n Silent Boy, Torey Hayden introduces us to Kevin, an elective mute and her efforts to break his years of self enforced silence. While not seeking to undermine the work which she undertakes with damaged children, this book carries the usual critism of social services and how they fail children, while Ms Hadyen presents herself as an avenging saviour. I feel certain that if social workers were given the resources which they greatly need in order to work individually with children in a therapeutic manner they would have the same results as Ms Hayden. Her encounter with a needy child outside of her professional capacity is extremely enlightening as Ms Hayden presents herself as judgemental and lacking in the same compassion which she provides to those children she is paid to communicate with. ( )

Torey Hayden, psicologa infantile statunitense.
In questo libro parla in particolar modo di mutismo selettivo..
Mi ha straziato il cuore leggere quello che Cassandra, una bambina di nove, ha dovuto subire e di come piano piano con l'aiuto sensibile e mirato Torey riesca a fare breccia nel cuore di questa bambina ferita e spaventata.. ( )

Another good read by Torey Hayden. I would love to know how Kevin is doing now. Liked this book a bit better than Twiligth Children ( )

A trabalhar no ensino especial, Torey Hayden, psicóloga e professora, procura devolver afecto às crianças perturbadas psiquicamente. A todas une o mesmo sentimento: problemas na infância que as leva a manifestar comportamentos invulgares e preocupantes, geralmente em consequência de algum tipo de maus-tratos. Com o dom de desbloquear estes sentimentos, Torey Hayden foi chamada por um centro de tratamento para ajudar um rapaz a sair da sua prisão de silêncio. Com 15 anos, Kevin ou Zoo Boy não falava, não mudava de roupa, não tomava banho e escondia-se debaixo de mesas construindo uma jaula com cadeiras dentro da qual se encerrava. A professora trabalhou a leitura com Kevin e passo a passo o rapaz foi recuperando e quebrando o silêncio. Sétimo livro de uma autora que já vendeu 100.000 exemplares em Portugal e se encontra publicada em 20 países.

Another wonderful book by this author, providing even more insight into a world that so few people even realize exists. This book is about Torey's time with a teenager named Kevin, a teenager who hid under tables and refused to speak and was labeled hopeless by countless doctors. She was able to get through to him, though, and after those first few barriers were broken Kevin was able to take steps, largely on his own, to help himself. Some horrible events and frustrating setbacks and going through so many months where there seemed to be no change at all, but she didn't give up, and.... wow. Once again I cried at the end of this book, but for once it wasn't out of frustration, but happiness. ( )