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Product Description
In the tradition of David Pelzer's A Child Called 'It' comes the unsettling story of a mute, almost catatonic seven–year–old and the special education teacher who tries to save her from the silence and abuse of her world.
Hayden has chronicled experiences from her long career as a special education teacher in several books, including One Child and The Tiger's Child. Successes in this difficult and often frustrating field can be few and hard won, a fact which Hayden deftly illustrates while simultaneously offering hope and joy in small victories. This time she brings to life the story of a scruffy seven–year–old, Venus, who is so unresponsive that Hayden searches for signs of deafness, brain damage or mental retardation. The author is relentless in her attempt to diagnose the cause of Venus's 'almost catatonic' state, which is punctuated by occasional violent outbursts. In this first–person narrative, Hayden also shares her own thoughts, worries and reflections on the strained relationship with a mismatched classroom aide, creating a rich tapestry of the dynamics of a group of special needs youngsters and the adults who try to help them.
Beautiful Child Reviews
Beautiful Child Reviews
| 30 of 32 people found the following review helpful  AND THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN, By Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: Beautiful Child (Hardcover) When author Torey Hayden first meets Venus, then 7, the child is perched atop a high wall on the school playground. Venus rarely speaks and goes into attack mode when jostled by other children on the playground. Venus remains a silent observer in the class she shares with 9-year-old Billy, a gifted child with a minor case of dyslexia and a propensity for impulsive behavior; 8-year-old Jesse, a boy who has Tourette's Syndrome; 6-year-old twins Shane and Zane who have the congenital condition of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and part-time resource pupils 8-year-old Gwennie, a bright girl whose behavior and verbalizations are described as autistic and 8-year-old Alice, also given to frequent non sequitors interspersed with very poignant comments.This group finally unites after a series of setbacks. Early in the year, fighting broke out contantly among the boys; Venus, too displayed a fair share of aggression whenever she attacked someone who bumped into her. The tension among the pupils was... Read more 18 of 18 people found the following review helpful Extremely thought-provoking!, By Boots in Texas (Garland, TX) - See all my reviews This review is from: Beautiful Child (Hardcover) Once again, Torey Hayden has yanked my heart from side to side! Venus, the seven year old in this story, is an amazingly brave soul. Just as Sheila was a "fighter" and "survivor" in Hayden's book, ONE CHILD, little Venus shows the same strength and courage in the face of what most of the world would consider insurmountable odds, although not necessarily in the same ways. This book stirred me in a most peculiar way. I always have a desire to "help" after I read Hayden's books, but this book dug even deeper into my heart. I guess there are some things in this world that the majority of us will just never be able to understand at all. I can tell already that I will be wondering for years, unless a sequel is written to answer my questions, what happened to Venus. 22 of 25 people found the following review helpful Poignant account of a teacher's work with troubled children., By This review is from: Beautiful Child (Hardcover) Torey Hayden's new book, "Beautiful Child," is a moving account of Ms. Hayden's year teaching a class of children with serious emotional and physical problems. Shane and Zane are six-year-olds with fetal alcohol syndrome. Nine-year-old Billy is hyperactive and aggressive. Eight-year-old Jesse twitches and barks as a result of his Tourette's syndrome. The title refers to seven-year-old Venus Fox, a deeply withdrawn child from a dysfunctional family who is completely unresponsive to external stimuli.Hayden vividly recounts the outrageous and often hilarious events that occur in her classroom in minute detail. We feel her frustration and elation as she describes her efforts to transform an angry and anti-social group of students into a cohesive and functioning class. Hayden is as unembarrassed about discussing her setbacks as she is pleased to discuss her successes. The author's honesty and realism give "Beautiful Child" an extra dimension that touches the heart. The story of... Read more |
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