Foster Care Odyssey: A Black Girl's Story

Rating:
Summary: Understanding ALL the options
Review: Theresa Cameron's difficult odyssey began when her biological mother did not make decisions with her daughter's best interests in mind. As difficult as it might have been for the mother to admit that adoption was the best route for her to follow, she simply abandoned a beautiful child and left her at the mercy of an inadequate system. As strong as Ms Cameron obviously is, as an unwilling participant in the foster care system, her childhood was unnecessarily harsh and often cruel. Rarely can we says such a story has meaning in all our lives. I recommend this book for all who face the irreversible decision of creating a child.

Rating:
Summary: Understanding ALL the options
Review: This book reveals the emotional impact of life in the foster care system for a black girl who was bounced from one foster home to another from birth until the age of 18. Except for the nationally publicized case of Baby Jessica, who was forcibly removed from her adoptive family at the age of two to be reunited with her birth mother and father, it is rare that the public gets a glimpse of the emotional damage done to the child. This book should be MUST reading for everyone involved in foster care.

Rating:
Summary: Must reading for foster care workers
Review: This book reveals the emotional impact of life in the foster care system for a black girl who was bounced from one foster home to another from birth until the age of 18. Except for the nationally publicized case of Baby Jessica, who was forcibly removed from her adoptive family at the age of two to be reunited with her birth mother and father, it is rare that the public gets a glimpse of the emotional damage done to the child. This book should be MUST reading for everyone involved in foster care.

Rating:
Summary: Foster Care Revealed
Review: This is a heartfelt, painfully true story of how one child can be forgotten in the "system". Even the cover itself is revealing...the only photograph the author has from her childhood and it does not even show her face.

By far my favorite book of alltime. I recommend it to all socialworkers, teachers, counselors, mothers, fathers, ministers, politicians, EVERYONE! It is well-written and easy to read, although it caused me to lose sleep at night knowing children are out there--alone, forgotten by their caseworkers, and lacking the basic needs such as touch, hugs, encouragement, or even a smile from those whose care they are in.

How Ms.Cameron did what she did all alone is beyond me. She is simply amazing.

After reading this book I wanted to reach out and hug Ms. Cameron.
She has made me a better mother.