Product Description
Jadie never spoke. She never laughed, or cried, or uttered any sound. Despite efforts to reach her, Jadie remained locked in her own troubled world--until one remarkable teacher persuaded her to break her self-imposed silence. Nothing in all of Torey Hayden's experience could have prepared her for the shock of what Jadie told her--a story too horrendous for Torey's professional colleagues to acknowledge. Yet a little girl was living in a nightmare, and Torey Hayden responded in the only way she knew how--with courage, compassion, and dedication--demonstrating once again the tremendous power of love and the relilience of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews (75)

Disturbing
I am a bit of a Torey Hayden fan - I find her books very readable - but this one has a different tone, and is far more disturbing than the others. Not only due to the content - it's a bit of a shocker - but because we don't ever really know what happened, why it happened, or whether it really ever did happen at all.
I have my own views on what was going on and the truly diturbing thing is that these days, internet porn rings are rife and thousands of children suffer these sort of abuses. If it seemed shocking then, it is all too believable now. This book harks back to an era when decent people just couldn't imagine this sort of stuff going on - like the young teacher in this book - and were inclined to pass it off as incredible, or simply nonsense. Thank goodness that although these events are now more believable, they are also dealt with more efficiently and quickly. There's no sense of 'that just couldn't happen in our nice little town' anymore.
A difficult but interesting read.

ghost girl
the book is in great condition and the price was great also. I would order from here again.

Had to buy two
My wife read this for her CASA training and loved it! She let her instructor borrow it, and we have yet to get it back. They keep passing it on to other people, so I bought my wife a second copy. This one stays here!

Scarred for Life.
I am a Torey Hayden fan, I have read all her books and love all of them. This book however, is different from the rest. The writing in particular is so very well polished, that i think that in that sense it stands out from the rest as a better read. However, i DO NOT recommend this book to anyone. I consider myself to have a strong stomach, but this book has scarred me for life. There are some parts of the book, that when i was finished reading, i felt physically ill and regretted exposing myself to such horror.Don't get me wrong, i LOVE Torey Hayden, and it is not her fault that this story has happened, but what this little girl describes makes David Pelzer's "A Child Called "It" seem like a walk in the park. I'm hoping i will forget the things i have read in this book, and in result regret reading it completely. It might have been worth it if there at least was some sort of concrete, solid resolution at the end, but there was not. Hoping this -was the only reason why i continued to read. The lack of explanation at the end made this horrific read not worth the exposure.

An Unimagninable Horror Endured
I couldn't put this book down until I finished it.I agree with another reader who wrote this book should not be read by children. As an adult, I had a hard time confronting the facts. Given the amount of sick horror we see portrayed in T.V. and films today, some people might thinks this book has to be fiction.I totally believe the dialog of Jadie came from the true experiences she endured. Yes, this book is very graphic. Yes, parts of it is sickening to read. Our society doesn't want to believe that there are adults among us who would do such perverted, sick things to children. We need to wake up and rescue these children who are being exploited. People who commit crimes against children do not deserve to live. How I wish our judicial system would take steps to put these people away from society. The first step is belief in what the children say. Noyoung child could conjure this type of experience from their mind. It has to be absolutely true. I was very sad that legal proceedings produced no true evidence to convict guilty parties. I applaude Ms.Hayden for her work, her strength and her resolve to help these children. We need more heroes like Torey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Nothing is Real
Child therapist James, divorced father of two is nonplussed upon meeting his 9-year-old client, Conor McLachlan. Diagnosed with autism at 2, Conor's speech remains negligible and he is inordinately attached to a stuffed cat. He also insists on coming equipped with wirelike attachments fastened around his waist. His sister Morgana, 6 appears to have some understanding of Conor's cryptic form of communicating.

James is equally nonplussed by Conor's mother, Laura Deighton. A renknowned author, Laura is initially described as distant, but proves to be anything but. Her marriage is at an unstable point, although the husband Alan, takes an active part in the childrens' lives.

Conor approaches treatment as cautiously as he appears to approach life in general. He uses his stuffed cat as a "scanner" and often talks through it. Clearly bright, Conor reads labels and correctly identifies each object in the playroom. He expresses his fears which center around a "ghost man" under his rug; death and finding trees on the moon. He identifies this place as "terria," which has the Latin root for "earth." It makes readers wonder if it is the world in general the boy finds frightening.

Over time, James learns more about Conor's cryptic view of the world. On an eerie note, Conor's mother reveals a paracosm she created as a child. Her paracosm, or "parallel fantasy world" was quite involved with highly developed characters; language and society. The era in which her paracosm, or "parallel world" is set appears to be a pre-Christian era or possibly the early 1000s, the days of Viking raids. Torgon, a carter's daughter elevated to holy status was the figure with whom Laura most identified.

Indeed, Torgon and the Forest World in which she lived became deeply enmeshed in Laura's own life. The paracosm is as wide-spread as the Forest in which it is set and involves many people.

James has his work cut out for him. He, his two children, Becky, 8 and Mikey 4-5, become involved with Laura and her family. Their children play together and in time, they all develop the tools they need to see the Forest for the trees.

This book makes me think of the Beatles' 1967 classic "Strawberry Fields," when John Lennon sang, "Strawberry Fields, nothing is real and nothing to get hung about, Strawberry Fields Forever." Readers are left to determine for themselves what is "real" to the characters and what is "metaphysically" or "intrinsically" real to them. Readers might also view this as a bit of a philosophical book.

This is an excellent work of fiction that has been created from a gifted and fertile imagination. This is an unusual novel in the sense that it incorporates many elements of good fantasy, such as those of Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea quadrilogy. It is always a real treat to see authors being given a chance to spread their literary wings and soar into different genres instead of being boxed into only one.

Pretty good for a novel
I have read just about all of Torey Haydens non-fiction books and really loved reading about how she deals with children with problems.

I found out she wrote her first fiction, a novel titled, Overheard in a Dream.For some reason Amazon calls it, Hidden Things, which I don't see on this cover.

Anyway I liked it.I'd say it's not as good as her non-fiction books.She did write about a child with problems and that was the good part.The part that I didn't like was the story of Torgon. A imaginary friend Laura talks about in her mind to the therapist.I skimmed through that part and enjoyed the part about a boy and his therapist who tries to figure out what his problem is.It's a good read nevertheless.Torey Hayden has good writing style and knows how to keep the readers interested.

I gave 4 stars because of the Torgon part, otherwise it could have been a 5.

Entertaining yet tedious and wooden
THIS REVIEW IS NOT A SUMMARY. IT DISCUSSES WRITING STYLE AND CHARACTERIZATION.

Part of the problem going into this book was that I bought into the hype.I was intrigued at the prospect of a book being "too novel", according to the publishers, for what they perceived to be the average English speaker.Having appreciated a few of the insights Hayden offered in some of her nonfiction works, I figured she would bring that to bear through well-developed characters, vivid writing, and other staples of good novels.Because of the long wait for English publication, however, maybe subconsciously I expected it to be not only entertaining, but something I would keep on my shelf and return to.I mean, there must be some unheard-of creative jewel in there somewhere to make us wait that long, right?

Not exactly.The setup is certainly intriguing -- the son of the famous author Laura Deighton ends up in a psychiatrist's office presenting autistic-like symptoms and communicating increasingly cryptic things via a stuffed cat.Despite the fact that you have no idea what he's talking about until the last third of the novel, Conor is actually the most well-rounded character in this book, which -- considering that you know him only by his monosyllabic utterances -- doesn't bode well for the portrayal of the other characters.However, the boy's words taken alone are eerie, and along with psychiatrist James you might find yourself rooting for Conor as you try to make sense of them.

Unfortunately, this book really isn't about Conor.Conor himself takes up maybe a fourth of the book.The other (very thick) three fourths of the book are taken up by Laura's sessions with James, which alternate with whole chapters in italics -- Laura's story about a being called Torgon. When Laura talks to James, even though her words are in quotes, it is not believable human speech.I know Laura is a writer, but even writers have to speak like us poor normal folks sometimes.An occasional sentence fragment or "Um" or a more relaxed vocabulary wouldn't have hurt.She's already forcing him and us to read her writing (more on that in a moment), and now she's making him listen to an audio book too.

Considering she narrates her life like VC Andrews, this isn't a good thing.I could go into litcrit mode and say that the pretentious narration might be a reflection of Laura's arrogance, but I don't think so -- it just comes across as pretentious writing for lack of better dialogue.I may have been able to swallow it better if the quotation marks had been left off, and it were simply understood that we were in Laura's point of view then -- like a flashback or something.Then I wouldn't have to suspend my disbelief that people used so many adverbs and stage directions -- let alone verbatim dialogue -- in real life, out-loud conversation.Phrases like "I retorted indignantly" or "he smiled warmly" look weak and redundant even in writing, but they feel especially out of place in what is supposed to be speech.

The stories of Torgon intersect quite obviously with the story of Laura.I cannot tell you how tempted I was to skip those sections.Laura even warns James when she gives him the papers that they aren't very good, because she wrote them when she was a teenager.Believe me, Laura wasn't kidding.I hate to say it, but the chapters that are supposed to be so pivotal made the whole book a drudgery.The chapters dealing with Torgon read like bad teenage fan fiction: the only form of writing I can use to describe the quality of stilted dialogue, melodrama, and faux-medieval characters. They have no personality.These parts bogged down the parts I actually mustered some interest in, such as the villain.

Much of the conflict was interesting in itself.Unfortunately, it was so glossed over.The other children were only given cursory treatment, so that the end lacked impact. All of the characters were cardboard, even the imaginary ones.I read the book because I wanted to find out what happened to Conor, but believe me it was very long, very annoying hard going.Worse was James' gushing over the character development in Laura's books, and Laura telling him "My books are quality literature." This book isn't so lucky.
... Read more

Product Description

His name was Kevin but his keepers called him Zoo Boy. He didn't talk. He hid under tables and surrounded himself with a cage of chairs. He hadn't been out of the building in the four years since he'd come in. He was afraid of water and wouldn't take a shower. He was afraid to be naked, to change his clothes. He was nearly 16.

Desperate to see change in the boy, the staff of Kevin's adolescent treatment center hired Hayden. As Hayden read to him and encouraged him to read, crawling down into his cage of chairs with him, Kevin talked. Then he started to draw and paint and showed himself to have a quick wit and a rolling, seething, murderous hatred for his stepfather.

Customer Reviews (37)

DYING FROM "HEART ROT"
The first time Torey, the author, met Kevin, she saw a terrified teen-ager barricaded under a table with chairs protectingly around him. His problem? He refused talk to anyone for 8 years.

Torey was in the process of studying elective mutes, but never one this old.What to do? Getting down on the floor with him at his level and gently talking to him, began to weaken the barriers of fear in Kevin's mind. She soon got him to talk audibly to her. However, it was very traumatic for Kevin. Each time she began to make progress with him, he would have a serious setback and soon depression took over his mind. It was like playing a board game with penalties--always being sent back to square one. It was Kevin, who described himself as Murphy's Boy--hence, the title of the book. It was obvious that his life literally depicted Murphy's law.

After many disasterous setbacks, during one of his "out-of-mind" fear rages, he tried to attack Torey in a dark art supply closet. Still, this caring, never-give-up lady kept doing her best to rescue Keven. Eventually, his ghastly, macabre story spilled out, bit by bit. Kevin informed Torey that what people die of is "heart rot."

His case appeared hopeless to the other professionals Torey worked with, but she refused to give up.This book will either make you want to quit reading in dispair, or compell you to finish it to find out if Torey succeeded in her daunting task.

Fantastic Story
This book is a very difficult book to read, but worthwhile. Like most of the books I've read by the author, the story is gripping and the book is difficult to put down. Piece by piece she unravels the mystery of what is going on inside a child who will no longer communicate.

One thing I admire about Hayden is her rather unorthodox approach and her amazing determination. She knows the science behind elective mutism, she knows the theory, but in practice she tries whatever works. This is precisely how I think educators should operate. For many fields the knowledge is essential, but there are times when that knowledge has to fly out of the window and you have to go out on a limb and try something different. You have to use what works and when that stops working, try something else. Real life psychology and education are like that. It's refreshing to see that in the story. We see her struggles and even things that result in failure, but she keeps trying until she gets there. That's why I love this story and other books by Hayden.

The Best Book Ever
This book is quite possibly the best book i've ever read. I must go out and buy more of Torey Hayden's books, I am hooked. I was clinging to every page, staying awake all night to see what happened next. Her devotion and patience with these kids is astounding. The way she cared about Kevin amazed me. The way she practicly sacraficed her life for this child, just to see him come through to the other side. It brings me hope for the troubled children in my life. I know now that i can make a difference.

quite a good read
In my opinion Torey have written better books, but none the less it wos still a good read, a must for all Torey Hayden fans!

Kevin..a true miracle!!!
Kevin Richter is a 15 year old boy who has spent the last 8 years of his life in silence. Everyone thinks he is a hopeless case. Everyone, except Torey Hayden. A wonderful woman with expertise in elective mutism. Hayden works miracles with 15 year old Kevin and discovers his past, a horror story no one will forget! This book takes you through Kevin's life, his past and present. When all else fails and no one believes Kevin can turn his life around, Torey comes through once again. So sit back and relax with this book, and let it take you to a past unforgettable. ... Read more

Product Description
Just Another Kid

Torey Hayden faced six emotionally troubled kids no other teacher could handle-three recent arrivals from battletorn Northern Ireland, badly traumatized by the horrors of war; eleven-year-old Dirkie, who only knew of life inside an institution; excitable Mariana, aggressive and sexually precocious at the age of eight; and seven-year-old Leslie, perhaps the most hopeless of all, unresponsive and unable to speak.

With compassion, rare insight, and masterful storytelling, teacher Torey L. Hayden once again touches our hearts with her account of the miracles that can happen in her class of "special" children.

Customer Reviews (34)

the Troubles come to America (sort of)
Torey Hayden has worked with special needs/emotionally disturbed children a long time now.If one follows her life, it is clear that she moved to rural Wales at a fairly young age and yet books kept coming out showing her working with kids in the U.S.On her website she explains that is a publisher's decision, to continue to set the books in the United States b/c that is where people are accustomed to reading about.Also I would imagine she does it to help preserve the privacy of the children she writes about.Setting a story in Wales, which is so much smaller than the U.S., might lead some people to finding out where she works(ed), even if she is careful to leave details out.

It is not clear whether the events described here happened in Wales or the U.S.

Three Irish children whose lives had been blighted by violence were taken out of Northern Ireland and they ended up in Torey's class.Of the three children, Shamie and Shemona want to have nothing to do with the violence and they want to feel safe and establish normal lives.....Geraldine is another story.She cannot let go of the admittedly horrific events that happened and all of Torey's efforts, as well as other people's, are in vain.Geraldine is even committed to a residential treatment facility for a while, after this book ends, which also fails to work.She is consumed with anger, bitterness and grief about "Ireland's sorrow" and she terrorizes Shemona.In the end, Torey expresses fear that Geraldine will go into terrorism.

Torey expresses bemusement that Catholics and Protestants can identify each other.She doesn't see how the groups stand out but she says something like, they would, they could, and they did - regarding the way that Catholics and Protestants identified "the other" and all too often, reacted with hostility.

My therapist is the product of a "mixed marriage."Her mother was Catholic and her father is Protestant.Does that mean she's supposed to hate herself?This is the kind of idiotic question that gets asked when religion divides people like this.

I thought Shemona was adorable and I could identify with her difficulty speaking, having had a lot of trouble myself.When she started to speak it was very rewarding.

Ladbrooke had a lot of trouble too.Torey labeled her condition, aphasia.Ladbrooke spoke in ways that reminded me of me (also, failed to speak).Also she is/was a physicist, and I have a physics degree.I don't have her good looks though :)I can relate to having a lot of trouble talking.

Unfortunately, Torey tells Ladbrooke that there is little to nothing that can be done about her aphasia other than lower her anxiety about it.This is NOT TRUE.I think most people would say this but there are a few treatment providers who are creative and I have worked with one for more than eight years now.My speech is MUCH improved.It takes long, slow, grinding, day-in, day-out, effort, but it CAN be done.Basically, you just find a doctor who a) knows about aphasia and b) is willing to spend a lot of time with you and you sit there and work on talking until comprehensible words, sentences and etc. come out.My "types" are probably anomic aphasia (problem:nouns) and Broca's non-fluent aphasia.

There are treatment centers for aphasia but they tend to focus on people who've had strokes and very obviously cannot speak.The situation Ladbrooke and I were in is that we have SOME speech but it is BY NO MEANS SUFFICIENT for the demands of every day life.

I would go to therapy sessions that were extra-long, one hour fifteen minutes each, b/c speech was so hard, and then I'd try to talk, and my doctor would listen to me, which took a lot of work b/c I was often very unclear, and she would respond.That is how I learned to have a conversation.Before that my speech tended to be monologues (easier for those with aphasia than conversations b/c a monologue does not require the back-and-forth processing of language that takes place in conversation) and/or brief or cliched responses.Sometimes if I felt really comfortable I'd be more genuine, but it was hard.

The guidelines for aphasia are to respect the other person's nervousness and speak slowly but as if to an adult; don't speak in "baby" language.And I used e-mail to also work on communication.I put uncounted thousands of hours into e-mail so that I could communicate.My emails like my speech were very unclear, for years.THIS year they became comprehensible.

I have always wanted to communicate clearly.It took a lot of work.So, I did and am still doing the work.I am now working on looking at the other person while conversing and keeping the pace up in some kind of "real time."

I hope the real Ladbrooke reads this review and/or someone who knows her does.If she is like me she is MOTIVATED to do something about this but may not have answers.I could share some more of my own experience.

Another suggestion is that those who work with/around the Deaf or are in other ways linked to Deaf communities are often very open to non-verbal communication for hearing people.Maybe - or maybe not - Deaf people themselves b/c they have a Deaf culture and if one is hearing, one still stands out as different.

My husband's mother and his aunt worked for many years at St. Mary's School for the Deaf in Buffalo, NY.

I liked the Ladbrooke story, very much.I was frustrated that she ended up thinking she had to live with her aphasia.

Ladbrooke had an abusive childhood and reading her story, I am guessing that she might have acquired aphasia from child physical assault.That can involve blows to the head which cause damage to the brain that is not obvious.It can affect the most intelligent people and often, someone with some language difficulties can have a great deal of success in the physical sciences, which rely more on visual and mathematical strengths, in many ways.Mathematics can be conceived of as a language but proficiency in mathematics is not damaged in the same way when aphasia occurs.

However - I have found much of the general commentary on aphasia lacking on this point.I have been extremely unimpressed with the resources I've seen on the Net, which is why I can understand that Torey and Ladbrooke concluded she would have to live with this.What I have seen, for example, in advocacy organizations, makes several assumptions.First, that people with brain damage/brain injury will be identified and treated promptly.This is true for some conditions such as stroke but it is much less true for traumatic brain injury.Ask anyone who has lived through domestic violence and/or child physical assault or assault by a stranger that involved head injury.Often, especially if the abuse occurs in the family, children and the abused spouse are not treated at all.

Another assumption that is made is that if language is impaired, people will see that and professionals will step in and help.If this happened, it might make up for society's tendency to ignore child physical assault and domestic violence.However often this does not happen.Often there is some language preserved and it's enough for the child to function and - nobody asks questions.

The final assumption is that child physical assault is not even worth talking about in relation to aphasia.So what I have seen references it extremely briefly.The truth is, books should be written on this subject.There probably is literature somewhere.

When children develop aphasia, it is called "acquired childhood aphasia" and many literature sources will say that is extremely rare.I believe it is rare but it is not as rare as some doctors and organizations say it is.When I see that they leave out child physical assault and other violence, in which children are often completely unable to ask for, let alone receive, help, then I conclude that these organizations are preferring to overlook some unpleasant truths.I would respect them more if they surveyed abused children and adults (both in and outside the family) who had received blows to the head and examined them and talked to them about aphasia.

There is a therapist I respect a lot named Dr. Steven N. Gold.He has pointed out that there is now a great deal of attention given to child sexual abuse.While very needed, that can obscure the real and lasting problems that can result from child physical abuse.I think he's got a good point.It can be hard not to feel like "damaged goods" knowing that something is wrong that didn't used to be, related to one or more physical assaults.

If aphasia is related to child abuse, it is good to have a treatment provider combine both psychotherapy and speech therapy b/c there are often strong feelings about lasting damage from abuse.However the good news is that recent research is showing that the brain is much more "plastic" than originally thought by many, and with hard work, a lot of improvement is possible.

Just don't go to the National Aphasia Association and expect to get anything helpful, if you think your problem might stem from child physical abuse or other violence.That's my advice.But there are other doctors who know a lot about all this.

I did find one book that is available on Amazon that looks like it might be good, although I don't know to what extent child abuse is addressed.It is Acquired Aphasia, Third Edition.I'm thinking about getting a copy.There is not much material out there and someone of Ladbrooke's intelligence could easily go through it, if desired.It isn't always good to do a lot of textbook reading about one's condition(s) but sometimes a reference is handy.

Broca's aphasia is sometimes associated with right-sided hemiparesis (muscle weakness).That has been a problem for me and again, I've improved a lot.I believe I developed aphasia from head trauma at the age of 4.

Moving on:

I thought Mariana should have been evaluated for a sexual assault history.Her behavior was sort of screaming that, to me.I hope Torey did this and did not include it for reasons of privacy.

Dirkie seemed like he was headed for a very hard life and that was sad.

And then Geraldine.Oh boy.....the thing she did to herself in this book.....I have read most of Torey Hayden's books and I've seen a lot of violence but even by those standards, what Geraldine did was exceptionally upsetting.And Torey maintained calm in those circumstances.Many, many kudos to her for doing that.

My maiden name, R-Y-A-N, is kind of a famous Irish-Catholic one, although strictly speaking it is Americans of Irish descent.My parents are from just outside Chicago, home of the Dan Ryan Expressway.No relationship.There are a lot of Ryans in the United States.Like Shamie and Shemona, I reacted very strongly against violence (I am of an age to remember much of the Troubles, all too well).That is known as teaching by negative example.

I loved reading about Shemona.When she improved, it was so rewarding.

Torey did a really good job describing this diverse group of people.

Torey Hayden is great!
I have read many of Torey Hayden's books and have never been disappointed.She is a very talented special ed teacher and has changed many lives for the better.

Well written, true classroom story
Hayden is a fine writer and obviously cares about teaching. I'm an educator but I'm also a pretty selective reader and I quit reading a book if it's boring or I don't think it's worth it to me. I kept reading this book to the end. She makes you care about her special needs students. Just a warning. For those who don't read books with vulgarity or profanity, this book contains some. But if you can ignore that, then definitely pick up this book, especially if you teach or parent.

AMAZING
READING THIS BOOK, I COULDN'T TURN THE PAGES FAST ENOUGH. I DEFINATELY WILL BE READING THE OTHER BOOKS SHE HAS WRITTEN. PARTS OF THIS BOOK WERE SAD, BUT PARTS WERE ALSO INSPIRING. GREAT READ!

This kid's unlike any other...
Special needs teacher Torey Hayden brings us the story of another year in her classroom -- this time with an aide who's got emotional problems of her own.

Ladbrooke Taylor, mother of severely autistic Leslie, is a beautiful woman with a PhD. Yet beneath that, she struggles with alcoholism, promiscuity, low self-esteem, a crumbling marriage and a difficult child. Most mornings, she tells Torey, it's all she can do to get out of bed.

Despite Torey's initial misgivings, Lad soon becomes an integral part of the classroom. She learns to work with the children - sisters Shemona and Geraldine, and their cousin Shamie, all victims of the violence in Northern Ireland; schizophrenic, severely abused Dirkie; sexually precocious, academically lagging Mariana; and her own Leslie.

This book is unlike Hayden's others, as the focus is largely on Ladbrooke instead of the children (though there is a fair amount on their progress as well). Some readers might not like the story as well, if they are accustomed to, and prefer, hearing about troubled children. However, in many ways, Lad is indeed "just another kid."

When the school year ends, there are no neat, happy endings. Although just about everyone has made some sort of progress with their individual issues, it would be unrealistic to expect students placed in a self-contained classroom to suddenly achieve total normalcy.

In the case of Torey and Ladbrooke, however, they progress from Ladbrooke's being "just another kid" to true equal friends -- a relationship they have maintained in all the years since. ... Read more

Product Description

What ever became of Sheila?

When special-education teacher Torey Haydenwrote her first book One Child almost twodecades ago, she created an internationalbestseller. Her intensely moving true story ofSheila, a silent, profoundly disturbed littlesix-year-old girl touched millions. From everycorner of the world came letters from readerswanting to know more about the troubled childwho had come into Torey Hayden's class as a"hopeless case," and emerged as the very symbolof eternal hope within the human spirit.

Now, for all those who have never forgotten thisendearing child and her remarkable relationshipwith her teacher, here is the surprising story ofSheila, the young woman.

Customer Reviews (45)

Reality, not the fairy tale
When I read fairy tales about abuse and neglect, it is hard for me b/c I can't help thinking that real life is not that way and something is being sanitized or left out or presented with wishful thinking.One Child was like this.It was an excellent, outstanding book but it ended on a high note which turned out not to last.Still, what matters in the end is that Torey and Sheila reconnected with each other.

They were disappointed at first.Torey wanted Sheila to prove her genius and/or display gratitude and/or show an approachable, resilient personality.Sheila, whose life had contained abuse and neglect after Torey left, showed none of those things.In fact she was really angry with Torey b/c she couldn't understand why Torey came into her life, gave her a lot of good things, and left.The fact that it is what teachers do makes sense now but it didn't make sense to Sheila when she was 6 years old.

However they both want to maintain a relationship and so Sheila starts volunteering with Torey in working with disturbed children.This was a mistake in my opinion and I actually wondered why it was legal.Sheila was not just a minor but had also been really traumatized and there was no indication that she was in therapy.Torey meant well and Sheila really believed she could do it but neither of them was prepared for the stress on Sheila.

A crisis came when a young boy who had been abandoned was about to perhaps be abandoned by his foster parents b/c maybe he isn't "good" enough.Sheila gets upset and panics and some upsetting things happen.She is not violent and does not abuse the child but it's very rough for a little bit.But then the foster parents tell Sheila that her fears, although understandable, were excessive - they were not going to abandon this child the way his natural parents had.This crisis is upsetting but its resolution helps Sheila to face some of her fears.The problem is this is a tough thing to ask of a child in high school.That's why asking her to volunteer was probably not the greatest of ideas.It makes sense b/c they met in a "special" class and that way they could spend time together but it seems from the book that it provided a lot of emotional strain as well.

Another crisis happened when Sheila took off to find her bio-mother.She had not yet dealt with the issues of not having a mother and was distraught about that.She started frantically looking for a mother and responding to a woman who seemed mentally unbalanced but claimed she was Sheila's mother.Torey was really scared about this.It turned out OK in that Sheila was not physically harmed, but the woman was not her mother, of course.Sheila had to start learning how to live without her mother, that she would never have one.

One of the bright spots in this book is despite time in lockdown and etc (for other people's mistakes, when Sheila asked questions she was viewed as trouble and put in security related to foster care - Torey was appalled but Sheila said, welcome to my world) Sheila was still bright and still had her sense of curiosity.She discovered Shakespeare and found that once she got past the initial issue with the old-fashioned language and English slang that she really loved his work.That he had exceptional insight into human nature.Torey supports this interest.Sheila does not become pretentious or anything - she is much too much a realist for that.However she seems to get a lot of consolation from reading the plays and other works and thinking about life.

One thing that Shakespeare shows is that to be honest, life has been full of both comedy and tragedy since humans started out existence.It is either said or implied that Sheila feels better after being exposed to this work.It is one thing to know this as a truism and it's another thing to read plays and see the descriptions and feel the feelings, and know that you are not alone.

b/c being and/or feeling alone is at the heart of this.It's at the heart of neglect in general.Torey hopes that with Sheila's intelligence, she will go to a great university and do something great.Sheila goes to McDonald's to work instead.This is not meant to be defiant.Sheila is very realistically concerned with supporting herself.No one was there to support her financially and so she had to do it or be resigned to the bitter poverty she grew up in.So she did.Later on would be the time to use her unusual intellectual abilities.That is easier with the Net anyway.

Sheila and Torey have stayed in touch although Torey moved to Wales quite a while ago and Sheila is presumably in the US.I think it's to both of their credit that they stopped seeing each other through the lens of the fairy tale and learned to see each other as real people.

But in a situation like Sheila's, she needs to be prepared to face the possibility that once people are gone they will not return, and any hope they would is false hope.Sheila has memory disturbances that at first disturb Torey - why wouldn't she remember the support?But in cases like this, there is so much bad that it overwhelms the good.

However in the end they built a realistic relationship that lasted.And Sheila hated school.I always hated school and for the same reason.There is little tolerance for students who ask questions, especially if the questions are considered odd or unusual.Sheila continued to ask questions b/c she had a hard time suppressing them.I learned not to ask b/c I went to Catholic school but in my mind I wasn't convinced of very much.I can relate to that frustration.

They develop a good but less emotionally intense relationship than they used to have.Sheila is a survivor and you get the sense that even if Torey had not come back into her life, she would have made it anyway.Still needing help but she would make it.

The Tiger's Child
this book is in great condition the price was good it was delivered quickly i would order from here again

A can't miss Torey Hayden book
If you are a Torey Hayden fan and have not read Tiger's Child I urge you to get a copy today and curl up in your favorite chair and get ready for a wonderful ride.No one is a better storyteller than Torey and she holds nothing back in this sequel to One Child.Don't miss it!

VERY GOOD
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT BOOK AND I RECEIVED IT FAIRLY QUICKLY AND IN GOOD CONDITION. I WAS EXTREMELY PLEASED!

A brilliant child, and the teacher determined to save her
In "One Child," Hayden first told the story of Sheila, a seriously abused, violent six-year-old who was placed in her special ed classroom as she awaited placement in a state mental hospital for setting a younger child on fire.

Although just about everyone else -- including her own alcoholic father -- had given up on Sheila, Hayden realized the little girl was keenly intelligent. Doggedly, she began testing and teaching Sheila, all the while showing her patience, love and understanding. And despite the occasional setback, within months, Sheila was an entirely different child.

Then the school year ended, Hayden took a different job out of state, and she lost touch with Sheila. Despite searching for her former student, Hayden was unable to connect -- until a coincidence reunited the two when Sheila was 13. Hayden was ecstatic -- and Sheila claimed not to remember the time they'd spent together.

Undeterred, Hayden persisted, inviting Sheila to help out with a summer program for disturbed children she and another clinician were running. Soon the bond they'd once had seemed resurrected. Yet each time Torey and Sheila's friendship seemed to be going smoothly, something happened to test it fiercely -- interference from Sheila's father, or a facet of Sheila's own unpredictable adolescent persona. Despite her best intentions, Hayden often wondered why she persisted -- was there any point? Was she hurting Sheila more than she helped?

Hayden's experiences with Sheila and her other students serve as complex and engrossing material for this book, a simple yet realistic portrait of the world's ugliness -- and the few, stubborn individuals who are determined to make a difference in others' lives. ... Read more

Product Description

Seven-year-old Venus Fox never spoke, never listened, never even acknowledged the presence of another human being in the room with her. Yet an accidental playground "bump" would release a rage frightening to behold. The school year that followed would prove to be one of the most trying, perplexing, and ultimately rewarding of Torey's career, as she struggled to reach a silent child in obvious pain. It would be a strenuous journey beset by seemingly insurmountable obstacles and darkened by truly terrible revelations -- yet encouraged by sometimes small, sometimes dazzling breakthroughs -- asa dedicated teacher remained committed to helping a "hopeless" girl, and patiently and lovingly leading her toward the light of a new day.A stunning and poignant account of an extraordinaryteacher's determination never to abandon a child in need -- from the internationally bestselling author of One Child.

Customer Reviews (42)

Amazing Story
I got this book for my mom who works with mentally handicapped kids.She can't stop reading it.Item quality was perfect as well.Shipping was fast.

Good Transaction
Product as described, arrived in a timely matter.

Also, a fantastic book that EVERYONE should read.

WOW, Funny, Touching, Interesting for Teachers
This is about a special ed class and how the teacher struggled throughout the year and turned it around.Some was so funny I laughed out loud and other parts were very sad.

Venus was the most challenging of all the children because she had very serious abuse in the home and was mostly unresponsive except when attacking other kids when they accidentally bumped her.She finally got the help she needed after the hospital treated her for hypothermia, had to amputate her toes, and found 22 broken bones that had healed or were in various stages of healing.

It also dealt with the struggle Torey had with her aide who was totally on a different page philosophically and really undermined what she was trying to do.

Some of the things teacher did that worked were:
*behavior modification with traffic lights;
*singing between activities or to refocus kids when they started fighting;
*closed eye journey;
*special one-on-one time at recess with Venus--held her on her lap.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in special needs kids or who teaches children.

Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

Beautiful Child
Awsome book. Torey Hayden is a marvelous teacher and writer.I have all her books and have thoroly enjoyed them.The marvelous patience she has with these children and the love she has for them is wonderful.

great book
This was a great book, very easy read.It will tear at your heart strings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

This is the most..
harrowing and horrible and wonderful tale of a woman who went mad after being raped if I remember at Ravensbruck camp for breeding superior Aryan babies. It is a tale of how she believes a child's her own in modern day times, when it's not her child. Her remaining daughter's haunted by the fact that her mother murder's someone over her deluSional state and it's a harrowing and haunting tale of the daughter's ostracism after the mother murder's. It's so raw, it's delightful, iT makes me feel like I'm there. It's really one of the best books. I've read many Torey Hayden book's cover (many!)to cover.This is by far her best, and her only novel I believe that's based on a true story. MY mother's adopted and German, and there are many tales there, and I wonder how similar my mother's tale is to some of those here. Wonderful. Keep it up..

Harrowing, but uneven and distracting style
I haven't read anything else by Torey Hayden, and my comments are on this book alone.

Hayden is to be commended for her believable portrayal of Mara, a wry woman who, despite flashes of witty frankness, is irredeemably disturbed by memories of her captivity in Lebensborn, a Holocaust operation in which Aryan-looking Jewish women were "bred" to German soldiers. Her account of the death of one of her babies and the taking of another is chilling, to say the least. Her attachment to the neighbor's boy is subtle enough, making her delusion that he is her lost son Klaus and the eventual consequences all the more devastating. Her ultimate delusion--substituting "Forest of Sunflowers" for "Forest of Wolves"--is spot on, a telling image.

However, Leslie's narration spoiled the effect. I understand that Hayden needed to portray the responsibilities of an older sibling whose parent cannot fulfill her role, so some of her elevated tone was justified. Too many times, though, the cliches made me think of the heroines in VC Andrews novels--perfectly mature and perfectly intelligent, and rather condescending. "Mama, let's halt this talk of Klaus." Who, teen or adult, says such a sentence casually? What makes it especially unsettling here is that the rest of the book is handled so well. It's just that, outside of a few obligatory characteristics, I found Leslie to be rather annoying in places. I didn't want to--I mean, surely she deserves sympathy for the tragedy of what happened to her mother, and she is forced to grow up faster--but I got the impression that Hayden didn't really know how to write the dialogue of a real teenager, even if that teenager were as intelligent and burdened as Leslie. Sadly, others' reactions to her afterward--her French teacher, for example--were all too realistic. So there are good points, but on the whole it was hard to balance a gripping main idea with such an ambivalently characterized narrator.

All in all, it is a laudable portrayal of a tormented woman and the consequences of one's past, but it is marred by a cloying, almost uppity, narration. Read it if you can find it--it's a worthy subject--but it's not worth spending _too_ much for an out-of-print copy, and you might not keep it for long if you find a more well-rounded book with similar themes. Previous readers of the author's work, of course, might collect it. I am speaking in terms of a reader for whom this was just a random book.

Deeply moving story
As someone who has read the nonfiction work of Torey Hayden with enthusiasm, I was surprised to come accross this gem of a book in a second hand bookshop.
Although not a quick read, each chapter makes you think and review the lives of the characters in the story, and their place within their own family. Through Hayden's descriptive and detailed storytelling, you see how difficult it is for a family to cope with events in their past, such as living through the Holocaust and the horrific effect of past World Wars on parents. You also see how a family learns to pull together after a saddening event.
I enjoyed this harrowing, deeply moving, well-told story of a family learning to live with their past in 1970's USA. It made me reflect on my own position and responsibilities within my own family situation.

Trying to Forget
Trying to Forget

Mara's death, caused by her phobia, which developed during the Holocaust, depresses her family. Mara, the sole survivor of her family during the Holocaust, loses her son, Klaus, and vows to reunite with him.Thirty years later, Mara's husband and two daughters, Leslie and Megan, worry about Mara's sporadic change of mood; One day Mara is full of joy, whereas the next day she may be in a state of depression.Hayden, the author, writes how Mara got an idea that Toby Waterman, a boy from her hometown in Kansas, is her son; she thought he was her little Klaus.Mara's family struggled to convince Mara, the little boy, Toby, was just another kid and the real Klaus was in his early thirties.Mara's family continually grieves Mara's emotional condition, and the reader experiences the family's mood at Mara's sudden outbursts.Not only did the Holocaust affect the life of the people in the war, the Holocaust also affects our lives.
Despite her family's continuous attempts to halt Mara from meeting Toby, she invites herself over to the Waterman's.Her visit forces Leslie to leave school and pick her mother up.The second time, Mara trespasses into the Watermans' property; they threaten to press charges unless Mara agrees to see a psychologist.The psychological help apparently fails due to the fact that Mara revisits the Watermans and murders both Toby and his parents.The police shoot Mara two times since she still has her gun in her hands.Hospitalized, Mara quickly recuperates, but to everyone's surprise she dies.The dialogue and deep description let the reader feel what Mara's family is going through during the duration of her death. Mara's family becomes the headlines of mass media; they soon learn to ignore the stares and gestures pertaining to Mara.Although Mara continuously got her self into trouble, the family mourns, not knowing how to recover from the tragedy.Leslie desires to learn more about their mother's past in Wales along with the significance of the cottage in "Forest of Sunflowers" and becomes increasingly irritated when she realizes the real name is "Forest of Wolves." Although, the name of the cottage seems insignificant, to Leslie the names symbolize her mother's delight. When Leslie soon apprehends that Mara lied about the fields of sunflowers growing by the cottage because she wants to believe sunflowers were everywhere.Upon her arrival, Leslie finds her father and Megan to have returned to daily life, whereas she who left Kansas to forget about her mother still has numb feelings.Life comes to show we cannot run away from unwanted memories, until we voluntarily free ourselves from them.I advise dedicated readers to read The Sunflower Forest; although the book starts off slow the ending is really dramatic.

Wow.
This book pulls you in with it's interesting, unique characters and doesn't let go. The story is powerful and just when you think you've been hit with the last shocking element or tragedy, another comes along to take your further into the journey. I found The Sunflower Forest a bit overwhelming upon first read but I have read it several times since and always take a little more away from it each time. Excellent. It's too bad it is out of print - it seems to be an "underground" favorite and publishers should take note of that. (my copy is second-hand and I feel lucky to have it.) ... Read more

Product Description
Finally, a beginning...

The time had finally come. The time I had been waiting for through all these long months that I knew sooner or later had to occur. Now it was here.

She had surprised me so much by actually crying that for a moment I did nothing but look at her. Then I gathered her into my arms, hugging her tightly. She clutched onto my shirt so that I could feel the dull pain of her fingers digging into my skin. She cried and cried and cried. I held her and rocked the chair back and on its rear legs, feeling my arms and chest get damp from the tears and her hot breath and the smallness of the room.

Customer Reviews (184)

Enjoyable but much is doubtful
I gave this story 3 stars because I found it enjoyable to read but much of the details are strange and doubtful. In the first place, A child as neglected and abused as this would have ended up in foster care especially after the incident with her uncle. The incident with the uncle certainly could have happened but she would have ended up in a facility or foster care. A school system would never have a child waiting 2 hours at school for the high school bus. High school kids get out much earlier than grade school kids so I don't know where that all came from. A school district could not have a teacher stay 2 hours with one student because of liability and the teacher contract. A pricipal would never tolerate the professional boundries Ms. Hayden crossed. This certainly may have been an intelligent child but an IQ of 182? Come on. I guess it sold the book.

childrens books
I don't remember this purchase, have not read the book, think it was donated to a school library from their wishlist, service ok

Fantastic.
I'm a sophomore in high school at an assembly one day, this book was mentioned. It seemed interesting so I bought a copy from on here. I must say this book was a fantastic read. Hayden as an author is wonderful and the story really caught my attention and grabbed hold of my heart. This was one of those books that I would not put down. It left me tearing and very curious as to where Shelia is today. I say this is a must read!(:

Good condition.. Took a long time to receive book.
It took a long time, however when I emailed the company to ask the status of my order, they replied quickly!

Mixed emotions
Working in education, I find Hayden's books a good read. It's always interesting to know how other professionals deal with the most horrific cases of abuse. I find her quite self-deprecating as well, able to admit when something just didn't work or when she made errors of judgement.
One Child is my favourite of her books; the emotions involved in educating this child are very intense. However, some reviewers' comments about the level of attachment, confidentiality laws and physical contact with the child (lots of hugging etc) are justified. I believe she did get far too emotionally attached to this girl (and vice versa as a consequence), causing further problems. That simply would not be allowed to happen these days. Remember she is recalling events from the 1970s, when things were very different. I would be around Sheila's age then, and I remember similar affection and cuddles fromteachers.
I am from the UK and although I am bearing the era in mind, I am still shocked at the poor quality of social work in this story. Migrant workers in our country would receive a council flat and benefit payments, and their kids would probably be the best dressed ones in class! Maybe, after reading this tale, that wouldn't be such a bad thing. How can children be allowed to live like that?
Perhaps we do need to change the laws and allow teachers to be surrogate mothers again. It seems some kids don't have anything else.
If you loved this book you will probably already have looked at some of her others, but I particularly recommend The Tiger's Child (the sequel to this) and Ghost Girl, which will leave you wondering about the sanity of this world. ... Read more

Product Description
David doesn't
belong anywhere.

He isn't good at school, or talking to people, or making friends. He's been in six different foster homes, and he can't really remember his parents. It seems like he'll never have anything all his own.

Then he finds an owl egg. With the help of Mab, the skinny "girl genius" of his class, he names it King Arthur and sets out to hatch and raise an owl of his very own. As they wait for King Arthur to hatch and as they raise the funny-looking owl chick, Mab and David become true friends.

But Mab's father thinks they should return King Arthur to the wild. Can David give up his owl? Is it even the right thing to do? What can David do if the worst thing of all happens?

Customer Reviews (12)

The Very Worst Thing
I didn't know this was a book for children.I love Torey Hayden's writings ~ I didn't read it but passed it on to my sister-in-law for her 10 year old granddaughter.

Excellent book, wonderful author!
I read this book myself and then read it to a class of 5th graders. I loved it and my students loved it as well! Great story to discuss bullying, friendship and courage.

A Must-Read!
I snuggled up to "The Very Worst Thing" during a rainy afternoon and couldn't put the book down until I finished it.I was immediately sucked in to David's world and felt everything he felt.I wanted to fight for him as he fought against the bullies and I wanted to help him find the words to say what he felt to Granny and Mab.The characters were so realistic and believable, right down to the sludgy Mrs. Mellor and nice looking, but not-so-attentive Mrs. Hallowell.

I plan on sharing this book with my high school age special education students this fall.I imagine that some of them will feel an instant connection to David and I know they will enjoy "The Very Worst Thing" as much as I did.

Review for The Very Worst Thing by Torey Hayden
I read this book to 30 third grade students and they enjoyed it very much.They want a copy for our school library and would like to see Torey write a sequel.My students are interested in knowing what happens next to the main characters.They liked this book because it was "funny and exciting".They could relate to the bullying episodes and empathized with the main characters. It was a good read aloud for my eight and nine year old students.

Wonderful book
As a bookseller, I sort through thousands of books per day, and nothing quite measures up to the work of Torey Hayden.Her latest endeavour into the children's book world is no exception.THE VERY WORST THING is all at once interesting, thrilling, heartwarming, and suspenseful, sure to keep kids thinking long after they put the book down.It is certainly a must-have for any classroom or library, and will make a glowing addition to your personal collection as well! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (13)

twilight children
I can't put Torey's books down. They are real, and keeps your interest at every turn.

Torey does it again!
If you've never read a Torey Hayden book, I suggest you begin with her first and work your way through to this one. No one, but no one works with challenged children in quite the way Torey does. I love the way she writes and I love her stories. Instead of her usual school setting this one takes place in a hospital setting, working with troubled kids. One in particular is a handful, abused and neglected, she is an angry little girl, ready to rip the world apart. But Torey intercepts and changes the direction of her journey. Filled with joy, sadness, an anxiety, this book follows the lives of a number of children, and the issues blocking their full growth. As always, Torey's writing propels you to turn page after page, engrossed in her methods of helping, she's a winner as is her ability to help these kids past their own inner demons. A must read for anyone who likes to read child psychology books. A must read for anyone who loves to read well written books...I highly recommend this and any other Torey Hayden book.

A powerful mix of writing, therapy, and compassion
Twilight Children seamlessly integrates beautiful writing, therapy, and compassion in one poignant book. Although these stories are based on the actual lives of three of Torey's patients, they read like fiction. The stories of Cassandra, Drake, and Gerda magically come to life in the book, just as each patient came to life while working in therapy with Torey. In addition to providing three captivating and touching stories, this book also offers valuable information on psychotherapy and its role helping both the patient and the therapist find their voices.

More, Torey, more!
How can you not love Torey Hayden?My aunt introduced my mother to Torey.My mother introduced me to her.I introduced my partner to her.I have all her books and have enjoyed them all.I just have one last book to read of hers, *The Very Worst Thing*.

Torey is a teacher and a specialist in elective mutism.However, this book is a little different.She is now working a unit in a hospital.Although she works as a therapist, the teacher in her emerges from time to time.

*Twilight Children* revolves around 3 stories:

Cassandra is a bright girl.However, when she was 7 years old, her divorced father, lured her into the car and abducted her for 2 years.Cassandra returned to her mother, abused and distrustful of anyone.

Drake is a charismatic bright 4-year-old with a charming smile.The problem is that he doesn't talk to anyone, except to his mother.The grandfather doesn't make things easier for Torey because the grandfather expects magical results within a session.

Gerda is an exception.A nurse has asked Torey a favor to look in and assess Gerda.The thing is that Gerda is 82.Torey has no experience in geriatrics.Nonetheless, she tries to work with Gerda.Gerda has suffered a stroke and has no one around to care for her.While Torey tries to help her talk, Gerda tells her of a haunting past.

Rotating between the 3, Torey has to work with each individual and unique cases.I just love how Torey tells the story.I also love how she gives simple explanation of her assessment, theories and diagnoses.A couple of them were food for thoughts that I had to just share with other people for intellectual discussion.I love it when people are able to give you something substantial to think about.

Torey did not disappoint me with this book.She still remains to be the best.

Twilight Children
I loved this book. I thought it was interesting. It was very sad as well. I thought it had a good mystery. Trying to figure it out was just like the real thing. I can't wait to read more of her books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A must read for those who work with children.
I am so grateful that I found this book.I also read it in two days.My heart is still breaking for Cassandra.I pray that other children who have gone through similar situations will have someone like Torey Hayden to help them through the pain.I look forward to reading other books by Ms. Hayden.She is a blessing to those she works with directly and to those who read her books.

Twilight Children
I read this book in 2 days. It really holds your attention.
It was a great book. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves children.

page turner
this is one of the best novel i've read so far. very well written that you live with the characters and can't put it down untill you finish reading the novel.

AN EDUCATION FOR ME
"I myself think of Gerda often, particularly when I am at home in Montana.Particularly when the chokecherries are in bloom."


Twilight Children was an education for me.Torey Hayden's true story was a page-turner, though I took longer to read it, unfamiliar with the kind of illness though quite different in all three of the patients.
Let's call Casandra, patient #1; whom Ms.Hayden experienced the most challenging time with. Casandra speaks when she wants to. She is a confused and disoriented child whose erratic behavioral patterns transcend upon her after being kidnapped by her father.
#2 patient is Drake, a very adorable and loving child who never speaks to anyone with the exception of his mother.He plays with the other children and is wiling to be around them cooperating and having a joyous time, but he never speaks. What could be wrong there, and is his obnoxious grandfather at the source of the handicap?
The patient #3 is Gerda who is of a different age group.Gerda is eighty and has suffered a stroke. Since then she has not spoken. We imagine that her speechlessness is not because of the stroke, but rather because of the latter part of her life in Philadelphia, where she bottles up her emotions and is left alone, her only companions being her beloved cats. It was very educational for me and I highly recommend this book. Ms. Hayden has also written more books about children struggling with
psychological matters.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 18/08/06) ... Read more

Product Description
"Were all just somebody else's kids..."

A small seven-year-old boy who couldn't speak except to repeat weather forecasts and other people's words...A beautiful little girl of seven who had been brain damaged by terrible parental beatings and was so ashamed because she couldn't learn to read...A violently angry ten-year-old who had seen his stepmother murder his father and had been sent from one foster home to another ...A shy twelve-year-old from a Catholic school which put her out when she became pregnant...

Customer Reviews (57)

Somebody Else's Kids
Somebody Else's Kids
Author: Torey Hayden
Genre: Narrative Nonfiction

This book is another outstanding book by Torey Hayden. Torey Hayden recounts her story of one year working with 'troubled children.'Four problem children are placed into her resource room because nobody knew what else to do with them. They were a miscellaneous group of children in great pain: a 12-year-old girl that has been cast out of a Catholic school, an 11-year-old violent and angry boy who witnessed the murder of his father, a 7-year-old girl whose father beat her during infancy causing severe brain damage, and a 7-year-old boy whose behavior is described as autistic. One thing they all had in common was a remarkable teacher who would never stop caring as they all became a family.

I really enjoyed this book! Torey Hayden's compassionate writing portrays the power of love. I would recommend this book to anyone that will listen. I am an education major so it taught me the importance of patience and the rewards you can get from it. But I feel that this is a universal concept that everyone would enjoy and learn from!

Favorite all-time book by favorite author
Timeless. Simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching. The issues and questions and feelings facing the students and staff in Torey's special education classroom in the 1970's are not all that different than life in a special education classroom today.Torey captures the essence and reality of what life is like inside and outside the classroom.Having spent 20 years teaching special education myself, this is a book that I recommend to everyone I meet.

SOMEBODY ELSE KIDS
I LOVE ALL OF TOREY HAYDENS BOOKS.THIS WAS A GOOD BOOK. I WOULD TELL PEOPLE THEY HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!

Hilarious Class of Misfits
This is very funny about Torey's class of misfits. Claude was a pregnant 12 yr. old who ended up giving her baby up for adoption and becoming valedictorian of her class. Lori had some brain damage so couldn't read but a warm heart. Boo was autistic and would take of his clothes and flap around. Tomaso was violent because was angry his dad died and had to be in foster homes but was intelligent. Acted tough but showed concern for other kids, especially Lori. Lori got stuffed bear for Tomaso for his birthday and he tore it up but then had Torey sew it back up. I would think any teacher would be encouraged after reading this. Torey is an amazing teacher and author! This book is hilarious!

Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry""

Thankyou again, Torey Hayden
We really do need more Torey Haydens in this world.I have now read everything she has published bar the fiction and "Murphy's Boy" which I'm going to start soon.Reading 'Somebody Else's Kids' felt like going backwards in time, because it was one of her first books.Like most people probably, I picked up one of her more recent books, was immediately hooked and set about tracking down the rest of Torey's work.

Hayden is a teacher of special needs children, specialising in elective mutism.This book comes from very early on in her career.Due to changes in the law with regards to the 'mainstreaming' of education, the politics of teaching children with special needs has become very convoluted.And while all the arguments go on and new theories are considered and schools are shut down, reopened and studies are done, somebody has to deal with the reality of teaching children who for whatever reason can't function in a regular classroom.That would be Torey.

As always, her compassion and passion and kindness blast off the page.You will read and weep, read and laugh and read and wonder.I love that Torey exists and represents so many other passionate committed teachers and carers in this field.Her children are always incredible characters and have usually suffered horrific abuse, like Lori, the lion-hearted 7 year old who, due to being beaten by her parents has a piece of skull embedded in her brain, along with lesions from other beatings resulting in her simply being UNABLE to learn to read.Torey manages to convey how clever Lori actually is with an exceptional ability to 'read' people.And makes the deliberate point that Lori would have been better off without a limb or sight in the current education system where some special needs are still treated with an almost medieval stigma.

Hayden's books are never sugar coated.The reader always gets a good dose of the reality of teaching special needs kids, the mess, the smells and the chaos.She never portrays herself as a hero (although she is) and her honesty about her personal life and her frustration at her own frustration and impatience just make her more endearing.

I have 4 children and a teaching degree.I feel very strongly about the amazing work Torey and people like her do, usually behind the scenes and often in less than acceptable conditions.I tentatively offered "One Child" to my 10 year old daughter, because I WANT my children to learn compassion and to value difference.My daughter devoured this book and has now read 3 of Hayden's books.She is about to start this one because I just finished it.Torey's books have helped me start a dialogue with my daughter about compassion and caring and how each individual person has a part to play, a choice of better or worse, in their lives and the lives they touch.For this I feel I owe Torey Hayden a huge debt.

Torey Hayden's books are relevant to everybody and should probably be made required reading for some!She truly contributes to making life worth living in this world. ... Read more

Product Description
BOOK CLUB EDITIONFrom Publishers WeeklyA teacher/psychologist who has chronicled her interaction with dysfunctional children in Murphy's Boy and Somebody Else's Kid , Hayden entered the life of a severely troubled electively mute eight-year-old girl in a special education class in "small-town America." In class, "Jadie might as well have been a ghost"--no one spoke to her, nor did she engage anyone else. Hayden's success in drawing the child out also revealed the horror: Jadie's trauma appeared to have been the result of sexual abuse or satanic cult practices. A police case ensued; Jadie and her siblings were placed in foster care, but evidence to indict the parents remains inconclusive. Hayden describes the difficulties of believing a child with a history of bizarre psychological behavior, but ultimately Jadie's is a success story, and a testament to the powers of caring and commitment. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Best Seller in the United Kingdom
I purchased this book by Torey Hayden,believing it to be a new
story of a child she worked with in the past.
I took it with me on vacation to pass the time sitting in the car.
Ironicly,it is a book I read many years ago called "Murphy's Boy",
that completely captivated me again.
It tells the story of Kevin,15 years old,and believed to be an elective mute.It takes place in a juvenile hospital setting that
Kevin is outgrowing due to age.
Kevin is quite a challenge-he has many fears.These include bathing,spiders,people,spiral wires on notebooks etc.Torey
working on her dual degree re:speech defects in childhood,and also
psychology,has her unusual assignment.She shares her office with a
friend Jeff,a psychiatrist.They do their best to help Kevin.
Due to a certain amount of neglect...due to his fears,Kevin
presents as quite an ugly kid on the surface.First,they work
on letting his hair stop looking instituional.Next comes bathing,
he is quite malodorous.Jeff prescribes ointment for his acne,
which is quite severe.Finally,they dress him like a regular kid
and that does much to help him be accepted,and somewhat pleased
with himself.
Then,Torey proceeds to work on the big problems.He has a history
best forgotten.But he lived it.It has totally affected everything
he tries to do.His anger is hardly controlled.
It is not all gloom.Torey is a big sister to a charming,worldly
eight year old named Charity.Charity is a big help accepting
Kevin.
This is by all means a book,I couldn't put down.I had forgotten
much of the story.However,it is not for the faint of heart.It
graphicly describes memories and scenes of horrendous child abuse.
In the end,we see the triumph of the human spirit. ... Read more