After reading 'Ghost Girl' I found myself eager to read Hayden's other offerings. This is the second book by Torey that I've read now. SOMEBODY ELSE’S KIDS is a good addition for Hayden’s fans. We can’t help everyone, no matter how much we want to. She did her best and I think most students probably benefited in the long run. Something the stress of immediate needs can overshadow good decision making. Decisions need to be made in the short and long term interest of the kids. My gut has wanted to overstep with clients on occasion, especially the needy ones who really needed a break. I loved how she advocated for her students, wishing she could do so without alienating others in the school system. She’s a patient, creative teacher able to reach the most troubled kids. Hayden seems to believe she’s the only one who can help the kids, sometimes to the exclusion of their parents. Another child expressed suicidal ideation and one who never did attempted suicide. I cringed when Hayden allowed eight year old Boo to disrobe and remain naked in class more than once and wondered why she kept one boy’s suicide plan secret. Published almost 40 years ago, the events in SOMEBODY ELSE’S KIDS probably occurred a decade or more before that. Maybe I’m being too harsh in my review, rating SOMEBODY ELSE’S KIDS against today’s standards, but I had a hard time embracing Torey Hayden’s teachings as much as I did in ONE CHILD. Torey Hayden takes on these very different children hoping to help them learn and improve their lives.

A boy who saw his stepmother murder his father and brother. A girl brain damaged by abuse who can’t learn to read.

Somebody Else's Kids by Torey L. Hayden