At the Social Services office, Cathy (an experienced foster carer) is pressured into taking Jodie as a new placement. Jodie’s challenging behaviour has seen off five carers in four months. 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 Cathy’s 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 behaviour improves. Over time, with childish honesty, she reveals details of her abuse at … More >>
Cathy Glass writes a powerful visual book which cannot fail to unleash a stream of emotions in the reader. The disturbing account of little Jodie’s eight long suffering years filled me with despair, and more. The incompetence and short sightedness of the Social Services brought intense anger. But, thanks to her carer, Cathy, who introduces stability, structure and most of all love to this damaged child, made me realize there is always hope.
This is a well written page turner.
Rating: 5 / 5
If you know someone who doesn’t believe child abuse exists, this is a great gift for that person.
If you know someone who is a survivor this is a great book, if you want to understand true feelings, read it.
Rating: 5 / 5
Very insightful story told by the foster parent point of view. I could not put the book down and finished reading it in two days. Anyone who works with children should read this, it is a story you will never forget. Thank you Cathy.
Rating: 5 / 5
I love kids and when I read this book I found myself with a strong urge to see all the bad in the world come upon those who would hurt a little child such as Jodie. I kept trying to imagine as I read, what would happen next or how the book would turn out in the end, then I remembered that this is A TRUE STORY.
If you are faint of heart, be careful reading this heartbreaking story about an 8 year old girl whose life was destroyed and if not for the caring of one woman, would have been condemned to a life of horror forever. I highly recommend this book, Cathy Glass did a wonderful job in telling this tragic true story.
Rating: 4 / 5
This book sat on my Mom’s shelf for over a year…it was given to her by her friend from England and she never really intended to read it.
I picked it up and read it in one sitting…beginning at 9 PM and finishing somewhere around 3 AM. I kept saying, “Just one more chapter…just one more page…then I MUST go to bed” but I could not put down the story of Jodie and Cathy.
This story evokes a gamut of emotions…from harrowing sorrow to fierce anger. But, ultimately, it left me feeling hopeful…and grateful. Grateful that there are people in this world who stand up for the Jodies of the world.
Jodie is a little girl who spent her first eight years in an abusive nightmare with her biological parents and their revolting circle of “friends”. Once freed from that prison, she went through four foster carers in five months. You see, Jodie *is* damaged…damaged by her parents and damaged by the social system that failed her. Her violent personality reflects that. How can anyone come out of the other side of what she has been through and not be damaged/fragmented/lost. But her one, small, stroke of luck was ending up in Cathy’s home. She and her amazing children provided Jodie with a safety net that she would never have been granted with from, most likely, any other family.
This book will make you very, very angry. It may possibly make you weep. But you will also rejoice…and, like me, be thankful for the amazing Cathy…and the love she provided that saved a little, lost girl.
Rating: 5 / 5