Lost Child: The True Story of a Girl Who Couldn't Ask for Help

Torey Hayden has been one of my all time favorite authors - easily in my top 5 or 10 favorite authors- since she started writing.I have devoured every book several times over. She's in a completely different class than any other author who writes about abused children.I will use this space to BEG. TO BEG TOREY HAYDEN TO PLEASE WRITE MORE BOOKS!I'm soooo glad she has started writing again! There was a long, long stretch when she didn't write. I get that. I'm a NY Times and internationally bestselling author myself and I haven't written a new book in 13 years.I get that it's hard to decide if a story is worth writing a book about - I also write nonfiction.But truly, truly, any child she writes about she brings into full focus, and her empathy comes across so well, she brings humanity and lessons in empathy to the reader in every book.Her books are her legacy, as much as her personal triumphs with children are. Every book is a treasure because of the depth of hope she brings, even to situations that seem impossible. Human beings who seem impossible.She reminds me that almost no one is beyond salvage, unless they're psychopathic and truly evil, without conscience.She shows that even those who seem to be impossible to reach can be reached! She has proven this over and over again. I've been reading her books for decades l, and I do think that they have had a huge impact on my own thinking and my own ability to empathize and see that people can be reached and can be loved in most cases.There really IS hope for even the most messed up of us all, if we are willing to allow ourselves to get therapy, to find goodness and good people, to educate ourselves and seek truth, to heal, to grow, and to give.She's not sappy. She's thoughtful and practical and seems quite honest about her own foibles and doubts, but she persists, and it pays off.Please write more books, Torey Hayden! They're some of the very best books out there!

I was an avid reader of TH's previous books and was thrilled to see she had written a new one! I think Torey's writing has gone downhill...she did not have the same informative yet personal touch to her description of the characters, situation and behaviours. I found I could not get into the story or understand the characters as well as in previous books. I had to push myself to finish the book. Jessie's story could have been more interesting and Torey might have injected more of her humour and details about life out of work. I would have liked to know how her life in Wales had been. I hope she continues to write; perhaps she is a bit rusty? Maybe a memoir about a story from her teaching days or other cases in Wales would be some ideas?I juts missed the old Torey touch to this book.

As someone who has worked with children for a large part of my life - in Residential Treatment Facilities, in the school setting, at a youth shelter, in after school programs - I have read and enjoyed Torey Hayden's books and her latest book is fascinating. Torey Hayden is not someone that attempts to convey that she has everything figured out. She is also honest in her books about not knowing how to handle some situations. What I find most refreshing, is that no matter how difficult the situation, no matter how many mistakes she may make, no matter how confusing and frustrating and even political the atmosphere she works in proves to be at times - that she never gives up on the child. For this reason, she has my utmost respect. She is transparent, and devoted, and humble - dealing with situations sometimes that most would run from. The humanity that she shows when working with children - is something a degree can't teach you.

Well-written, easy to read and yet thought-provoking. Very involved tale of a mysterious little girl needing her teacher's kind help.

I love anything bu Torrey Hayden! This one does not disappoint.

enjoyed this book

Not up to the quality of her other books. I found it to be rather clinical and had little warmth. Compared to One Child, I would say save your money and check it out at your library.

This is Torey Hayden's first book in over 15 years. She is a psychologist and a special education teacher and her earlier books dealt with troubled children in a classroom setting. This book is different because Torey is working with a child in Wales as a volunteer due to work issues when she moved from the US to Wales.This book is about Jessie. She is a 9 year old girl in a group home whose parents don't want her anymore because of the trouble she causes. Jessie lies, steals and starts fires and has been diagnosed as having reactive attachment disorder (RAD). Attachment disorders arise when children are deprived of the all-important close bonds with trustworthy adults that allow them to develop emotionally and thrive. Torey has been asked to spend some time with Jessie every week to try to find out the underlying causes of her behavior. At first, it's very difficult because Jessie lies about everything - she says that she has a brother, she says she won't eat certain foods and her lies go on and on. Torey needs a lot of patience and understanding to try to reach Jessie but she continues to try. The question throughout the book is whether Torey will be able to help Jessie in the limited time that she spends with her each week or will Jessie turn her away like she has everyone else in her past?This was an interesting emotional book about one person trying to make a difference in someone's life.

Having been a keen reader of her other books, I waited to read this with the hope of being drawn into her world and book, I was not, I found the book disjointed and jumping around, it disappointed me as a reader perhaps my expectations were to high after all the years of this author sharing her stories

I have all of Torey Hayden’s books. Such a wonderful writer that portrays the struggles of children suffering trauma. I was so delighted that this talented writer has started to write once more after a break. I look forward to the next book and the next. More please.

Liked the way Today wrote. Sad but kept me interested as to what was to become of Jesse a very disturbed little girl.Glad she came through ok in the end she deserved it.Just a shame she had such a sad upbringing well done to Torey for caring.God Bless

After waiting years for a new Torey Hayden book I instantly purchased this and was not disappointed. Her style of writing has changed ever so slightly but it still has all the enjoyable qualities of a classic Torey Hayden book! I really enjoyed this one being set in Wales as it gave a completely different view on life from the other older books which are all set in USA. More relatable. If you are a Torey Hayden fan you will love this.

Reading a Torey Hayden book is like sitting on the sidelines watching her interact with the children. It’s an emotional rollercoaster but her patience is amazing.