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

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.

What happens to an infant who never bonds with her family? She might become needy or she might dissociate from everyone and everything. What if those two aspects combine and collide? You have a girl like Jessie in Torey Hayden’s Lost Child.When Jessie became impossible to control her family let her go. They institutionalize her and do not want her to come home. She carries the scars of rejection along with a flagrant disregard for the truth and social conventions. The world believes she’s unable to bond, and she seems eager to prove they are right.Enter educational psychologist Torey Hayden, a woman with skills and infinite patience, who meets with Jessie one on one, observing her manipulation and flagrant lies. Hayden sets boundaries, brings in games and other tools, and wins Jessie’s approval with a bag full of puppets. Jessie especially loved Puppy, a puppet she set on the table so it could watch over their sessions each time Torey brought her bag of puppets. Other favorites included Mama and Baby Bears, who fought with one another allowing Jessie to act out her story of life with her family.Because of her inappropriate closeness, Hayden suspects the child has been abused, and when Jessie talks about a warm, loving male teacher touching her inappropriately, she costs him his job. Who is she lashing out at and what will it take for her to handle her feelings appropriately?The author brings her story to life in well-recounted scenes showing her maintaining a professional distance in their interactions. She tries so hard and makes the reader her confidante as she despairs over Jessie’s outrageous behaviors.Hayden is a well-known writer and therapist, who shares her journey with honesty, insight, and a gift for story-telling. The joyous moments are blissful, and if you are a parent or a teacher you really should read this. You’ll look at the children in your life in a whole new way.

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

Enjoyable read, haven't finished yet as it only arrived yesterday. Love all of Torey Hayden's non-fiction books. Has a slightly different feel to the others, most likely because of the location change. I like her humour and found myself laughing out loud at a few bits. As someone going into the counselling-psychology field I find her books to be informative as well. Torey, if you're reading your reviews, please keep writing!

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.

A little disappointed in this book. Story slow to get going and rather boring. I used to read books from this author years ago. I will not be buying another book.