ARHS Recommended Reading Lists: Child Abuse

A teacher of emotionally disturbed children tells of her work with a silent and withdrawn eight-year-old girl who is the possible victim of ritual abuse.

Child psychiatrist Bruce Perry shares the stories of trauma and transformation he has encountered in his line of work, describing what happens to a child's brain when exposed to extreme stress and how innovative treatments are helping those children heal and become healthy adults.

Psychiatrist Torey Hayden shares three of her most challenging cases, two dealing with highly troubled children and another concerning an eighty-two-year-old stroke victim.

Traces the author's relationship with Sheila, a young woman struggling to deal with her memories of an abusive childhood and a former student in Hayden's special education class.

A case study of a young emotionally disturbed child.

The author chronicles his adolescence and young adulthood, describing the sexual and psychological abuse he suffered in the home of his mother's psychiatrist after she abandoned him there when he was twelve years old.

David Pelzer, victim of one of the worst child abuse cases in the history of California, tells the story of how he survived his mother's brutality and triumphed over his past.

The author recalls her life growing up in a dysfunctional family with an alcohol father and distant mother and describes how she and her siblings had to fend for themselves until they finally found the resources and will to leave home.

Jaycee Dugard chronicles the eighteen years she spent in captivity, describing what happened after she was kidnapped at age eleven in 1991, the abuse she endured, the birth of her two daughters, the events leading up to her release, and her struggle to adjust to life once she was reunited with her family.

A teacher of six emotionally troubled kids describes the disasters and growth she faced with each one.

Presents a collection of nine narratives from teen and adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse who share their experiences and how they have overcome the trauma that changed their lives.

Elizabeth Smart who was kidnapped and held captive for nine months describes her ordeal, escape, and becoming an advocate in preventing crimes against children.

Richard and Sue Miniter discuss the adjustments they had to go through when they decided to adopt a young, retarded child.