Description

From the bestselling author of One Child comes this amazing, true story of a mute and withdrawn seven—year—old girl and the special education teacher determined never to abandon a child in need.

Seven-year-old Venus Fox never spoke, never listened, never even acknowledged the presence of another human being in the room with her. Yet an accidental playground “bump” would release a rage frightening to behold. The school year that followed would be one of the most trying, perplexing, and ultimately rewarding of Torey Hayden’s career, as she struggled to reach a silent child in obvious pain. It would be a strenuous journey beset by seemingly insurmountable obstacles and darkened by truly terrible revelations—yet encouraged by sometimes small, sometimes dazzling breakthroughs—as a dedicated teacher remained committed to helping a “hopeless” girl, and patiently and lovingly leading her toward the light of a new day.

About the Author

Torey Hayden is an educational psychologist and a former special education teacher who since 1979 has chronicled her struggles in the classroom in a succession of bestselling books. She lives and writes in the U.K.

Praise For…

“Fresh and compelling...[Hayden] spins out the story with gusto and a storyteller’s art.” — Chicago Tribune

“Page after page proves again the power of love and the resiliency of life.” — Los Angeles Times

“Torey Hayden gives one hope for the future of public schools, indeed for the future of the human race.” — Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

“The world needs more like Torey Hayden.” — Boston Globe

“Hayden is a fine storyteller.” — Washington Post

“A rich tapestry of a group of special needs youngsters and the adults who try to help them.” — Publishers Weekly

“It has been a long time since you read a book with the emotional impact of One Child.” — New York Times