For parents gifted with children conceived through egg donation, it’s important to tell them about their origins. However, it might be a hard or awkward conversation to start. Parents may worry how to present many subjects surrounding donated eggs—sperm, eggs, egg donors, pregnancy, IVF, surrogacy—in language that children can understand, while also taking their age into account.
Fortunately, many children’s authors and illustrators have created a wide range of books to help parents of egg donor children start the conversation. We’ve put together a beginning list of recommended books for parents of donor offspring to share with their kids.
Books for Children Conceived through Egg Donation
- One More Giraffe by Kim Noble. Ages 5 and under.A board book that introduces the key concepts about babies and egg donation, and how some people (or in this case giraffes) need help to be able to be a Mommy or a Daddy.
- The Pea That Was Me: An Egg Donation Story by Kimberly Kluger-Bell. Ages 3-5. With age appropriate language and clear but simple concepts, the story talks about how it takes an egg, a sperm and a “tummy” to make a baby; that Mommy’s eggs weren’t working quite right; and why Mommy and Daddy needed the help of a very special person: an egg donor. Psychotherapist and reproductive specialist Kim Kluger-Bell has written a series of other books addressing reproduction topics for younger children, including The Pea That Was Me: A Two Dads’ Egg Donation and Surrogacy Story.
- A Part Was Given and an Angel Was Born by Rozanne Nathalie. Ages 4-8. By using phrases such as “a part in mommy just didn’t work as it should,” this book tries to lighten the “heaviness” that an accompany the topic of egg donation by emphasizing the love that surrounds it.
- Mommy, Was Your Tummy Big? by Caroline Nadel. Ages 5 and under. A mother elephant explains her use of donor eggs to her child. With vivid illustrations and simple language (“Mommy, was your tummy big?”) this book can help parents who used in vitro fertilization and donor eggs begin to explain the process to small children. The book has been praised by many mental health professionals who work with fertility issues. A Spanish version is available through the author’s website.
- Phoebe’s Family: A Story about Egg Donation by Linda Stamm and Joan Clipp. Ages 5-10. Phoebe’s mom tells her the wonderful and unique story of how she came to be through egg donation. Along the way, Phoebe hears about the challenges her parents faced in trying to have a baby, as well as the ultimate good news of her birth into a warm and loving family. Great for elementary school-aged kids.
- The Twin Kangaroo Treasure Hunt: A Gay Parenting Story by Carmen Martinez Jover. Ages 2-6. An introduction to the concepts of donor eggs and surrogacy for children with gay dads.
- A Tiny Itsy Bitsy Gift of Life, an Egg Donor Story by Carmen Martinez Jover. Ages 2-6. A donor story about a happy rabbit couple who have everything—except a baby bunny. One day a good lady rabbit brings them a tiny itsy bitsy gift of life: an egg. A Spanish edition is also available.
With the holiday season upon us, a book that the whole family can share is a wonderful gift. For children conceived with the help of donor eggs, books are a great way to begin their journey of self-discovery. Do you have any more books you’d like to add to this list?
