Her father threatens to slap sheila if torey and anton do not leave. The story of a gifted, troubled child and the teacher who refused to give up. From the bestselling author of one child, the true story of four problem children and one extraordinary teacher. I read it many times as a teenager and in my 20s until i lost track of my copy. What do you think has happened to sheila in her past to make her the way she is. I think faith is a central idea in this book because torey didnt know what would come of her relationship with shelia, but she did it anyways because she loved her. Beautiful child by torey haden summary by josh wise. Page after page proves again the power of love and the resiliency of life.
The girl is one of nine children, all of whom have been in one form or another of special education and all subjected to family abuse. She has been shuffled between relatives and institutions before landing in torey hayden s secluded annex classroom. This is the first book ive read by torey hayden, but i doubt itll be the last. May 19, 2014 a long and arduous journey begins for kevin, to face his past and all the things that terrify him and torey finds herself faced with possibly one of her biggest challenges yet. Another fine account by hayden one child, somebody elses kids, murphys boys of teaching children who have been damaged by early trauma or neurological dysfunctions. Twilight children, ghost girl, just another kid, the tigers child, one child by torey l. But the abuse she was put through wasnt just any abuse, it was what torey hayden believed to be ritual and sexual abuse. Parts of this book the savage sexual molestation will enrage you. Sites like sparknotes with a one child study guide or cliff notes. When torey hayden, a teacher for mentally challenged children, first sees venus fox, she has no idea of the problems troubling the young girl. It was first published in the united states in 1980.
As before, hayden is faced with an outlandish collection of misfits. What is the setting of the book one child by torey hayden. Nothing in all of torey haydens experience could have prepared her for the shock of what jadie told hera story too horrendous for toreys professional colleagues to acknowledge. Review murphys boy by torey hayden so many books, so. The one child study guide contains a comprehensive summary and analysis of one child by torey hayden. One child is the story of a lost little girl and the extraordinary teacher who works to find her. Hopewhen all else fails and you have nothing left to give, its that little spark in the bottom of your heart that keeps you going. One child study guide contains a biography of torey hayden, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Learning community children interacted with one another and drew strength from one another. They were all just somebody elses kidsfour problem children placed in torey haydens class because nobody knew what else to do with them. Please see the supplementary resources provided below for other helpful content related to this book. However, it is surprisingly uplifting, because sheilas story is one of perseverance. One child is a memoir by american author and psychologist torey hayden.
Torey hayden faced six emotionally troubled kids no other teacher could handle three recent arrivals from battletorn northern ireland, badly traumatized by the horrors of war. It is obvious at the beginning of the novel that sheila is a depressed girl, who is heading to the hospital soon, but under the care of the special educator, torey, sheila ends up going to school instead. Torey and anton go to visit sheilas home in order to try to get her father to work with them on helping her. As a veteran specialeducation teacher, she was used to working with children whose disabilities ranged from autism to tourettes syndrome. When special education teacher torey hayden wrote her first book, one child, thirtyfive years ago, she created an international bestseller. In her latest book, nov 17, 2007 torey hayden sacrificing people in this case pupils in order to maintain a system is wrong. One child summary and analysis like sparknotes free. This book has been translated into 27 languages and dramatized as an interactive opera. Hayden quickly realizes that young venus is completely unresponsive.
One child, tigers child, just another kid by torey l. The tigers child may sound somewhat dark because sheilas life definitely wasnt light and breezy. One child narrates the story of a disowned, lost girl who slowly transforms under the care of a teacher, torey hayden, into a blooming youngster. Sheila has been forgotten by the system, her family, and society itself. In 1980, therapist torey hayden wrote one child, the true story of an abused sixyearold who turned out to be a genius. This one page guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of one child by torey hayden. Jan 01, 1980 one of my most loved books of all time. This is a true story of a teacher who saved a child from abuse. From the author of sunday times bestsellers one child and ghost girl comes a heartbreaking story of one teachers determination to turn a chaotic group of damaged children into a family. Caroline compson attention upon jason, the one child who is incapable of reciprocating her love. Compsons selfabsorption includes a neurotic insecurity over her bascomb family name, the honor of which is undermined by her. The true story of a tormented sixyearold and the brilliant. Torey hayden deserves the kind of respect i cant give.
A dramatic and remarkable narrative of an extraordinary teachers determination, from the author of the sunday times bestsellers the tigers child and one child. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of one child by torey hayden. They were all just somebody elses kids four problem children placed in torey haydens class because nobody knew what else to do with them. Haydens dramatic account of a single school year shows the author the tigers child, 1995, etc. The book one child by torey hayden is about a six year old girl named sheila.
Her intensely moving true story of sheila, a silent, profoundly disturbed little sixyearold girl, touched millions. Apr 20, 2008 haydens style full of detail contributes to the fast pace of the story, and was one of the reasons i got hooked on this book. Jun 01, 2005 in 1980, therapist torey hayden wrote one child, the true story of an abused sixyearold who turned out to be a genius. Americas favorite teacher is back torey hayden thought she had seen it all. One child is torey hayden s story of her attempt to tap the unbelievable capacity of this tortured child.
Torey l hayden a stunning and poignant account of an extraordinary teachers determination never to abandon a child in need from the internationally bestselling author of one child and no. Sheila has been abused and molested and in her anger has also tied a three year old to a tree and burned him. Torey hayden s one child was the first book i ever read about behaviorally challenged children. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of torey hayden s one child. Beautiful child is a devastating book about the consequences of child abuse and torey s love and dedication to the children she helps is an inspiration to read. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on one child by torey hayden.