Adopting in America: How to Adopt Within One Year. [Paperback]

Randall Hicks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1999

Filled with unique strategies for creating a family, this book shatters the negative myths of the adoption process and tells couples everything they need to know to adopt successfully within a year.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

No touchy-feely paean to the joys of adopting, Hicks’s book is a nuts-and-bolts, practical guide to the entire process of adopting a child. Hicks, an adoption attorney, begins by debunking the myth that an adoption agency is necessary, reminding readers of the 11 other ways they can adopt, whether through public or county adoption agencies, independent adoption or numerous other routes. His educational and empowering book goes on to explain how adoptive parents should select a method of adoption, quickly locate a baby for adoption, arrange a successful adoption (including working with a birth mother and handling the initial meeting), and handle medical and legal issues. Hicks ends with a state-by-state review of adoption, where he provides each state’s laws and procedures (they vary widely). The author is able to present no-nonsense, matter-of-fact advice while using a compassionate approach that will bolster the confidence of parents who seek to adopt.
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Review

One of America's leading adoption attorney's reveals his secrets of success. A must read. -- Adoptnet Magazine

Showers the anxious parent with information on methods and resources for adoption. -- Booklist, American Library Association

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Wordslinger Press; 2nd edition (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963163876
• ISBN-13: 978-0963163875
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,654,306 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very informative book on adoption., December 22, 1999

By 

Meghan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adopting in America: How to Adopt Within One Year. (Paperback)

This book is so easily understood that I was not able to put it down and read it in two nights! It gave me so much information that I needed to feel confident in my knowldge of adoption, especially open adoption. There is a whole chapter that lists all the states with adgencies, adoption attorneys and helpful information regarding adoption in each of those states. This is a book to have as a reference throughout the adoption experience. Although I read the book from the library, I plan to buy my own for reference. I think anyone considering adoption should read this book over and over again!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book!, September 9, 2002

By 

Jan Waylington (Bellingham, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adopting in America: How to Adopt Within One Year. (Paperback)

This is one of four how-to adoption books my husband and I bought in our plan to start an adoption. It was BY FAR the best. It was clearly written and laid out the information just as I would have done. The amount of detail was increadible, as no other books came close. We loved the step-by-step approach, and the insightful tips the author gave on finding a qualified agency or attorney, and how to eliminate the ones to avoid. He bluntly says what others seem to hesitate to do. He is an adoption attorney himself, and his tips are great.

The first half of the book was a wonderful step-by-stop approach, from basics (meeting a birth mother, networking, finding an agency or attorney) to technical things we need to know (birth mother consent laws, spotting risky adoptions, federal legal issues which can sometimes affect state law - in general, how to protect yourself).

The second half was a state-by-state review of each state's unique laws. It also listed each licensed agency in that state, as well as adoption attorneys and their bios.

This book was GREAT! The best part of all... We found our attorney through advice in this book, and she turned out to be great. We found a birth mother through the advice on networking in the book. Our son was born July 2, 2002 and we will soon be finalizing our adoption!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A proud Daddy- Thanks to this book!, July 3, 2000

By 

A. Coulson "ordinaryservant" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adopting in America: How to Adopt Within One Year. (Paperback)

Randall Hicks book is written in an informative way- but maintains a warmth towards the many emotions involved in adoption. I used this book as a guide for our own adoption and it helped me through many of the issues- from the beginning decisions surrounding the type of adoption process we wanted- through the final court date. The legal advice is accurate, but the advice surrounding the emotions on both sides of adoption is invaluable.