The abused child whisperer
350070
Author Bruce Perry has a very difficult but very gratifying job. Hes a child psychiatrist who deals with children who have been horribly abused and traumatized at an early stage, helping them become whole and healed. Perry bases his therapy on how the brain develops- at certain ages, different parts of the brain enlarge as a child learns things; things as basic as trusting someone who touches you or learning how to talk. If a child is deprived of soothing touch as a wee baby, they flinch from touch as they grow up. Perry gently and slowly introduces touch and then massage to teach them that its okay, and that part of the brain grows, even though its well after the time when it should have.

The children in his accounts are all real, albeit with their names changed. They have suffered horrifically as babies and toddlers. Repeated sexual abuse, near total neglect, seeing their mother murdered and having her throat cut at the same time- are some of the things that had happened to these children. The boy who was raised as a dog was actually one of the luckier ones; he was fed and did have the dogs for companionship, even as he was deprived of human interaction by a guardian who had no idea how to care for a child but did raise dogs. His guardian didn't beat him or sexually abuse him. But despite the abuse these children went through and the damage it did to their brain development, Perry is able to help them. Hes very patient and never forces anything on the children. Theyve already had too many things forced on them.

The authors present the book in a rather informal manner. Perry explains what the child went through and what it did to their brain, adding neuroscience to psychiatry. Then he explains what he did with each one to get their brain to grow and reduce their deficits. Each story deals with a different part of the brain. Perrys dedication and humanity shine through. The authors write rather like Oliver Sacks; if you like his books youll like this one, too.
4439123
The author teaches us the horrible roller coaster ride of emotions and anger she felt. The author teaches professionals how to treat mothers of a molested child, and finally the author teaches that our young daughters may not tell us that an older man in her life may be molesting her.

Parents Beware!

Buy this Book Today and I promise, you will not regret it.
2900514
AS A VICTIM ADVOCATE AT A RAPE CRISIS CENTER, MYSELF AND TWO OTHER COUNSELORS COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. WE ALL READ IT IN 3 DAYS TOTAL. I HAVE A SCHEDULED BOOK SIGNING WITH CHARLES AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR SOME QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE SPIRIT HE AND HIS BROTHER HAVE. THE BETRAYAL OF THESE TWO MEN HAS LEFT ME IN AWE OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ AND I HOPE IT GETS NATIONAL RECOGNITION.CHARLES WOULD BE A WONDERFUL SPOKESMAN FOR CHILD ABUSE.
3788051
A heart wrenching story of child abuse and how this child, realizing he had to run away, was able to get away from the abusive father.  Enter a Grandmother who has been kept away from this grandchild too long and is unaware of how abusive his home life has become.  Grandmother learns how the child escaped and possibly where he is, the father also learns from the same source the location the child has gone.  A race between the Grandmother and the father to reach the child first. The reader's toes will curl  afraid for the father to find the boy first.  Alone, with only $5.00 in his  pocket, an amazing story of how this young boy was able to survive in a wooded area for the week before he was discovered.
2246792
This book is critical in uncovering emotional and verbal abuse that you may not know is occuring or has occured. Often the abuse builds over several years and a person looses sense of self so it becomes so challenging to define. The most important thing I heard that helped me understand how a person can continue in an abusive relationship is the frog in the frying pan. If you put a frog in a boiling pan he will jump right out but if you put him in the pan and turn the heat on slowly he will sit there until his feet burn... moral being that this type of abuse is so insidious that you may not know it is happening. Read this book and you will know immediately and don't doubt your instints. Most importantly, learn as much as you can to understand what is going on, recover your boundaries and seek help.
1355457
Thank you for sharing your story.  I don't know how you survived that horrid abuse! :-( It sure made me shed tears while reading it. But I am glad I read it. It made me want to keep my eyes peeled for signs of abuse in children so I can report it and rescue any child suffering like this. I am reading all your other books now. God bless you David!
4298932
Kat Ward is a very well written author. She is able to get her point across in a very clear manner that is easy to understand. This book is not for the faint of heart. It contain horrible evil forms of child abuse and you must prepare yourself for that prior to reading such a heartbreaking tale.
3727788
I read this book with some trepidation because I, like many people, find violence toward the weakest and most vulnerable of God's creatures to be an assault to my sensibilities.
I overcame those fears because I actually lived in the same community with Annie and knew her and her father during her teen years when much of her abuse occurred. I knew nothing of her abuse at the time. Outwardly, the family appeared as normal as any other. That's an amazing testament to how well guarded these types of secrets are by the families the who harbor them.
Long story short, I ran into Annie again on Facebook about a year ago and, only then, became aware of her horrible past and amazing recovery.
The book is a well written documentation of child abuse at it's most horrific. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in knowing the very graphic truth about the ugly disease of child abuse that is inflicted upon the most innocent of our society. Be forewarned, it is graphic and could be disturbing to some.
Through her speaking engagements, her book and her radio talk show of the same name on BlogTalkRadio, Annie has given a voice to one of the ugliest secrets in our society, child abuse.
For a more personal view of Annie the person, check out her Facebook page under Annie O Sullivan or visit her blog at [...]
4424238
This book deals with sexual abuse of children as well as parental abuse and neglect which makes it a tough read in some ways. The narrator/ protagonist was feisty and funny which made her an engaging character. The mother character was very unlikable but also poorly developed. The ending left loose threads that will perhaps be addressed in the subsequent books in the series.
3113053
This is a touching and memorable book about physical, emotional and psychological abuse suffered by a girl under the hands of a selfish and expert manipulator. More than that, the book displays the needs of a teenager to belong, to be understood and to be encouraged.

Moreover, the book depicts the effects of callous and unmindful criticisms to a teenager especially by a father who is supposed to be supportive and accepting. It portrays how emotionally damaging an expression of disappointment can be to a child who is trying to find her place in the world.

The book is written in conversational tone and easy to read. The dialogues are very realistic especially between teenagers like Alex and Amber, Alex and Adam and Alex and Sandra.
60414
Gilly Hopkins, a defiant child, has been through many foster homes.  She takes pride in being sly and never growing attached to her foster families. Then Gilly moves in with Mrs. Trotter, a fat countrywoman, and William Ernest, a mentally slow foster child.  Gilly has always wanted to move in with her mother, whom she believes loves her.  She also believes that writing to her mother about these "deplorable" conditions will make her mother come to take her "back home."  Just as Gilly begins to realize that she has actually found someone to love and to love her, Gilly's grandmother comes to take Gilly home with her.  Gilly learns some hard lessons at a young age, such that happy endings usually do not exist.
For children who do not know what it is like to be a foster child, this book sheds some light on the anger, frustration, and confusion a foster child may go through.  Non-foster children take many things for granted, such as the presence of their parents and the stability of a home; however, many foster children often wonder why their parents have left them in foster care.  Gilly asks herself, "What kind of lies was the social worker telling Courtney (her mother) to keep her from coming to fetch Gilly?"(Page 15).  Many non-foster children take for granted the fact that their home is with their parents, and unless their parents move, they do not have to move.  Foster children move around so much that Gilly thinks to herself, "Unpackingseemed such a waste of timeShe never knew if she'd be in a place long enough to make it worth the bother" (page 9).  This book teaches non-foster children not to take their home situations for granted; and it gives them insight into the emotions of a foster child, to help non-foster children better relate to foster children.  This book also helps foster children understand the emotions they are going through, and it lets them know that they are not the only ones with these emotions.
This book has been banned because of the objectionable language and racism.  I do not agree with the banning of this book.  Gilly is such a defiant character that her character would not be complete without the bad language.  I believe that this language helps children better understand the emotions through which foster children go.  Furthermore, Gilly's racism helps to show how narrow-minded she is and highlights her negative attitude toward the world.  By the end of the book Gilly's attitude has changed, she has learned to accept different races, and she has become much more mature.  Without this racism, the book would not be complete because it helps show the change in Gilly's character.
2144277
This short book was written from the heart. I can tell, she is trying to remember things to the best of her ability and not embellish. It felt disjointed to me, could have used some editing. But read away I did.

Child abuse happens more then anyone realizes. The one thing I took away from this book was to act. If you suspect, call someone. Children need an advocate, and if it's not in the house, that job is ours.
4732930
Abused Daughter with Siblings is another one of those stories that remind us how important it is for everyone to be aware of physical and emotional abuse in society. There is help out there now compared to many years ago. We need to look out for one another.
2254094
I felt very sorry for the author of this book. I could not believe and still cannot believe that a mother could treat her child this way. I too lived a life of child abuse. It is a great read. Very thought provoking. It makes you wonder how children like Dave survive.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Ella-s-Children-Book-1-of-The-Tin-Train-Series/dp/B00BP113FE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Ella's Children (Book 1 of The Tin Train Series)</a>
1324554
This book was eye opening. I've read about human trafficking but this book gave a look at how families are tricked into selling their kids with promise of education and a future, how victims are turned into abusers and a look into the personal and professional life of the "business" owner.

As a mother of two young children it's terrifying, this book is a reminder that you can't trust anyone with your kids, no matter how well you think you know them.
4961625
Deaf, Dumb, Blind, & Stupid: Michael Anderson's Fight for Life by Tremayne Moore is a story about a boy suffering from child abuse. Although fictionalized, the author states that it is based on a true story. There are too few books about abuse and its life-long effects on males.

What makes this book unique is in the format: A pastor explains to the congregation the tragic history of young Michael and educates the parishioners on the topic of child abuse. Woven throughout the pastor's speech are snippets from the boy's personal diary, read aloud to the attendees; the journals indicate the emotional devastation of abuse and the deep despair of the victim. Thus, there is a cautionary tale within the pastor's eulogy, one that urges readers to become aware of abuse and its ramifications.

This could be considered a coming-of-age story because it takes the reader from the main character's childhood through adolescence. During this time, Michael explains through the journals his observations of society, such as the hypocrisy of religions, the injustice in society, and the betrayals of love. He is a sensitive boy, thinking and feeling on a mature, meaningful level; he is wise beyond his years.

Through this novel, Tremayne Moore offers to open lines of communication of social problems such as abuse and suicide. He even developed a question guide for use by an individual reader or a book club. Deaf, Dumb, Blind & Stupid provides the necessary awareness of child abuse and how it may evolve into a tragic loss of human potential.

Review completed by Lynn C. Tolson, author of Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story
2274975
The crazy things we were told as children really do have an amazing affect on who we are inside as adults.  We know abused children frequently grow up to become abusers.  It is what they learned and know.  A beloved child who must hide fear and pain because it upsets those around her will have to deal with the fear and pain sometime in her life.  Just trying to get past bullies and nasty remarks has left a mark on most kids.  If parents are not willing to let the child tell their version of the story...the child feels helpless in most situations.  From the time mine could speak, I wanted their version of any story.  The real truth would be somewhere between what the teacher reported and what my kid reported.  I always asked for their story when we were in a calmer setting.  There were exaggerations and inconsistencies from both sides.  If I found my child made an honest mistake, and as soon as it was brought to her attention she attempted to comply...I would back her completely.  If she got mouthy or rude, she owed an apology.  If she had flat out crossed a line that she knew she shouldn't, the teacher would be backed and I would explain to my daughter the warning signs she missed and ask her for how she would prevent this from happening again.  If I had been a parent and found out a nurse punished kids by making them sleep alone in a scary bathroom or forced them to eat every bite of their meals,  I would have been all over her and her supervisor to stop that behavior.  I HATE LIVER...Could not even stand to eat in the college cafeteria on days it was being served because the smell would make me physically ill.

Maybe I am more outspoken, as a woman who banged against that glass ceiling in corporations and took on a traditionally male job for the years I was able to work.  My girls know there are few limitations for them...their smart brains can take them a long way...and dreams of playing basketball aren't realistic when you most likely will only get to 5 foot plus a couple inches...but gymnastics, martial arts, some dance is...Rockettes is not.  Modeling is not.

They also know that it is appropriate to be polite, but it doesn't hurt to ask a question when confused or when you meet a rule that you think is crazy or unfairly enforced.  It is best to be forth coming and not gossip, but our country was built on the backs of people telling King George that he was not treating us fairly.  Some were more rude than others, until we were in a war...but we tried to find a diplomatic solution first.  So should we all.