Skin Deep: All She Wanted Was a Mummy, But Was She Too Ugly to be Loved?

by Casey Watson

Rejected by her mother and excluded by her school, Flip is a little girl desperate to be loved.

‘Am I ugly, Mummy?’ are the first words that little Phillipa says to Mike and Casey as she stomps into their lives on a hot August afternoon. She has a Barbie doll in one hand and a pink vanity case in the other and the bemused Watsons can only stare in amazement at this tiny eight year old girl who is being guided into the room by her social worker.

Phillipa, known as Flip has Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and life with her single mother has come to an abrupt end after a fire burned the house down. When Casey meets Flip, the child seems remarkably unfazed by what has happened and the thing that seems to worry her is that Casey might find her ugly.
Casey has come across children with FAS in her previous job in a high school behaviour unit, but is now realising that fostering Flip is going to be full of challenges which will test her and Mike’s skills to the limit.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Fostering, Abuse, Audiobook, Psychology, Biography

283 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2015

Reviews

[Jill Robbertze]

I thoroughly enjoyed this account of one the fostering experiences that Casey Watson experienced. Casey and her husband are trained to foster children who have special needs. I was a little concerned that this was going to be very sad and yes, 8 year old Flip comes from a very sad situation but this story is also very heartwarming. A quick easy read that kept me engaged to the end.

[Magdalena (madeleinebooks)]

Wystarczy tyle, że czytałam ten tytuł miesiąc.

[Elizabeth Ray]

This book was incredibly heartwarming. Sweet and affectionate Flip comes to live with Casey after a house fire. She has fetal alcohol syndrome (FASD) and is sure that she's ugly. She attaches to Casey immediately, calling her mummy. Casey thinks it's a part of her FASD- forming shallow attachments with people because she struggles with empathy. It turns out that Casey's mother is an alcoholic who inadvertently started the house fire. More secrets about Flip's difficult home life are revealed as she stays with the Watsons. We also get to read more about the Watson family, including Tyler, who they are fostering long-term.

I really enjoyed this book. It felt like a quick read and I fell in love with little Flip. I love Casey's openness and honesty about fostering, the challenges she faces, and the mistakes she sometimes makes. I plan to read a lot more of her books!

[Bookworm86]

Another great read from Casey Watson x

[Alice Golding]

Don’t like the title of the book! - feels a bit sensationalist. However, another great read from Casey Watson, yes sad at times (of course I shed a tear), but also heartwarming.

[milionstron]

Matko!! Co to była za opowieść. Tak bardzo weszłam w świat małej Flip, że nie jestem w stanie racjonalnie myśleć. Książka daje naprawdę bardzo dużo do myślenia, tak samo idealnie przedstawia objawy choroby, z którą zmaga się główna bohaterka. Opowieść totalnie chwyciła mnie za serce, co za tym idzie, uroniłam przy niej „kilka” łez. A kiedy myślę o tym, że na świecie jest masa takich dzieci, to chce mi się płakać jeszcze bardziej. Polecam przeczytać! Smutna, a zarazem piękna historia!

[Jennifer Reynolds]

Good to know there are people that will care for children that have been so utterly ignored and abused. Just don't understand how people can do things like this to their children. How did Meghan avoid being put in jail???? I hope Flip has had a wonderful remaining bit of her childhood.

[mois reads]

Flip

Flip was sent to casey after a fire in her home and her mother was put in hospital flips story is heartbreaking she just wanted to be loved for who she was but flip was born with FAS to an alcoholic mother with Casey's help will she see herself as pretty and loved 5 stars

[Dan Stern]

Flip was sent to casey after a fire in her home and her mother was put in hospital flips story is heartbreaking she just wanted to be loved for who she was but flip was born with FAS to an alcoholic mother with Casey's help will she see herself as pretty and loved 5 stars

[Brent Seheult]

Excellent book

Again Casey at her finest. I loved this story. A lot of times it doesn't end well for the kids that gets a permanent foster home. But this is one of those times it did.

[Irene Hackett]

What can I say? Love Casey Watson books. An English author who is a foster parent who helps trouble children in her care. Her books are very easy reads and tell you about each child she cares for and to find them their forever homes.

[Madi Koroleski]

This was a fabulous read. The foster care system is often something that’s not talked about. I haven’t read many stories on it. But this one pulls your heart strings and makes you want to snuggle all the babies out there who don’t have people who truly love them but would rather manipulate them.

[Jesse Simon]

Flip was a pretty interesting character. Casey Watson is a bit annoying but this was a good read

[Traceylee]

Why

I like a lot of this auto hors book. It's about a family that takes care of foster children. I tell hard when they move on.

[Julie]

I have read her books before and have really enjoyed then but found this one took awhile to get the little girls story across. It just felt a little to drawn out but still an ok read in this genre.

[wendi c duncan]

Interesting read I hadnt much knowledge on fas before this book.

[Charlotte]

Very good

[Sherry]

Another favorite !!!!!

[mrs t a childs]

Emotional story

Wat a sad but also a lovely story, Brought a tear to my eyes,and the social worker never gave up😊

[Lotte]

At times I found this book hard to follow.

[Stephanie Ng]

Love Casey Watson books!

[Charlotte]

Good book

[Donna shaw]

Amazing!!!!

Absolutely amazing book! Read a few of Casey's books now and they always make me cry no matter what amazing author

[Bailey]

I dont know how you could ever call your own kid ugly. Alcohol turns you UGLY.

[Marwa Ghazy]

Feb 2024

[alison]

Grab the tissues for this one

Brilliant book.

The insight to what fas is and how it can affect a child....I never knew that!

After reading i even fell in love with Flip.

[Jenny Cooper]

Foster mother extraordinaire does it again with lashings of kindness, patience and humour. I learnt a lot about foetal alcohol syndrome.

[Ev Me]

I like this type of books . I just do not like the book writing style that much .
Overall a good read 📚 👌

[Patricia Kaniasty]

Once again, Casey Watson writes an "Epic" story. You'll get the pun when you read the book. This one actually brought tears of happiness to my eyes at the end of the story. We need more people like the Watsons in this world.

[Gail]

Fetal Alcohol syndrome

This is a heart wrenching book about a child with FAS and all its attributes. Flip believes she is ugly as this is what she was continually told by her alcoholic mother . Casey is tested frequently as she learns to care. This is another wonderful book by Casey Watson about her long career as a carer in England.