Donor Conception Network
| Phoebe’s Family: a story about egg donation by Linda Stamm Illustrated by Joan Clipp |
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| A nicely illustrated book from the States about an eight year old girl called Phoebe, whose mother explains her conception by anonymous egg donation to her. It includes information that Phoebe has inherited her red hair from her donor, but has similarities to her mother too. It is probably suitable for age 5 and upwards. |
| Mommy, was your tummy big? By Carolina Nadel |
| Also from the States this book is intended to help parents who used IVF with donor eggs begin to explain the process to young children. The language is simple and it features a family of elephants which should appeal to young children. Can be viewed, down-loaded and bought on-line from www.lulu.com |
| Before You Were Born: Our Wish for a Baby By Janice Grimes ( 2004) Published in the USA by XY and me |
 There are 16 versions of the story books in this series, and they can be used for children conceived in many different circumstances. The language is simple and the word 'cells' is used rather than egg and sperm. The colourful bear characters are intended to be gender and ethnically neutral, and they appeal to young children. The books can be purchased online at www.xyandme.com, or can be borrowed from the library. The two- parent books cover the following circumstances: IVF, Donor Insemination, IVF with Donor Sperm, Egg Donation, Frozen Embryo Transfer, Embryo Donation, Traditional Surrogate and Gestational Carrier. There are also books for Female Partners using Donor Insemination, and Male Partners using a Surrogate Mother. |
| Before You Were Born: My Wish for a Baby. ( 2005) By Janice Grimes Available to buy from www.xyandme.com |
| Story books suitable for children in single parent families, which include the following situations: Donor Insemination, IVF with Donor Sperm, Donor Egg/Donor Sperm or Donor Embryo. Also Single Dad- Traditional Surrogate and Single Dad – Donor Egg and Gestational Carrier. |
| MY STORY (Infertility Research Trust 1992) |
| For children up to 6 conceived by sperm donation into heterosexual couple families. Written in very simple language and delightfully illustrated. Available to buy from PO Box address £6.50 inc.p+p |
| OUR STORY (2002) Published by Donor Conception Network |
| Three versions of this book are now available, one for children conceived by egg donation, one for children conceived by sperm donation into single parent families, and one for children conceived by sperm donation into lesbain families. Written in simple language and delightfully illustrated by children. Available to buy from PO Box address, priced £6.50 |
| SOMETIMES IT TAKES THREE TO MAKE A BABY: EXPLAINING EGG DONOR CONCEPTION TO YOUNG CHILDREN (2002) By Kate Bourne Illustrated by Don Thompson. Published by Melbourne IVF Pty Ltd ISBN: 0 9581903 |
| This Australian book includes an illustrated story for young children explaining in simple language the process of egg donation. There is also a workbook called “My Very Own Book About Me” for the child to complete, and advice for parents on talking to young children about their special conception. It will also be of interest to egg donors and their families. Recommended. The Website address for an order form is: www.mivf.com.au. Email wrayjone@waitrose.com for availability Review which originally appeared in the Journal of Fertility Counselling vol 10 no 2, Summer 2003) |
| How To Make A Family (2005) By Xenya Kantaris, Catherine Peters, and Alastair Sutcliffe Produced by Royal Free and University College Medical School |
| A simple and very directly worded booklet for children, with colour illustrations, which describes the male and female reproductive systems and how sexual intercourse leads to an egg and sperm being joined together to grow into an embryo and then into a baby. It then goes on to describe IVF and ICSI. There is no reference to children being created in the context of a loving relationship. There is also no reference to the use of donated gametes, but parents could add their own explanation of this. To order a copy, send an email to icsi@medsch.ucl.ac.uk Price £4.00 |
| MY BEGINNINGS: A VERY SPECIAL STORY (2005) By Tim Appleton Pub by IFC Resource Centre ISBN: 873663 03 X |
| This updated book for children can be assembled in different ways to cover different circumstances. These include conception by IVF, IVF with ICSI ( intracytoplasmic sperm injection) IVF with donor sperm, IVF with donor eggs, donor insemination, donor embryos and frozen embryo transfers. It tells the story of a couple who lead busy but unfulfilled lives prior to the birth of their child by assisted conception. It is well illustrated with colour pictures throughout, and contains pictures of egg and sperm cells and photographs of early human embryos. There are spaces to allow you to personalise the book with photographs and scan pictures. The majority of the language is geared towards younger children and is very coy about how most babies are made, but some of the information about cell function may be understood better and be of greater interest to slightly older children. The latest edition of the book is supplied with a CD rom with additional information for older children, including the story 'I'm a little Frostie'; about frozen embryos. The book remains a valuable and versatile resource, especially for families with children created by embryo donation, for whom there are few other suitable books available. To order a copy see website address: www.mybeginnings.org Price for the combined book and CD rom is £14.95 |
| MOMMY, DID I GROW IN YOUR TUMMY? WHERE SOME BABIES COME FROM (1992) By Elaine R. Gordon. Published by EM Green Press ISBN: 0963456105 |
| This book is simply and sensitively written to help parents explain to young children about the different ways babies may be conceived, including IVF, egg and sperm donation and surrogacy. It is well illustrated, and also describes adoption in an easy to understand way. Some people have found it confusing because it attempts to explain so much. |
| MAKING MIRACLES (2001) By Mal Leicester. Published by Acebabes. ISBN: 0-9541861-0-9 |
| A storybook for young children for those who want to be open about their use of assisted conception. Based on a friendship between a young boy and a frog, it touches on the subject but does not contain any technical detail. This leaves parents to give explanations as appropriate to their children. Contact AceBabes |
| HOW BABIES AND FAMILIES ARE MADE (THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY!) (1988) By Patricia Schaffer. Published by Tabor Sarah Books, Berkeley, California. ISBN: 0-935079-17-3 |
| This excellent book covers a multitude of related topics with startling simplicity and sensitivity. It starts by explaining a family as people who care about each other. Clear, straightforward language and pen/ink drawings are then used to explain the differences between male and female bodies and reproductive organs. Sexual intercourse is described as taking place "because it feels good" ( a rare reference to feelings in a book for children about sex) rather than just to make a baby. Donor insemination and IVF are referred to as alternative ways of creating families for those people who cannot make babies together. It goes on to cover fertilisation, pregnancy, miscarriage, home/hospital birth, vaginal/ caesarian delivery, premature babies, disability, mixed origin families and adoption. Only downside- no colour, so does not draw a child in in the same way as many modern children's stories. |
| ALL KINDS OF FAMILIES (1976) By Norma Simon Published by Albert Whitman and Company, Morton Grove, Illinois. ISBN: 0-8075-0282-0 |
| This book is about the sameness and differences in how families are, rather than how they came into being. It covers good and bad times in the life cycle of families, and would be a good vehicle for starting a conversation with a child about how your family came into being, and the links between different family members, genetically related or not. |
| WHO'S IN A FAMILY? (1995) By Robert Skutch. Published by Tricycle Press, Berkeley California. ISBN: 1-883672-66-X |
| This picture book shows how families can be made up of different groupings of people. It includes single parents, lesbian and gay parents and people without children, as well as heterosexual couples. By comparing human families to animal families it demonstrates difference and sameness both within and between families. Has empty frames at the end for a child's own family pictures. This and the previous two books from the USA are available on www.Amazon.com rather than Amazon.co.uk. |
