Foster Care

Adult

A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive
Dave Pelzer
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David J. Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva, was, he writes in this ghastly, fascinating memoir, a devoted den mother to the Cub Scouts in her care, and somewhat nurturant to her children--but not to David, whom she referred to as "an It." This book is a brief, horrifying account of the bizarre tortures she inflicted on him, told from the point of view of the author as a young boy being starved, stabbed, smashed face-first into mirrors, forced to eat the contents of his sibling's diapers and a spoonful of ammonia, and burned over a gas stove by a maniacal, alcoholic mom. Sometimes she claimed he had violated some rule--no walking on the grass at school!--but mostly it was pure sadism. Inexplicably, his father didn't protect him; only an alert schoolteacher saved David.

 

A Man Named Dave
Dave Pelzer
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With stunning generosity of spirit, Dave Pelzer invites readers on his journey to discover how a lost, nameless boy found himself in the heart and soul of a man who is free at last.

 

A Man Named Dave - A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness
Dave Pelzer
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With stunning generosity of spirit, Dave Pelzer invites readers on his journey to discover how a lost, nameless boy finally found himself in the heart and soul of a man who is free at last.

 

Antwone Fisher
Denzel Washington
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Antwone Fisher confronts his painful past after he is ordered to see a naval psychiatrist about his volatile temper. 120 min.

 

Finding Fish: A Memoir
Antwone Fisher
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Finding Fish shows how, out of this unlikely mix of deprivation and hope, an artist was born-first as the child who painted the feelings his words dared not speak, then as a poet and storyteller who would eventually become one of Hollywood's most sought-after screenwriters

 

Foster Care Odyssey: A Black Girl's Story
Theresa Cameron
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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.

 

Lost Boy, The: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family
Dave Pelzer
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The author tells his story from the time he left his abusive mother and alcoholic father, through his experiences in five foster homes and juvenile detention, and how he eventually made it into the Air Force. He was a defiant, rebellious boy who, despite his background and personality, managed to endear himself to many guardians, social workers, and teachers. Pelzer writes in an honest, sometimes rambling, style; he is never bitter, and This story will find many sympathetic readers. However, he leaves many questions unanswered (which may appear in the third book), dealing with his adult-life relationships, his son, the mother of that child, and the ways he turned his life around.

 

Man Named Dave, A: A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness
David J. Pelzer
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The third tale in David Pelzer's autobiographical trilogy, A Man Named Dave is an inspiring story of terror, recovery, and hope experienced by the author throughout his life. Known for his work as a child abuse advocate, Pelzer has been commended by sever

 

Privilege of Youth, The: A Teenager's Story of Longing for Acceptance and Friendship
Dave Pelzer
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In this book, the author supplies the missing chapter of his life: as a boy on the threshold of adulthood. With his usual sensitivity and insight, he recounts the relentless taunting he endured from bullies; but he also describes the joys of learning and the thrill of making his first real friends-some of whom he still shares close relationships with today. He writes about the simple pleasures of exploring a neighborhood he was just beginning to get to know while trying to forget the hell waiting for him at home. From high school to a world beyond the four walls that were his prison for so many years, The Privilege of Youth charts this crucial turning point in Dave Pelzer's life. This brave and compassionate memoir from the man who has journeyed far will inspire a whole new generation of readers.

 

Somebody's Someone: A Memoir
Regina Louise
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Regina Louise speaks of her experiences as a child that traveled to different children shelters and foster homes in search of a place to call HOME! This book is 367 pages.

 

Children

Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self
Pamela Jackson
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A direct line for children in need of understanding their emotions and fears wrought by living in a troubled family or foster care. Encourages dialogue between the child and those who work to insure his or her safety and mental well-being.

 

Finding The Right Spot
Janice Levy
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Finding The Right Spot is a story for all kids who can't live with their parents, regardless of the circumstances. Its a story about resilience and loyalty, hope and disappointment, love, sadness, and anger to. It's about whether life is fair, and wondering what willl happen tomorrow, and talking about all of it.

 

Finding the Right Spot: When Kids Can't Live With Their Parents
Janice Levy
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A story of disappointment and reconciliation for a little girl placed in foster care and the dog who is unapproachable until she finds just the right place to touch him.

 

I Miss My Foster Parents
Stefon Herbert
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This book is written and illustrated by the Herbert children, Stephenie, Stefon, Latisha and Shaun. The children each chose the subject matter …. And the feelings they wanted to express.

 

Maybe Days - A Book for Children in Foster Care
Jennifer Wilgocki
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Will I live with my parents again? Will I stay with my foster parents forever? For children in foster care, the answer to many questions is often "maybe." Maybe Days addresses the questions, feelings, and concerns these children most often face. Honest and reassuring, it also provides basic information that children want and need to know, including the roles of various people in the foster care system and whom to ask for help.

 

The Healing Power of the Family:An illustrated overview oflife with the disturbed foster or adopted child.
Richard J. Delaney


(Not available for checkout, in-office use only)

A tribute to foster and adoptive parents and to their potent influence upon the disturbed children who have joined their families.

 

Teens

The Last Chance Texaco
Brent Hartinger
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THE LAST CHANCE TEXACO is a thrilling & thought-provoking story about growing up when you've got nothing left to lose, & then finding that you actually have the rest of your life to live. Based on Lucy who is a foster home veteran at age 15.

 

White Oleander: A Novel
Janet Fitch
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Astrid Magnussen, the teenage narrator, has a mother who is as sharp as a new knife. An uncompromising poet, Ingrid despises weakness and self-pity, telling her daughter that they are descendants of Vikings, savages who fought fiercely to survive. And when one of Ingrid's boyfriends abandons her, she illustrates her point, killing the man with the poison of oleander flowers. This leads to a life sentence in prison, leaving Astrid to teach herself the art of survival in a string of Los Angeles foster homes.

 

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