Books About Surrogacy to Read with Kids

Whether you're a parent through surrogacy or egg donation, a surrogate, or an egg donor, there are wonderful resources available to help start the conversation with your children about surrogacy and egg donation! At Circle Surrogacy, we understand the importance of communicating openly and honestly with children of all ages about surrogacy, their origin, and how the process works. We've compiled a list of some of our favorite children's books about surrogacy and egg donation to help start these important conversations and bring the whole family together.

For Surrogates

If you're a surrogate looking to explain your role as a surrogate and what surrogacy is, the following books are excellent conversation starters.

Sophia's Broken Crayons

Sophia's Broken Crayons by Crystal A Falk is one of our favorite books for talking to children ages 2 to 6 about all things surrogacy! The book is told from the perspective of a child named Sophia as her parents navigate helping another family have a baby through surrogacy. It brings up important questions about what surrogacy is, why a family might need to use a surrogate, and why women become surrogates.

My Mom Is a Surrogate

My Mom Is a Surrogate by Abigail Glass was written to help children understand the surrogacy process and what it means for their mom to be a surrogate for another family. This book is tailored to readers aged 2 to 10 and is in part told from the perspective of a brother and sister as their mom begins the process of becoming a surrogate.

The Kangaroo Pouch

The Kangaroo Pouch by Sarah A Phillips is an excellent resource for surrogates who have young children. It helps surrogates explain to their little ones what surrogacy is and quell any worries children may have about what their mom's surrogacy is going to mean for them. It's the go-to book for surrogates to connect with their young ones and ensure they're feeling comfortable and understand the incredible thing their mom is doing!

My Magic Mom

My Magic Mom is unique in that you wrote it! It is a fully customizable book for surrogates to share with their children about surrogacy and how the process will work for your family! You can add your photos, write your story, and customize it with names and places to make the story come alive. This book is perfect for young children under 6 and is a great way for a child to remember being a part of such an incredible journey.

You can learn more about how other surrogates discuss the issue with their own kids in our related blog post, Surrogate Stories: Talking to Kids About Surrogacy.

For Parents

If you're a parent through surrogacy and/or egg donation and are looking for age-appropriate books to read with your children, we've got some great options for you! These books range in length and average reader age, so you can find the right fit for your family and your story. Below, we've pulled together some of our favorite titles.

The Very Kind Koala

The Very Kind Koala by Kimberly Kluger-Bell is an exceptional resource for parents who want to share the experience of reading about surrogacy with their younger children. The book is tailored to children aged 3 and older and tells the story of a koala bear family who needed the help of another kind koala to have a baby. Through simple language and storytelling, it's a great place to start conversations with kids about how they came to be and the kind woman who helped make that possible.

Why I'm So Special

Why I'm So Special by Carla Lewis-Long is a great book for parents through surrogacy to explain to their young children how they came to be. The book is more specific to a heterosexual couple struggling with unexplained infertility who choose to use a surrogate to grow their family. If this is the situation IPs find themselves in, this is a great book to read with your little ones!

From the Start

From the Start: A Book About Love and Making Families by Stephanie Levich and Alana Weiss tells a beautiful story about all the different ways to make a family, including adoption, IVF, egg donation, sperm donation, and surrogacy. It is perfect to read with little ones to teach them about all the different ways you can make a family. It uses inclusive language so all children can feel part of the story. The book is a love letter to children born through non-traditional family building methods. It expresses deep gratitude to all the important people who make that process happen, including donors, surrogates, doctors, and parents who give up their children for adoption. It's a phenomenal addition to any child's bookshelf!

Create Your Own With AI

Every surrogacy and/or egg donation journey is different and has its own unique set of circumstances. Because of this, it’s important to have books and resources to share with your children that closely mirror your situation. This isn’t always possible, as the number of books about surrogacy and egg donation is relatively small.

One way to create a story unique to your circumstances is through artificial intelligence. There are multiple AI platforms, including free websites, where you can provide the details of your surrogacy journey and ask for a story tailored for children. 

For Parents

Using AI, you can craft a children’s story that traces your relationship from its start to your journey to becoming a family through surrogacy. Pepper in details about how you decided to become parents and describe your experiences finding a surrogate, and what happened during the pregnancy. Talk about why you chose the surrogate and provide personal details about her if you feel like it.

For Surrogates

Create a special story tailored for your child or children to help explain why you decided to have a baby for someone else. You can include how you arrived at your decision, your support from a spouse or partner, and what you experienced during the surrogacy journey. Share funny anecdotes and times when things might have been more challenging. It’s all up to you!

Another option is to use Sensitive Matters, a company that can help you create a custom story for your child about their origin and how the process works. 

This is not an exhaustive list of books and resources for talking to children about surrogacy and egg donation, but these are some of our favorites! If you have any books you think would make a great addition to this list, let us know!

Interested in learning more about surrogacy at Circle Surrogacy? Check out our parents page for information about becoming a parent through surrogacy or our surrogate page to learn about becoming a surrogate! You can also follow along on our Facebook and Instagram as we share updates, resources, and client stories daily!