Nancy A. (Chocoholic) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 291 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
Difficult to read, not because of the writing, but because of the content matter. Nonetheless, this should be required reading for foster carers, and social workers alike. My heart breaks for the little girl in the story, and hope that she was able to find some peace.
Helpful Score: 5
As a foster mom myself, it was very interesting to read about other people in the foster care system and the issues they deal with. I commend Cathy Glass for her dedication and commitment to this little girl. This was a great read; very informative and reveals the sad state of the child services system.
Michelle S. (reader4ever) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 20 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Although Cathy Glass is a foster parent in the U.K. you can still understand this authors' stories. Some words she uses you have to read between the lines and use the surrounding text to realize what they mean. The story line itself is well written. All of her stories are sad & sometimes disturbing, but are hard to put down. These are must reads because we as humanity need to understand that there are children who are going through horrors that no human should have to endure let alone helpless children. Then they are expected to carry on a productive life without any repercussions?
Christy L. (Cricky) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 106 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
There aren't enough words to describe the utterly appalling feeling I got while reading about this poor little girl, she suffered so much and her outlook in her future is so tarnished. I read this so fast that I don't remember two days going by - I couldn't put it down. Cathy Glass is definitely a saint for all she went through with Jodie - phenomenally written and yet such a depressing story. There are so many sick people in this world, but the people in this story take the cake.
Marilynn L. (WildOrchid) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 222 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Absolutely heartbreaking.
CATHY R. (CATHY-O) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 18 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
What this little girl had to go through is almost unforgivable. This book will be remembered by me for a long time.
Yvonne L. (luvbatista) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book was really good and it made me mad to hear what a life that this poor child has had. She was lucky to have found someone like Cathy to help her and take care of her when she needed it most. We need more people in the world like Cathy!!
Michelle A. (BlueInk) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was an excellent book, but it is very graphic. It is hard to stomach the type of abuse this little girl endured.
Leslie G. (muffins) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book broke my heart. What this little girl went through is horrific! Cathy Glass is wonderful. I don't think Jodie would have made it without her. I read this book in 2 days. I couldn't put it down. It was disturbing but, definately worth reading.
Hannah C. (landonsmama) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 51 more book reviews
This book is disturbing, but very interesting. It makes me sick to hear about children who are abused this way. God bless the foster parents who step up and take in children like the little girl in this story. It's hard to read, but definitely a page-turner.
Kathy G. reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 329 more book reviews
What a sad story. I can never understand how adults can be abusive really really abusive to very young children. The damage it causes is horrendous. It makes me appreciate my childhood much more. Thank God for people like Cathy Glass. She truly cares and is very devoted to her foster children. They are lucky to have her.
Heather B. (heather4kj) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 7 more book reviews
This is a heartbreaking story of a young child and the terrible things that parents can do. Cathy is an amazing woman with amazing strength and heart. This story will open your eyes and pull at your heart strings, an awesome story.
http://hollytabitha.wordpress.com/2011/08/18/review-damaged/
Review: Damaged
Damaged by Cathy Glass
Non-Fiction. Published 2006.
Read: August 2011, 339 pages
★★★★☆
Book Blurb:
Although Jodie is only eight years old, she is violent, aggressive, and has already been through several foster families. Her last hope is Cathy Glass. At the Social Services office, Cathy, an experienced foster carer, is pressured into taking Jodie as a new placement. Despite her reservations, Cathy decides to take on Jodie to protect her from being placed in an institution. Jodie arrives and her first act is to soil herself and then wipe it on her face, grinning wickedly. Jodie meets Cathys teenage children and greets them with a sharp kick to the shins. That night, Cathy finds Jodie covered in blood, having cut her own wrist, and smeared the blood over her face.
As Jodie begins to trust Cathy her behavior improves. Over time, with childish honesty, she reveals details of her abuse at the hands of her parents and others. It becomes clear that Jodies parents were involved in a sickening pedophile ring. Unfortunately Jodie becomes increasingly withdrawn and needs psychiatric therapy. Cathy urges the Social Services to provide funding, but instead they decide to take Jodie away and place her in a residential unit. Cathy promises that she will stand by her no matter what her love for the abandoned Jodie is unbreakable.
Impressions:
When I received this book from paperbackswap, I had been anticipating a good read. The book flows well and describes the plight of little Jodie. I highly recommend this book to any caring adult.
Thoughts:
I adored this heart breaking story. You cant help but yearn for Jodies improvement. Cathy helps to voice Jodies story for many are unaware of the torture and hell some children live. This eye opening description provides a great example of how abuse and neglect can deteriorate a child. Jodie was beyond repair by the time she reached Cathy. So many others had failed her. Jodie tried to save herself the best she could the reason she finally came into foster care was because she lit her fathers dog on fire as she secured her two siblings to safety in the garden. In care, Jodie was a terror hurting herself and others, tantrums, aggressiveness, and she could not connect with others. Damaged to say the least.. Jodie, may your story inspire others to help! In closing, I urge others to speak out when you see or suspect abuse. Speak out for a child who cannot. Its a tragic triumph that she has been set free from her perpetrators yet is beyond rebounding.
Quotes:
It was our secret. They said if I told, horrible things would happen. Id be taken to a dark cave and a monster would come and chew off my arms. Will he, Cathy? Will he come here and bite my arms off? p133
Review: Damaged
Damaged by Cathy Glass
Non-Fiction. Published 2006.
Read: August 2011, 339 pages
★★★★☆
Book Blurb:
Although Jodie is only eight years old, she is violent, aggressive, and has already been through several foster families. Her last hope is Cathy Glass. At the Social Services office, Cathy, an experienced foster carer, is pressured into taking Jodie as a new placement. Despite her reservations, Cathy decides to take on Jodie to protect her from being placed in an institution. Jodie arrives and her first act is to soil herself and then wipe it on her face, grinning wickedly. Jodie meets Cathys teenage children and greets them with a sharp kick to the shins. That night, Cathy finds Jodie covered in blood, having cut her own wrist, and smeared the blood over her face.
As Jodie begins to trust Cathy her behavior improves. Over time, with childish honesty, she reveals details of her abuse at the hands of her parents and others. It becomes clear that Jodies parents were involved in a sickening pedophile ring. Unfortunately Jodie becomes increasingly withdrawn and needs psychiatric therapy. Cathy urges the Social Services to provide funding, but instead they decide to take Jodie away and place her in a residential unit. Cathy promises that she will stand by her no matter what her love for the abandoned Jodie is unbreakable.
Impressions:
When I received this book from paperbackswap, I had been anticipating a good read. The book flows well and describes the plight of little Jodie. I highly recommend this book to any caring adult.
Thoughts:
I adored this heart breaking story. You cant help but yearn for Jodies improvement. Cathy helps to voice Jodies story for many are unaware of the torture and hell some children live. This eye opening description provides a great example of how abuse and neglect can deteriorate a child. Jodie was beyond repair by the time she reached Cathy. So many others had failed her. Jodie tried to save herself the best she could the reason she finally came into foster care was because she lit her fathers dog on fire as she secured her two siblings to safety in the garden. In care, Jodie was a terror hurting herself and others, tantrums, aggressiveness, and she could not connect with others. Damaged to say the least.. Jodie, may your story inspire others to help! In closing, I urge others to speak out when you see or suspect abuse. Speak out for a child who cannot. Its a tragic triumph that she has been set free from her perpetrators yet is beyond rebounding.
Quotes:
It was our secret. They said if I told, horrible things would happen. Id be taken to a dark cave and a monster would come and chew off my arms. Will he, Cathy? Will he come here and bite my arms off? p133
Jo S. (jbsim21) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 4 more book reviews
Haunting, unforgettable story of a young girl sexually abused at a very tender age. Your heart will ache for her and her story will stay with you forever. Caution: This book is not for the faint of heart as it contains very disturbing descriptions of the unimaginable tortures that she suffered. The foster carer is to be commended for all the love and patience she gave to this broken, little girl.
Lazetta W. (bluebirdz) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 5 more book reviews
Cathy Glass is a very good author! She captured my attention from beginning to end. I didn't want to put the book down. She kept me totally involved in her life with this little girl. I was totally shocked at the things people do to children and was very upset with the case workers that should've done their job. I plan on reading all her books.
Jeannie H. (ilovebooksanddogs) -
This was such an intriguing book, I couldn't stop thinking about it whenever I had to lay it down. The author is a natural story teller, the book is filled with her and her family's emotional pain while fostering a little girl named Jodie. She will quickly draw you into the sad and tragic life of this little girl. Even though I suspected what had happened to Jodie, when it was revealed in the book, it sent not only dread but shivers of fear through me to know that this happens and is happening to children all over the world as we speak. Unthinkable that parents could do something so vile to their own child. I admire and respect Cathy Glass for the work she does in helping children, what a wonderful person she is! If you read one book this year it should be this one, it's just so sad that help came too late to truly help Jodie.
And on a last note, this book shows how social services breaks down and some of the problems involved with these "so-called" social workers. Cathy does make excuses for some of them but in my opinion there is no room for error when we are talking about the safety and well-being of chldren. Jodies social worker in the book SHOULD not only be fired from her position but prohibited from working with children ever again. It's people like her that allowed this little girls life to be ruined when they could of saved her when she was first put on the "at risk" list. What is wrong with these people? How could anyone turn a blind eye to such a situation, I just don't understand that. Makes me very sad.
And on a last note, this book shows how social services breaks down and some of the problems involved with these "so-called" social workers. Cathy does make excuses for some of them but in my opinion there is no room for error when we are talking about the safety and well-being of chldren. Jodies social worker in the book SHOULD not only be fired from her position but prohibited from working with children ever again. It's people like her that allowed this little girls life to be ruined when they could of saved her when she was first put on the "at risk" list. What is wrong with these people? How could anyone turn a blind eye to such a situation, I just don't understand that. Makes me very sad.
Carolyn M. reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 10 more book reviews
This heart wrenching story will challenge you to rethink your life and all its blessings. I could not put it down.
Cherish A. (caandahl) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 18 more book reviews
I also could not put this book down for 2 days.
It is horrible what this child went thru and even more disturbing is what little social services did to help her!
It is horrible what this child went thru and even more disturbing is what little social services did to help her!
Mary-Jo W. (mjowest) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 237 more book reviews
Amazing book. Hard to read, to think that this really happens, but the author has a gift to tell an honest, heart wrenching story. Read it in one day. Glad to know there are people who care.
Dana W. (SouthWestZippy) -
This is not a easy read due to the subject. Story is very open and honest with will leave you frustrated, angry and at times touched. I find myself having a hard time saying this book is good due to the subject,child abuse, but it is just that, a very good book.
Cathy is the Foster carer of an eight-year-old girl called Jodie. Jodie is the most disturbed child Cathy had ever cared for. Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions when you read their story.
Cathy is the Foster carer of an eight-year-old girl called Jodie. Jodie is the most disturbed child Cathy had ever cared for. Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions when you read their story.
very sad.
Sharon C. (sierrastar) -
That poor child, what she had to endure the abuse she received. No child should ever have to be emotionally scarred
Bree G. (paisleywings) reviewed Damaged: The Heartbreaking True Story of a Forgotten Child on + 232 more book reviews
It's hard to rate this. Did I enjoy reading it? No. Does it have a happy conclusion? No.
What I did learn from it was the foster system in the UK. That is the other thing. I didn't realize before I read the book that it was something that took place in England. Their system is more screwed than the American system for foster care.
It's about an eight year old who is sexually abused and removed from her parents, but that wasn't the reason she was put in foster care. The child has the mentally of a four year old, so I had a difficult time believing the speech indicated by the eight year old in the book. It was too adult. Therefore, I felt the book was more fiction than memoir as it was peddled as such.
What I did learn from it was the foster system in the UK. That is the other thing. I didn't realize before I read the book that it was something that took place in England. Their system is more screwed than the American system for foster care.
It's about an eight year old who is sexually abused and removed from her parents, but that wasn't the reason she was put in foster care. The child has the mentally of a four year old, so I had a difficult time believing the speech indicated by the eight year old in the book. It was too adult. Therefore, I felt the book was more fiction than memoir as it was peddled as such.
