Momma, Don't Hit Me!: A True Story of Child Abuse

by Shannon Bowen

What would you do if you heard someone abusing a child in the bedroom next to yours? What would you do if it took over a year for that child to find safety, and you heard the child's anguished cries, night after night? Read one woman's diary of suspected child abuse in the state of New Hampshire during 2011 and 2012. This is a true story describing real events, though the characters have been fictionalized. This isn't a novel. It's a real-life diary. The story starts as the concerned neighbor gradually discovers that it doesn't help to call the police or state officials. Their hands are tied, whether by inadequate laws or an overwhelmed and under-funded system. The only people who seemed concerned were those who -- by law -- couldn't do anything except offer help to the family, and express frustration to the police, Child Protective Services, and members of the extended family. This diary covers the months that followed, to the day one parent decided to shake things up. This book isn't just about one child. It gives you an inside view of a system that is overburdened and ineffective. In this case, nothing protected the child from abuse. "Momma, Don't Hit Me!" also includes the author's thoughts on what needs to change to heal children, their families, and -- ultimately -- their communities. Amazon.com bestseller Read this poignant true story to understand what's going on behind some closed doors, and what needs to change to protect children in our community. Fourth edition.

Genres: Biography, True Story

198 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[Debbie Desotell]

It was pretty boring. A lot of repeating things, n I just wanted it to end. I won't stop reading book once I start it but with this one I really wanted to throw in the towel. I have part two n I can only hope it is better!

[Carol]

Drawn out

Very boring, actual like a diary of someone who just needed more sleep. It sounds uncaring and flat, unemotional. I gave stars just because she tried to alert authorities.

[rebecca buchanan]

Good book but very sad

Good book but very sad

This book was very interesting and was very sad. abuse of a child is always sad but this woman's diary of her neighbors child abuse and nothing happening about it is very unnerving

[Rachel Messer]

Sad

Sad

this book broke my heart. as a mother of two and a resident of apartment living, I couldn't fathom hearing that horror through my walls and not be able to help!!

[Shawnda Meek]

Child abuse

This is a book about child abuse and trying to get help for this whole family and the struggles to get anyone to help

[Monica Cerda]

I love reading true stories

I love to read books especially true stories or biographies. This book is definitely an eye opener for the fact that child abuse exists and there is little help for the children. The woman did everything she could to help and nothing was ever done for the child. It's so sad that in our time and age that this still happens and sometimes innocent children or extremely hurt or even killed by the hands of their parents.

[Colleen Baldwin-Hayter]

I Could Not Put This Down

This is a heart wrenching account of one person’s account of a nightmare happening to a little boy. The struggle to have the authorities to take on this child’s plight and try to get help. Her desire to help when no one will. You feel the emotions that range from fear to anger.

[Laura D'costa]

Very repetitive and poorly written. The feeling I got was that the author was flat and emotionless. She came across as a curtain twitching nosey neighbour who appeared to be left out of the community barbecues and craved peace and quiet. Maybe she could have offered to babysit for Kevin and try to help the mum instead of complaining all through the book.

[sylvia black]

Heartfelt

I found this book very interesting,it shows that no matter how hard you try you just can't get people to listen and take note,the laws all over the world need to change to protect children from all forms of abuse.I would recommend this book highly.

[Judy Turcot]

Kind of monotone.

Book seemed poorly written. The tone never really changes, which makes it hard to stay interested. Story line was a good read though. Very common when dealing with over worked resources.

[Kayleigh Norman]

Thank you

Thank you to this author for doing her best to help this poor boy and family, it's a shame others didn't also try and help. It is a wake up call that we should all try out best to help others.

[carol]

Why don’t we end up caring????

After all that was documented and called about nothing was done. How much is enough for validation??? People want to help but it becomes a struggle. What can be done to end the cycle??

[Wendy austin]

What a moving book,its so true in this day and age,that because the abuse can't be seen,no one can do I thing about it,and I do hope Kevin started to be a little boy and learnt that life was not ment to be like that

[Tiffany Mccorley]

Sad story but its constantly repeating itself got very bored and distracted after a little while of reading it just had that little boy finally got the life he deserved.

[Gayle]

Good read, but very sad

[Daleth Rodriguez]

Good book

Glad that there are still good people willing to go above and beyond to help someone else. Couldn't put it down

[jennifer bush]

Worring

I can't believe this went on for a year!!! So glad you cared enough to keep trying to help and didn't give up .

[Sharon Forskitt]

A bit short but good

[Sandi Green]

Heart wrenching.

[Audrey Fryer]

pathetic

Just don’t waste your time every story should have a beginning , a middle and most importantly an end otherwise it’s not worth reading

[Mrs D Bushnell]

Book was a bit boring quite repetitive once I start a book I have to finish it but was quite tempted to put it down ...

[Anne Hawn]

This book and it's sequel, Momma, Stop! I'll be Good! is so sad. A young woman, due to very thin apartment walls, is able to hear the abuse of a young boy called "Kevin." At first, she is not certain if it abuse and she is reluctant to get involved, but as the nights progress, she becomes more and more upset over what she hears. While there is physical abuse, it is the emotional abuse that is worse. She is forced to listen to a character destroying barrage which would emotionally cripple even an adult. The young woman struggles to determine what is the right course to take in view of the fact that she can't see what is going on and doesn't always know what led up to the incidents she hears.

Even when she decides to get involved, the laws of New Hampshire, and its overburdened system leave Kevin suffering for over a year.

[Jeanne]

This book is a journal of someone hearing what she thinks is abuse to a 4 year old child that lives next door to her. The childs parents are quite young and probably don't really know how to be parents anyways yet they are, they do things to this little boy that most people would probably say something about yet this neighbor just writes a journal and calls children services every so often...

I honestly think if it were me i would confront the mom and dad about what i hear and i would bug everyone involved till i know for sure things were taken care of...

As a mother myself this is completely un acceptable... this child should have been removed the first time this neighbor heard things going on!!!

[Dawn Pittman]

This book really got to me...I was probably putting too much personally into it I have a grandson the same age, he is very active, I kept thinking I would have done anything to get the child out of there, short of kidnapping...I couldn't have slept knowing something was happening to this child, as it sounds like she didn't either!
She, the writer seemed relieved at the end of the book when Joe moved and took Kevin with him, but my thought was how safe is he really? I mean if he couldn't protect him from his mothers abuse...while he lived amongst it, how will he be protective of him in other relationships?
I hope it was a good end to the story for this child and somehow he gets the help.he needs...even now!
I have recommended this book already to others!

[Lisa Gatts]

This book was terrible. Whether the abuse went on or not is left to speculation. What is far more obvious is that the author of the book was far too bored and had way too much time on her hands which was spent trying to decipher each and every sound that came from her neighbors house. When you share a floor,ceiling, wall area in close quarters with other people you better make darn sure that you really know what is going on, otherwise it can cause a whole world of hell for the family being accused unless of course they are guilty and that is a whole different set of circumstances. This book was truly awful.

[Shina]

I gave this book 3 stars because although I liked it, I did find that the author repeated herself a lot. I'm glad she kept trying to help Kevin and I read some previous reviews from people saying they thought she could have done more and even a review saying she was nosy. I don't think there was much more she could have done and I'm glad she was nosy. Nosy might have saved Kevin's life. I do wish we knew without a doubt what was going on in that house and how Kevin is now.

[Ashley]

I hate how these books actually have to be written. And I applaud this woman for doing everything she could to try to get help for this little boy. It really shows how the government just ignores children that really need help because the parents can put on a happy face. I am anxious for the next book to come out. I really need to know what happened.

[Alyssa Droghei]

Good read, but very sad

I thought this was a very good insight on what happens with abuse. Books like this always tug at my heart strings but it makes you realize a lot about abuse and how it can be covered up by the abuser.

[Kim Caraway]

The writing was awful and it seems the author cared more about writing a blog then helping the child.

[Barbara]

This story was believable but sad. Written from the view point of the lady living in the apartment across the hall. This was a true story!