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87th out of 216 books
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136 voters
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Murphy's Boy
by
Torey Hayden
His name was Kevin but his keepers called him Zoo Boy. He didn't talk. He hid under tables and surrounded himself with a cage of chairs. He hadn't been out of the building in the four years since he'd come in. He was afraid of water and wouldn't take a shower. He was afraid to be naked, to change his clothes. He was nearly 16.
Desperate to see change in the boy, the staff
...moreMass Market Paperbound, 336 pages
Published
December 1st 1983
by Avon Books
(first published January 1st 1983)
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Murphy's Boy is the incredible true story about a psychologist Torey Hayden, who took on 15-year-old Kevin's case. Kevin was known as "zoo-boy" because he baraccaided himself under a table with chairs all around and hadn't spoken a word in eight years! Through Hayden's love, compassion, and constant devotion and persistence, she not only was able to get to Kevin to start talking again, but she uncovered a shocking violent history, along with a secret that had been filed away and forg...more
120208: Read part 1 today.. Not at all like her other books. Whereas all the children in her other books seem in desperate need of her help, Kevin scares me. It feels to me like he's playin games.
130208: I loved this book. finished it today. Would've finished it earlier but today was the day every one decided to knock on my door. I dint want to put the book down, it was driving me crazy.
He (Kevin) was definately a little crazy but when it come out about the horriffic abu...more
130208: I loved this book. finished it today. Would've finished it earlier but today was the day every one decided to knock on my door. I dint want to put the book down, it was driving me crazy.
He (Kevin) was definately a little crazy but when it come out about the horriffic abu...more
Not as good as Hayden's other books. It doesn't grip you from the start like the others do. The problem with this one was that at the start, I just didn't like Kevin. However once you get to part 2, the story gets better and as Kevin's history comes to life you get an idea of why Kevin is like he is. This book really highlights how poor social services were back then. And also how people saw homosexuals, what utter rubbish! I would hope that something like that would not happen today!
Yvonne
added it
Another book by one of the most unique and important proponents for teaching unteachable children, for catching those that would normally fall through the cracks. Her style, her wit, her genuine care are apparent with every word, as are her own personal limits and weaknesses, and I love her even more for that. She helps, because she's real, and so are the kids, and sometimes, there's no happily ever after.
Angela
marked it as to-read
I read Torey Hayden's nonfiction books when I was around 12 or 13, and until now, couldn't remember her name for the life of me, but her heartbreaking accounts of troubled children have always stuck with me - actually, have haunted me. I just found her on Wikipedia, and I'm am not sure if I'll ever be able to read these stories again, but am glad to have found her.
3.5 stars
I like her books, always have. Guess they appeal to the teacher part of me. But they always make me so sad, too that there are so many kids out there with such trauma in their lives and the system fails them.
This one is about Kevin who is almost 16, elective mute, afraid of everything, hides under the tables. Once again Torey works her magic.
I like her books, always have. Guess they appeal to the teacher part of me. But they always make me so sad, too that there are so many kids out there with such trauma in their lives and the system fails them.
This one is about Kevin who is almost 16, elective mute, afraid of everything, hides under the tables. Once again Torey works her magic.
I found this book really interesting too know a child can go all them years without speaking single word, It was such a shame what Kevin had too endure throughout his childhood by his step father and then being instutionalized as well, am just glad that he was finally recognised as a normal human being in the end, would highly recommend it x
A teacher that never gives up, not even after two years of what seemed to be hopeless sessions. Torey Hayden is the kind of teacher/therapist that every special needs child should have. Her stories always touch my heart and this one did in particular because it hit home.
While I couldn't put the book down, it was in places a very tough read... what kind of monsters abuse their kids in such heinous ways, and what kind of mothers support it? A true story - I don't think you could make something like this up...
Amazing story! He still haunts me. There is also a great movie based on this book called Trapped in Silence. The incredible steps that Hayden takes to break through to this boy are an incredible inspiration. I highly recommend this book!!
This book was about a frightened boy who refued to speak until a teacher showed him that he could really change his life and actually have a good future if he tried. I found it quite a sad story, but I still enjoyed it.
all hayden books get 4 stars from me bc they changed my life when i was in high school and made me want to be a psychologist to help kids like she did. She is not meant to be a young adult writer.. I think her books are meant for adults, so don't think it's a kiddy book just cuz I read 'em in high school! I don't remember much about the writing (they are all written in first person) but the TRUE stories about the children who she has worked with are heartbreaking and inspiring. Haven't read one ...more
Amazing and disgusting how some people can treat anyone, let along children like they do. A difficult read in many places but worthwhile all the same. Be warned there are many descriptions of violence against children.
Enjoyed reading this book alot. Couldn't put it down once I started. Learnt more about the work of a psychologist/counsellor for kids with special needs and greatly admire their patience and determination. It was good to know Kevin finally managed to break free, overcome his fears and move on with life outside an institution.
Read years ago but this author wrote AMAZING books for any psychologist, teacher, social worker or "lay person" who likes the field
Another one I read in my early teen years. The boy in the book is so amazingly hard to deal with, yet the teacher never gives up.
A bit of a slow read, honestly almost set it down and didn't finish it. Still, another good story from Ms. Hayden about some of the interesting people she has worked with and befriended in her life.
A beautiful account on how a boy deemed hopeless been brought out of his mental adversities and crippled functioning.
Lori (BNPL)
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone whose heart can handle it
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Good book. But hard to stomach. I will never understand how people can kill their own children.
Articulate writing about the extreme of dealing with a badly traumatized child/adult.
I`m a great fan of Torey Hayden, and this book was up to the mark--compulsive reading for me!! I had to see how Kevin ended up!!
Started off slow, but then I couldn't put it down.
everybody can change as long as they try their best...
This is the story of Kevin. He had a truly horrific childhood and spent most of his later childhood, early teen years institutionalized. He wouldn't speak. This is the story of how Torey Hayden worked with him and the experiences they have while on his painful road to life outside an institution.
It is a devastating story, but inspiring. Torey Hayden always leaves me pondering how people can be so cruel. But, on the other hand she gives me hope that the human spirit can eventuall...more
It is a devastating story, but inspiring. Torey Hayden always leaves me pondering how people can be so cruel. But, on the other hand she gives me hope that the human spirit can eventuall...more
Carrie Pirmann
added it
books I've read,child psychology
I have the whole set of this womans books and ea equally good.
Need to re-read..it's been over 20 yrs
Slow at times but still captivating
I read this book when I was working with kids who were labeled "sex offenders" and had been placed at Buckeye Ranch from Scranton School for the Deaf...the book and my relationships with the kids I worked with at BR were chillingly similar...the story helped me see past the clinical notes on the kids I worked with and get to the root of why they behaved the way they did. I think of the 4 boys I had that spring, 3 are still successful citizens. One, sadly, is incarcerated.
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Excellent.
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Victoria Lynn Hayden, known as Torey L. Hayden (born May 21, 1951 in Livingston, Montana) is a child psychologist, special education teacher, university lecturer and writer of non-fiction books based on her real-life experiences with teaching and counselling children with special needs.
Subjects covered in her books include autism, Tourette syndrome, sexual abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome, and ...more
More about Torey Hayden...
Subjects covered in her books include autism, Tourette syndrome, sexual abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome, and ...more
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