very first book ever written about donor insemination for children. It is clearly written and aims to be as comprehensive as possible beginning with the question, “Have you ever wondered where you came from?” and then stating, “This book answers just that question.” It is written in the voice of parents talking directly to their child as the ‘you’ pronoun is used throughout. It introduces children to the terms, “penis,” “vagina,” “testicles,” “uterus,” “sperm,” “egg,” “sexual intercourse,” “labour,” and all the realities of “lovemaking.” After explaining the basic details, it also talks about how Mummy and Daddy “had sexual intercourse lots of times” and “enjoyed it very much,” but that no baby grew inside Mummy. They visit a doctor who “did lots of tests to see why no baby was growing,” and the doctor concludes that Daddy’s sperm “wouldn’t make a baby.” There is another way, the doctor tells them, and here the book introduces children to the term and the concept of “donor insemination.” This book would seem to take a purely child-conception approach since the majority of the book discusses the special circumstances involved in the child’s conception but for the last sentence, which states, “So … now you know how you began and how you became part of your family!” It therefore takes a family-building approach as well. It employs the “nuts and bolts” script. Sepia-toned illustrations depict full-frontal nudity, a couple making love, and a baby being born. Recommended for children ages 5-8.

No longer available: Out of print.

Where did I really come from? : sexual intercourse, DI, IVF, GIFT, pregnancy, birth, surrogacy, adoption

612.6
Where did I really come from? : sexual intercourse, DI, IVF, GIFT, pregnancy, birth, surrogacy, adoption 
by Narelle Wickham 
illus. by Ingrid Urh 
Language: English 
Dulwich Hill, N.S.W. : Learn To Include 2008. 
2nd Revised edition
31 p. : ill ; 19 x 24 cm.
ISBN: 0646496158; 9780646496153
$19.95
Recommended age: 5-8
Review: First published in 1992 and now in its second edition, this is the first sex instruction book for children that mentions same-sex parenting as well as the various assisted reproductive technologies. Although the book includes all aspects of alternative family building, none is explained in any detail. Young children will find the language difficult and older children may need more details. Includes nudity.
Annotation: This book begins by telling children that the most important thing they need to know about where babies come from is not how they began “but that certain people wanted you to be born.” It begins with a chapter on sexual intercourse, describing the mechanics of how sperm and egg meet, but right from the get go instructs children that sexual intercourse is not the only way to make a baby, thereby suggesting that this book is really meant for children who were conceived in ways other than intercourse. Given that most of the chapters are devoted to methods of assisted conception: DI, IVF, surrogacy, and adoption, this seems to be the case. For example, in a bold shift from other books on human reproduction, the chapter on donor insemination states outright that sometimes “a woman really wants to have a baby but she doesn’t want to have intercourse with a man,” or that she wants to raise a baby by herself, or with another woman. In these cases a woman must visit a doctor and acquire sperm, herewith introducing children to the terms “donor” and “donor insemination” with a description of how it is done, building on the information introduced in the chapter on sexual intercourse about how sperm and egg meet. Egg donation is given a single sentence in the book and gay fathers are only visually depicted in the chapter on surrogacy. They are otherwise not mentioned in the way that “two mums” are mentioned in the chapter on DI. Although the intention of this book seems to be comprehensiveness, the book could be confusing if not read with a parent who could help explain the more difficult concepts around assisted conception introduced here. Cartoon, sepia-toned illustrations include nudity and visual and verbal depictions of lovemaking. Recommended for children ages 5-8. 
Available: http://www.abbeys.com.au/book/where-did-i-really-come-from.do