Beautiful Child

Author: Torey Hayden
Goodreads Rating: 4.16
Pages: 385
Reviewed by: Amy

In the tradition of David Pelzer's A Child Called 'It' comes the unsettling story of a mute, almost catatonic seven-year-old and the special education teacher who tries to save her from the silence and abuse of her world.

Hayden has chronicled experiences from her long career as a special education teacher in several books, including One Child and The Tiger's Child. Successes in this difficult and often frustrating field can be few and hard won, a fact which Hayden deftly illustrates while simultaneously offering hope and joy in small victories. This time she brings to life the story of a scruffy seven-year-old, Venus, who is so unresponsive that Hayden searches for signs of deafness, brain damage or mental retardation. The author is relentless in her attempt to diagnose the cause of Venus's 'almost catatonic' state, which is punctuated by occasional violent outbursts. In this first-person narrative, Hayden also shares her own thoughts, worries and reflections on the strained relationship with a mismatched classroom aide, creating a rich tapestry of the dynamics of a group of special needs youngsters and the adults who try to help them.

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)

Author: Suzanne Collins
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.39/5
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pages: 391




I started reading this series over the summer and since I knew that I was going to be getting a Nook for Christmas, I decided to wait to keep reading the series because they were still in hardcover, and I don't like hardcovers. I knew that I was missing out by waiting, but patience is a virtue. I flew through this book in less than a week. Needless to say, I am not waiting to read the next book.


Synopses from Goodreads.com:


Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster children for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol...


My Review after the jump!