Resources: Read

Books to Deepen Your Understanding

Reading is a powerful tool for gaining new perspectives and expanding your knowledge base. Explore our recommended books that address critical issues in child welfare, trauma-informed care, and effective advocacy. These resources will help you stay informed and prepared to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the children we serve. Below is a list of some CASA favorites, these books have great insight about common issues that may arise during your time as a CASA. Time spent reading can be counted as in-service credit.

Addiction
& Recovery

Human Trafficking

The Brain & Resiliency

Mental
Health

Child
Welfare

Understanding Teens

Cultural Awareness

Domestic Violence

Foster
Care

Addiction & Recovery

Before I Let You Go

"A heartbreaking book about an impossible decision. It captures the anguish of addiction, the agonizing conflict between an addict’s best and worst selves. ”

I Love You, More

"A profoundly important memoir about growing up in a family grappling with addiction, and finding the art that helps you survive."

Addie's Mom Isn't Home Anymore

"Addie's story is designed to help guide parents, guardians, and professionals through the process of educating children about addiction."

The Whole-Brain Child

"In this book, a neuropsychiatrist and a parenting expert, offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children."

Building Resilience in Children

"With Building Resilience in Children, you’ll find tools and approaches to prepare young people to handle life’s challenges with a resilient, positive mindset."

A Child Called "It"

"Dave Pelzer's astonishing, disturbing account of his early years describes one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. "

Somebody Else's Child

"This important book delves into the daily workings and life-or-death decisions of a typical American family court system. It provides an intimate look at the lives of the parents and children whose fate it decides."

Twenty Things

"This extraordinary book, written by a woman who was adopted herself, gives voice to children's unspoken concerns, and shows adoptive parents how to free their kids from feelings of fear, abandonment, and shame."

Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope

"It is an astonishing story about the power of resilience, the importance of family and the cost of inequality—told through the crucible of one remarkable girl."

Born A Crime

"Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. "

Mama, What's an Immigrant?

"Inclusion, and representation are at the forefront in this charming book, helping kids of all ages understand the value and magic of cultural diversity."

The Hate U Give

"Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses a fatal shooting."

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together?

"Straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about communicating across racial and ethnic divides and pursuing antiracism."

Acceptance is My Superpower

"The examples in this story are there to teach children that their differences are not to be ridiculed but instead, celebrated."

Healing the Trauma of Domestic Violence

"Many women who free themselves from violent domestic situations experience symptoms of PTSD long after they achieve physical and emotional safety. "

Bruised but not Broken

"Testimonies of several domestic abuse survivors, bringing them into readers’ personal space, and exposes the flaws of the judicial system failing those abused."

Domestic Violence Victims: Why do They Stay

"Domestic Violence violence victims have shared their stories, hoping you can better understand why they stayed in an abusive relationship."

Troubled

"Rob Henderson was born to a drug-addicted mother and a father he never met, ultimately shuttling between ten different foster homes in California."

The Day I Went to Foster Care

"The Day I Went to Foster Care" is a beautifully illustrated narrative designed to help children process the complex emotions of entering a new home. "

Hidden Paths

"A survivor of neglect and abuse, Emma has always been a symbol of hope and determination. But her journey is far from easy."

Wards of the State

"In Wards of the State, award-winning journalist Claudia Rowe's storytelling is both vivid and unflinching, offering readers a deep understanding of the foster care-to-prison pipeline. "

In Our Backyard

"Through true stories and years of boots-on-the-ground experience, including at the Super Bowl, anti-trafficking expert Nita Belles teaches readers everything they need to know about human trafficking in the United States."

No One's Child

"Born in to a mother battling addiction, Esther was failed by both her foster parents and teachers. It wasn't long before she became trapped in a harrowing cycle of abuse, human sex trafficking and violence."

The Body Keeps the Score

"This book uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for engagement, self-control, and trust."

The Anxious Generation

"A must-read for all parents: the generation-defining investigation into the collapse of youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media, and big tech."

Why Do They Act That Way?

"The first book to explain the scientific, brain-based reasons behind teens’ impulsive behavior, lack of focus, self-consciousness, territoriality, fatigue, and their quickness to anger & take risks."

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