Why read We Were Once a Family?

Book cover of We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America

Book description

“A riveting indictment of the child welfare system . . . [A] bracing gut punch of a book.” ―Robert Kolker, The Washington Post

“[A] moving and superbly reported book.” ―Jessica Winter, The New Yorker

“A harrowing account . . . [and] a powerful critique of [the] foster care system .…

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Why read it?

1 author picked We Were Once a Family as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

SunAh M Laybourn

Author

I vaguely remember hearing about the tragedy of the Hart children–six Black and mixed-race children who were adopted out of foster care and killed by their two white adoptive mothers. I wasn’t aware of all of the intricate details of their case or the foster care system that allowed this to happen.

I am in awe of Roxanna’s investigative journalism and the nuance and empathy in which she tells this story. While it is the Hart story that’s at the center of this book, I learned so much more about the child welfare system overall and how it’s set up…

From SunAh's list on family belonging.