I had a patron recommend this to me; once I brought it home, both my daughters said they'd had friends who'd read it in high school. It's an easy read, for a non-fiction book.... It was definitely interesting. I just felt, at times, that it wasn't the BEST writing out there.... (I'm snobby that way.) Also, I kind of wondered, was it all really true--did this kid really go through all that? Or was it embellished to a certain degree? I mean, it's not cataloged as Biography, so I didn't know if it was supposed to be read as a "self-help" book or a "what not to do in parenting" book????
There's a sequel to this one (maybe it's part of a trilogy, even?), but I'm not going to read on..... ( )

{my thoughts} - This book is a book that is not for someone with a week stomach. It is about a child's struggle to deal with a bad hand of cards that he has been dealt. The way in which this child is treated and manipulated breaks the readers heart. It saddened me that the school did nothing to help this child until it was almost to late. When a child goes through so much pain and suffering to the extent that it is apparent something is going on in the home life there should be more investigation into the matter. I have issues know that that CPS had been involved and never did their jobs. When children really need CPS to intervene it never does. It's like they see it worthy of their time to tear apart family's that don't need their help but to leave those family's that do need help alone. CPS in this book is easily fooled by the mother and her actions in manipulating her son. She uses him to prove to them that nothing is wrong within the household and that she is treating them right. However, in reality that isn't the case and the child endures years of suffering because of it. ( )

{my thoughts} - This book is a book that is not for someone with a week stomach. It is about a child's struggle to deal with a bad hand of cards that he has been dealt. The way in which this child is treated and manipulated breaks the readers heart. It saddened me that the school did nothing to help this child until it was almost to late. When a child goes through so much pain and suffering to the extent that it is apparent something is going on in the home life there should be more investigation into the matter. I have issues know that that CPS had been involved and never did their jobs. When children really need CPS to intervene it never does. It's like they see it worthy of their time to tear apart family's that don't need their help but to leave those family's that do need help alone. CPS in this book is easily fooled by the mother and her actions in manipulating her son. She uses him to prove to them that nothing is wrong within the household and that she is treating them right. However, in reality that isn't the case and the child endures years of suffering because of it. ( )

Made-up, phony, BS. ( )

I read this book in one night. It's a short easy read, not mentally easy as it has my heart sobbing the whole time. I had to keep reading to know why it's happening, how he was saved, what happens with his father. This is a very heart wrenching story, as a mother I was angry and sad and was battling conflicting emotions through the whole book! It held my attention and my curiosity! ( )