Rating: 
Summary: She did it again!
Review: Almost 20 yrs ago, I read One Child and was hooked. I had Beautiful Child reserved at 5 different places to ensure I'd get it right away. I did and am not disappointed.
Beautiful Child recounts the experiences of a teacher and five children during a school year, focusing on Venus, an electively mute and troubled 7 yr old. It describes characters and their lives in vivid detail, and motivates one to keep turning the pages.
In this, her ninth book, Ms. Hayden continues to write passionately about challenging children in a way that evokes powerful emotions and ideas in the reader. Kudos to her and to this book - another hit!
Rating: 
Summary: a lack of....
Review: Although Beautiful Child is helpful to educators, as I reader, I felt disappointed with the final text. Quite simply, it's all bone and no poetry. More shockingly--Torey seems capable of much more than this--she seems to waste space. Certain pages, for example, detail repetitious dialogue. ... This is what I paid hardcover price for?In her first books, Torey Hayden showed a certain passion that is simply absent from her current release. I felt she was simply stuck in a rut, churning out another book for a well-established fan base, and not really challenging her own artistic aptitudes (which, in One Child, were so prevalent).
I still think Torey Hayden is an exceptional person, as many special educators and those in the humanities are, but I felt really let down this time. If you want a good read, I discourage anyone from picking this one up. If you want information, this is great. Just don't expect anything too moving or emotional.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: Another masterpiece from Torey L. Hayden! I have read almost all her books, and I just have to say it, one is more brilliant than the other. Torey manages to capture her audience, by describing details and situations, so you think you're right there standing beside her, and interacting with her and the kids as if you're really there. When I get close to the end of one of her books, I'm sad, cause I just want to keep on reading. Five stars even seems not enough to describe Torey's work. A great person, a geart teacher, and a great writer! Can't wait for the next one!
Rating:
Summary: A must for all educators
Review: As a Kindergarten teacher in an economically depressed school district, I have to say that Hayden hits the mark with this book. Her descriptions of dealing with lackadaisical parents are right on target. The efforts made by Hayden in this books to engage this girl's parents are nearly heroic. Most teachers would have noted the pat efforts they have made and left it at that. Not so with Torey Hayden. Venus's refusal to talk and Hayden's 'sixth sense' about what is going on in Venus's home has a very accurate feel. A child need not say the words for a teacher to know things are not right. Hayden portrays the relations of school personnel accurately. Indeed, it is her 'story within a story' writing style that makes her books such a joy to read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever taught, or has ever thought about teaching. Her teaching style that she portrays in her books are worthy of emulating within the classroom. I recommend this book to parents of special children along with school teachers and administrators. It shows just what goes on within the classroom, and how teachers struggle to hit upon what works in the classroom. Certainly a 'must read' for all!
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful Child
Review: Beautiful Child is a true story about Torey Hayden and her experiences with her severely handicapped class of 6 children ranging in age from 6-9. This story deals particularly with her experiences with an elective mute little girl named Venus Fox. Venus never talks, never cries, and never shows any emotion. She however does have dramatic violent outbursts when another student gets too close to her, or touches her either by accident or to provoke her. Venus is deprived of clothes, food, and is being forced to sleep naked in the bath tub in the middle of winter. Her older sister Wanda brings her to school, when she remembers. Eventually Torey starts putting together little pieces of information that both Venus and Wanda begin to share with her. When Venus is admitted to the hospital, it all comes together. This was a good book, but not the best one I have read by Hayden.
Rating:
Summary: Another Torey Hayden great
Review: Excellent book. Not as fine as some of her others and I wonder if that's due to the time gap between the event and the writing of its story. Good just the same. Love ya Torey
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Child.......Beautiful Teacher
Review: I asked for and received this book as a Christmas gift, and settling into bed after a long and exhausting day opened it to read just a page or two............31 pages later I could no longer keep my eyes opened and reluctantly gave in to sleep. Torey is patient, creative, imaginitive and loving in her efforts to bring all these children, especially Venus, from a world where progress and victory are foreign to them and into a world where each was able to begin to overcome and move beyond their limits into a world of slow but meaningful progress. I found myself wishing I could be more like her just in dealing with my own two "normal" but emotionally exhausting children on an everyday basis. Four days later, the book is finished and I am on my way out the door to find any and all of Torey's other books. Thank you Torey, for the gift of yourself that you have given to numerous children, and for sharing those experiences with us.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good, but not as engaging as some of the others
Review: I have been a fan of Torey Hayden since high school. I have loved all her books (especially One Child) and I was excited to hear she had another book out. My one complaint is that the book seems devoid of emotion. My 2 favorite Torey books are "One Child" and "Just Another Kid". What I love about those 2 books is the depth of emotion--you can tell Torey really loves and cares about the characters in those books (Sheila and Ladbrooke). With her newest book there is much less of her emotions (which add a human touch to the story) and much more of the actual clinical work in the classroom. I felt this lack of empathy and emotion made the book less interesting. I felt like Torey really didn't have any very strong feelings for the people in her book, and that lack of enthusiasm is conveyed to the readers. It's hard for the reader to feel enthusiastic and excited about the characters. The style reminded me of the book "Murphy's Boy" (a great book, but not Torey's best). Overall it's a great read. Torey is a gifted teacher and her fans will enjoy her newest book. I recommend reading it, but I don't think I like this one well enough to add to my collection.
Rating:
Summary: Never Give Up
Review: I have been an elementary teacher for 35 years, and I always get so inspired by Torey's books. So often, we teachers give up on children like Venus. We are just so overwhelmed with the enormity and expected futility of the task, that we just don't try hard enough. Torey never gives up on Venus. If one tactic doesn't work, she tries and tries and tries again. The positive results were heart-warming. Torey also has a self-deprecating sense of humor. We never feel that she is Super Woman--she is just a teacher trying hard to make a difference. I have read all of Torey Hayden's books, and I will wait eagerly for the next one. This one is definitely a winner!!!
Rating:
Summary: My first Torey Hayden Book
Review: I have never been so touched by a book in my life. I am due to graduate in December and become a special education teacher. Torey, you are definately someone to look up to. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! no amount of words can describe how wonderful it is!
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