Helpful Score: 9
Wonderful, beautifully written TRUE story of a dedicated Special-Education teacher and an out-of-control six year old student.
This book touched me in so many ways. I can't say enough good things. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me mad. I couldn't put it down. It was an amazing story.
Helpful Score: 7
Have a box of tissues ready. This is a bittersweet true story and I couldn't read it fast enough.
Helpful Score: 5
This is the best and worst thing I've ever read. I mean that in a good way. It made me cry forever. It's got happiness, but there's so much sadness too, mostly because when you're reading it you know it's a true story, and that Sheila exists. That brave little angel. I couldn't put this book down, I had to know what happens to her, I think you will too. Best read when you don't mine a good cry.
Helpful Score: 4
This book will make u cry and laugh. Torey Hayden is a prolific writer and caring teacher. This is the first book I've read written by her and though I couldn't put the book down once I started, there were many times where I had 2 close my eyes and cry as to the horrors done to this little girl. As I read, I thought back on the children I have taught. I pray there are more teachers out there like Torey who give their all for the children in their classroom each year and are able to renew that same love and interest each year. I know that I tend to fall in love with my children too and they all become mine as the year progresses....many times over I have wished that there was a way to get their parents the love and understanding that they need as much as their children. You will enjoy this book tremendously and it will definitely tug at your heart strings.
Helpful Score: 4
Very heartwarming story about an abused little girl, written by the teacher who initiated her rehabilitation.
Helpful Score: 4
My second book by Torey Hayden, but definitely not my last.
ONE CHILD is the story of Sheila, a young girl who was abandoned on the side of a highway by her mother. Now the charge of her drunken father, Sheila is wild, sometimes crazy, and never cries.
What follows after her arrival in Ms. Hayden's classroom (following an incident that is truly chilling) is the relationship that grows, in a short period of time, between Sheila and Torey.
A very good but emotional read. I highly recommend it, and also recommend picking up a copy of THE TIGER'S CHILD, which is the continuation of Sheila's story.
ONE CHILD is the story of Sheila, a young girl who was abandoned on the side of a highway by her mother. Now the charge of her drunken father, Sheila is wild, sometimes crazy, and never cries.
What follows after her arrival in Ms. Hayden's classroom (following an incident that is truly chilling) is the relationship that grows, in a short period of time, between Sheila and Torey.
A very good but emotional read. I highly recommend it, and also recommend picking up a copy of THE TIGER'S CHILD, which is the continuation of Sheila's story.
Helpful Score: 3
Unbelievable book about a child who's endured horrific abuse and the relationship she builds with her teacher as the teacher brings her out of her shell. Riveting.
Helpful Score: 3
A book I couldn't put down. Makes one appreciate the wellness of your own family. Anixious to read sequel. Hayden writes smoothly in an easy book to read.Highly recommend to everyone.
Helpful Score: 3
THIS WAS HEARTBREAKING,BUT EXCELLENT READ.
Helpful Score: 2
The book was a good read, but the author repeated things a lot which drug it out. I kept waiting for more information but never really got it. I was very impressed with Torey and her dedication to these children that no one sees as important.
Helpful Score: 2
The book that gives hope. Well written for a easy read. Sequel to this book is Tiger's Child. I just can't say enough about Torey Hayden. She is a true gift that understands not everyone can be reached the same way.
Helpful Score: 2
I could not put this book down! It is a sad story to know that the child went throughall this. But wonderful there are people like Torey Hayden out there!
Helpful Score: 2
I was lucky enough to read this for class. It's an easy read, and yet so powerful that it made me cry multiple times, and stayed on my mind for days afterward. Readers will find themselves immediately pulled into Torey's situation with Sheila, and laugh and cry with them at their triumphs and setbacks. I know I will most certainly be picking up Torey Hayden's other books now.
Helpful Score: 2
Awesome book......and very quick read.
Helpful Score: 2
I read this book a long time ago. Very good, because I still remember it.
Helpful Score: 2
This was such a great book. But it was a little emotional at times. I would definetely reccomend this book.
Helpful Score: 2
This is a fantasticly moving book. Anyone who is in the field of education should read this book.
Helpful Score: 2
It was hard to read this book, hearing the horrific things this little girl saw and had to deal with.....
6 yr old Sheila had been abandoned by her mother ona highway when she was four. A survivior of horriffic abuse, she never spoke, never cried,and was placed in a class for severly retarded children after committing an atrocious act of violence against another child. Everyone thought Sheila was beyond salvation-except her teacher,Torey Hayden.With patience,skill,and abiding lvove,she fought long and hard to release a haunted little girl from her secret nightmare-and nurture the spark of genious she recognized trapped within Sheila's silence. This is the remarkable story of their journey together-an odyssey of hope,courage,and inspiring devotion that opened the heart and mind of one lost child to a new world of discovery and joy.
Be ready with tissues!
6 yr old Sheila had been abandoned by her mother ona highway when she was four. A survivior of horriffic abuse, she never spoke, never cried,and was placed in a class for severly retarded children after committing an atrocious act of violence against another child. Everyone thought Sheila was beyond salvation-except her teacher,Torey Hayden.With patience,skill,and abiding lvove,she fought long and hard to release a haunted little girl from her secret nightmare-and nurture the spark of genious she recognized trapped within Sheila's silence. This is the remarkable story of their journey together-an odyssey of hope,courage,and inspiring devotion that opened the heart and mind of one lost child to a new world of discovery and joy.
Be ready with tissues!
Helpful Score: 2
This is a great book about a teacher with a class of troubled children. She forms a bond with one of the children, and it changes both of their lives in many ways.
Helpful Score: 2
Sad, but a great book. Love Torey Hayden!
Helpful Score: 2
I won't give it away, but here is what the back of the book states,
"Six-year-old Sheila never spoke, she never even cried, and her eyes were filled with hate. Abandoned on a highway by her mother, abused by her alcoholic father, Shleila was placed in a class for the hopelessly retarted after she committed an atrocious act of violence against another child.
Everyone said Sheila was lost forever--everyone except her teacher Torey Hayden.
torey fought to reach Sheila, to bring the abused child back from her secret nightmare, becasue beneath the autistis rage, Torey saw in Sheila the spark of a genius. And together they embarked on a wondrous journey--a journey gleaming with a child's joy at discovering a world filled with lobe and a journey sustained by a young teacher's inspiriting bravery and devotion."
This is an all-time favorite book of mine. I stumbled across a second copy, so it's up here for someone else. Also, I have "Tiger's Child" on here, which is the sequel to this book and talks about Sheila as a young woman.
"Six-year-old Sheila never spoke, she never even cried, and her eyes were filled with hate. Abandoned on a highway by her mother, abused by her alcoholic father, Shleila was placed in a class for the hopelessly retarted after she committed an atrocious act of violence against another child.
Everyone said Sheila was lost forever--everyone except her teacher Torey Hayden.
torey fought to reach Sheila, to bring the abused child back from her secret nightmare, becasue beneath the autistis rage, Torey saw in Sheila the spark of a genius. And together they embarked on a wondrous journey--a journey gleaming with a child's joy at discovering a world filled with lobe and a journey sustained by a young teacher's inspiriting bravery and devotion."
This is an all-time favorite book of mine. I stumbled across a second copy, so it's up here for someone else. Also, I have "Tiger's Child" on here, which is the sequel to this book and talks about Sheila as a young woman.
Helpful Score: 1
As a future special education teacher, I found this book very inspiring. I hope I can someday make as big of a difference in the life of one child as the author did.
Helpful Score: 1
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is the amazing story of childhood resilience and the dedication of one special teacher. I immediately got and read the followup book,"The Tiger's Child."
I have recommended these books to all my friends and family!
I have recommended these books to all my friends and family!
Helpful Score: 1
Such a great book hard to put down.
Helpful Score: 1
An emotional heartwarming story about a 6 year old brillant abused girl who comes out of her shell and steals the heart of her teacher. Very good read, like everyone else i couldnt put it down, cant wait to read the sequal.
Helpful Score: 1
Another terrific, absorbing, can't-put-it-down book from Torey Hayden!
Helpful Score: 1
Just finished reading One Child. As always I so enjoyed this book. Torey Hayden has a way of making it seem that you are right there, day by day. She has such a talent for teaching and bonding with these children. Each book of hers is as good as the last one. If this is your genre be sure to read this one.
Helpful Score: 1
I think this is my first Torey Hayden book and now I want to read them all! This story is very gripping and wonderfully written! I could not pull myself away!
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful!
I try to read this book at least once a year and every year it makes me cry.
Made you want a sequel just to find out how she grew up and became a young lady.
Well-written, touching story about one teacher's success with an extremely disturbed child. Will make you laugh and cry and cheer for this child and teacher. Great read!
I curled up on this cold, rainy, overcasted day with this book in one hand and a drink in the other, a perfect day for this sad and foreboding book. The main character; a child; a tattered and broken survivor of the most heinous sickness of our species, child abuse. I dont think we should continue to throw money into programs to heal the victims, as much as the primary focus should be; but to stop the perpetrators of such crimes. And find a far less need to console the victims as to eliminate the possiblity of mentally ill adults who are sexually warped to ever be capable of acting out such behaviours; even if it should take the extreme measures of permanent physical alterations.
Time heals all wounds and with God this young person will find new norms and new ways of coping, but time does not take evil out of the heart of the diabolical sexual menences to society.And that is where our focus should be! I will end with a quote that jumped out at me right at the start of this book, quote "MADNESS ALONE SEEMS TO ALLOW THE WHOLE TRUTH TO BE SPOKEN". If madness crys out the truth then I hope that humanity will become DAMN MAD! I recommend this book when you want to look deeply into what darkness can be hiding in the hearts of Godless people!I 5 for its madness and another 5 for its honesty! God bless the Sheilas of this world with peace and the knowledge that not all people are such animals...some serve a higher law...humanity; when its at its most spiritually divine.
Time heals all wounds and with God this young person will find new norms and new ways of coping, but time does not take evil out of the heart of the diabolical sexual menences to society.And that is where our focus should be! I will end with a quote that jumped out at me right at the start of this book, quote "MADNESS ALONE SEEMS TO ALLOW THE WHOLE TRUTH TO BE SPOKEN". If madness crys out the truth then I hope that humanity will become DAMN MAD! I recommend this book when you want to look deeply into what darkness can be hiding in the hearts of Godless people!I 5 for its madness and another 5 for its honesty! God bless the Sheilas of this world with peace and the knowledge that not all people are such animals...some serve a higher law...humanity; when its at its most spiritually divine.
Six year old Sheila never spoke, she never cried, and her eyes were filled with hate. Abandoned on a highway by her mother, abused by her alcoholic father, Sheila was placed in a class for the hopelessly retarded after she committed an atrocious act of violence against another child. Everyone said she was lost forever but a teacher named Torey. Torey fought for Sheila.
I enjoyed this author so much that I went to the local library to find some more of her books. She is a wonderful author, a terrific writer, and I love the detail she goes into to describe her interactions with these children. I have always liked stories of this nature since I was a teen. Would love to read her book Tiger's Child if I can get it and any other books written by her.
Excellent book. Moving portrayal of a child in need and the teacher who saved her.
The sad story of the fact that you can't prevent things from happening only fix it once it's too late.
Be sure to read the sequel The Tiger's Child.
Ann
Be sure to read the sequel The Tiger's Child.
Ann
My Copy is a bit worn on the cover, but I imaginethat is due to being passed around so much as I am sure it has been. I have a lot of trouble with paying attention and with concentrateing but this book is so wonderful that even I could not put it down I even read it for so long one day that I had to force myself to quit due to sever eye strain and pain. The only problem I had with it is starting in ch 6 there are a lot of bad words.
Good book! I couldn't put it down. It's hard to believe some of the things people will do to children. It's heartbreaking and a little disturbing, but worth the read.
