One Child by Torey Hayden

Author Torey Hayden teaches specials needs students at her public school. It's a new school year and her students are doing well and getting along. That is until six-year-old Sheila arrives. Sheila's violent and unpredictable behavior sets the class on edge and it is up to Torey to break through Sheila's tough exterior. Sheila has issues. Sheila was abandoned on the side of a road by her mother and is now being raised by her alcoholic father. She is one angry little girl. If you enjoy books by David Pelzer such as A Child Called It, then you might try this one.

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

(originally posted May 16, 2007 on BookTrail@edublogs.org)

When Matt and Callie witness Murdoch McIlvane defuse a situation between an abusive father and his small son at the Cumberland Farms convenience store, Matt knows he must to get Murdoch to help Callie, Emmy and him get away from Nikki. Nikki, their unstable mother, would be a fantastic villian if this story was a fantasy, but this is realistic fiction and Nikki is down-right scary. Matt doesn't trust the system and won't go through the regular channels to seek help. When he finally does involve Murdoch, Nikki ups the level of her psychotic game. Werlin keeps you turning pages to find out if these kids will ever be able to break away from Nikki.