Rating: 
Summary: One Child
Review: I absolutely loved this book by Torey Hayden. It was so impresive to me, that I didn't know how to start this review. This story reaches the heart through the unlikely bond between a teacher and a troubled child, a child so troubled she poked the eyes out of the class fish on the first day of school. The emotional bond that grows between Torey and Sheila seems to grow in your heart as well. You feel as if you were a part of that connection as you get deeper into the story. This book teaches tolerance and unconditional love. When you read this book, you feel enveloped in the story, even when you hit some troubling parts. You can also see the story through two perspectives, even though it is being written from one. You know what Torey is thinking, but you can also feel what both Torey and Sheila are feeling. I adored this book, and would reccomend it to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Heart Touching
Review: Torey Hayden's One Child is sad, but in a way it's also interesting. It makes me want to keep on reading even after I've put it down.
I don't really like how it just keeps talking about one thing, and very intricate details for a page or two long. There is a part in the book that I really liked, where one of Torey's students ate rabbit poop thinking it was candy.
In the beginning of the book, a man named Ed Somers, who is in charge of the special education, ask a teacher named Torey Hayden if she could teach a mentally disabled class. Torey accepts, and that was what began a big part of her life.
As she watched her students enter the classroom, she noticed that all the students were afraid of something, either blood, or and some of them wouldn't talk. She is asked if one more child could join her class, and she just couldn't say no, so she accepted.
This little girl was named Shelia, and was very disturbed and needed some help. Shelia destroyed some classrooms, and poked out the eyeballs of the fish in the classroom with a pencil. Torey helped this little girl with her problems, and she also gave her the courage to cry.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy children, and can handle sad things.
Rating: 
Summary: One child
Review: One child by Torey Hayden was very sad and depressing.A little girl named Sheila was left on the freeway by her mom. Sheila's dad doesn't think she's a good kid because she always destroys things. It's depressing because she has to try and find love from Torey Hayden, which is her teacher because she doesn't have parents that care about her. While she's in that class, she grows a relationship with her classmates and teachers.
Rating:
Summary: Heart Warming Story
Review: I liked this book. It was good, but a little upseting in someparts. It was truthful and honest. I can see these children and how hard it must be for them. They're isolated and people are so ignorant, I think that that is tragic. Our society is too ignorant.
Its amazing how this teacher is really dedicated to this cause and really wants to teach these kids. Its totally awesome how she can relate to them. Shiela is really troubled and she's really difficult. You can see from the beginning that she is stubborn and it would be difficult to deal with her, but Torey does a wonderful job at getting through and dealing with her. ITs just really heartwarming wathing their relationship grow. Its just really nice to see this girl who seems like a devil on the outside open up and reveal her little self. She has dealt with really grown up issues and its really damaging, but she tries really hard to deal with it, and be normal. This is just really heartwarming and inspiring!
Rating:
Summary: Heartbreaking yet Inspiring -- You won't put this book down!
Review: My 13-year-old daughter first read this book and was so moved by it that she encouraged me to read it as well. Like my daughter, I was riveted to this book and could not put it down. The main character, Sheila, just enters your heart and being. You are horrified and heartbroken by her experiences, but inspired by her innate goodness and many other special qualities. Equally so, you are fascinated by Torey Hayden -- the author of the book and the teacher who believed in Sheila so fiercely and never gave up on her. Through Hayden's words, you learn to see past the superficial aspects of Sheila's behavior. My daughter & I went out and bought all of Hayden's other books as well, incl. the sequel to this book. This book is for anyone who cares about, and believes in, children. I especially think this should be required reading for politicians or education administrators who are contemplating the cessation of special education programs!
Rating:
Summary: A Fellow Teacher...
Review: Like Ms. Hayden, I am a special education teacher of chidren ages 5-8 with emotional disabilities. I was given his book as a gift and read it in a single evening. I have been where Torey Hayden has been. Her classroom could have just as easily been mine, and vice versa. There are literally hundreds of Shelia's in this country and every fall I get 8 of them. Shelia remided me so much of two of my formner students I had to remind myself that this book was about Shelia and not them. While this is a beautiful book, there is so much more went on in that clasroom that Touet Yaden doesn't mention-remember, she had 8 other studentrs in thhat room who were also ED. I too remember the feeling of relief in seeing one of my students actually cry. Part of the prologue to this book hangs in my classroom as an explination to why anyone would want to teach these children. Anyone who is considering special education as a career NEEDS to read this book. The Shelia's of our world are not covered in any college course, but Torey Hayden does a beautiful job of explaining them to us.
Rating:
Summary: GRABS YOU BY THE HEART & WON'T LET GO!
Review: ONE CHILD is my favorite book in the whole world. I first read it when it came out in the summer of 1981 I believe it was. Since then I have read it no less than 5 times. ONE CHILD has altered my life because today I am a foster mother and the way in which Torey dealt with 6 year old Shelia has influenced the way that I treat the lives which are entrusted to me.What can be said about that remarkable teacher that hasn't already been said? The formula that God poured into that woman's heart when he was creating her was the stuff that changes lives, that make people better, that rescues drowning souls! The steps that she took to help that child were small and seemingly ordinary but the power and results of those choices were the type that moved the mountains within the souls of those she helped. Torey Hayden is the kind of human being that God sends, if you're lucky, to people who never knew that a thing called LOVE ever existed. Buy this book and I dare you to not be moved and changed in at least some small way.
Rating:
Summary: Horrifying and inspiring
Review: This book was a gift from a friend and truly the subject is outside my area of interest. However, I read it in good faith and did enjoy it. The book is simply written and is a very fast read. I must admit that I was able to skim over some minor details and pick up the story without missing a beat a paragraph or two later. I've no doubt that those missed lines were interesting - just not vital to the storyline and ...it was a story that really did not interst me at first.
I was horrified by the abuse this poor little girl suffered but inspired that ANYONE would have the patience to deal with these troubled kids. Honestly, after hearing what she did to land in that class, I'd have been afraid to be near her. It is good to see that there are better people in the world than I. I can not begin to describe the step by step process of teaching this little girl the meaning of "safe" and "love" and "friendship" - things that a child of six should simply take for granted. It was also nice to see that the father stepped up to the plate in the end and tried to be a stand up kind of man. I only wish there had been a final note from the author to tell me that everything turned out ok and the child is now grown and educated and happy.
Rating:
Summary: This book made me move!!! from Japan!
Review: I've never read such a touchable book!Actually I've never read a book written by English more than 300pages,but I could finish reading it in under 3weeks because it was so interesting and amusing.I was taught by this book that there are many many different people who I still don't know all over the world such characters in ONE CHILD. Torey is very beautiful teacher, present world needs teachers like Torey.Also,Sheila was strong not only Torey.People can change if they can meet beautiful teachers or friends like Torey and Sheila's classmates.There are many children who are received cruel treatment in the world.We must face with actuality.
I wanna recommend this book for everyone without regard to age or sex.I'll read all Torey Hayden's books.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: I am a 16 yr old and i absolutily love this book. It kept making you want to find out what happens. This is a great book for anyone to read. Some of the words are pretty big and techniqual but it is all good you understand what is going on.
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