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Billy Had to Move: A Foster Care Story
Child Protection Services have been involved with Billy and his mother for some time now. He has been happily settled in a kinship placement with his grandmother and enjoys his pet cat, interacting with neighbors and even taking piano lessons. As the story unfolds, Billy's grandmother has unexpectedly passed away and so the story of Billy Had To Move begins. Unfortunately, Billy's mother cannot be located. Mr. Murphy, Billy's social worker, places him in the foster home of Amy, Tim, and their baby "Colly." Billy experiences great loss resulting not only from his grandmother's death, but also the loss of the life he knew. Billy's inner journey therefore has also begun and with the help of Ms. Woods, a Play Therapist, there is hope. Therapists' Acclaim for Billy Had To Move "This gem of a book gently frames the stages of a child's natural quest to make sense of his story. Fraser has created more than a teaching she generously offers a sacred space that compassionately holds and supports the multidimensional realities of our foster children and their birth families, our social workers and foster families, our teachers and child psychotherapists."
--Gisela Schubach De Domenico, PhD, MFT, R-PTS "Billy Had To Move is a profound story about the complex issues children in foster care often face. Fraser provides important lessons for caregivers. The book gracefully introduces the sandtray and provides insight into how powerful the experience can be when the child has an opportunity to explore their trauma in the sandtray."
--Mark E. Hulbert, MA, LLP "A wonderful addition to the bibliotherapy field. This is a much-needed book for foster care children to help them in adjusting to a new caregiver and placement. It offers a welcoming view of how children's worries and losses can be understood by a caring Play Therapist, in a warm and inviting setting."
--Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, RPT-S; Director of Clinical Training, The Astor Home for Children, Poughkeepsie, NY "In this engaging, warm-hearted story, Billy grieving the loss of his grandmother, finds a way to heal by expressing his thoughts and feelings in Play Therapy. Highly recommended!"
--Charles E. Schaefer, PhD, RPT-S Director Emeritus, The Association for Play Therapy Learn More About This Book at www.TheresaFraser.com From the Growing With Love series at Loving Healing Press www.LovingHealing.com Juvenile Family - Orphans & Foster Homes
--Gisela Schubach De Domenico, PhD, MFT, R-PTS "Billy Had To Move is a profound story about the complex issues children in foster care often face. Fraser provides important lessons for caregivers. The book gracefully introduces the sandtray and provides insight into how powerful the experience can be when the child has an opportunity to explore their trauma in the sandtray."
--Mark E. Hulbert, MA, LLP "A wonderful addition to the bibliotherapy field. This is a much-needed book for foster care children to help them in adjusting to a new caregiver and placement. It offers a welcoming view of how children's worries and losses can be understood by a caring Play Therapist, in a warm and inviting setting."
--Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, RPT-S; Director of Clinical Training, The Astor Home for Children, Poughkeepsie, NY "In this engaging, warm-hearted story, Billy grieving the loss of his grandmother, finds a way to heal by expressing his thoughts and feelings in Play Therapy. Highly recommended!"
--Charles E. Schaefer, PhD, RPT-S Director Emeritus, The Association for Play Therapy Learn More About This Book at www.TheresaFraser.com From the Growing With Love series at Loving Healing Press www.LovingHealing.com Juvenile Family - Orphans & Foster Homes
32 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2009
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 15, 2014
Billy Had To Move: Theresa Ann Fraser, CYW,BA. And Illustrated by Alex Watson
Losing a parent, grandparent or guardian can often be quite traumatic for any child whether young, teen or even young adult. Being forced to move from their home where they have their own room, friends in the neighborhood or even made to leave their pet with someone else can create emotional problems for the young person. Billy is seven and has lived with his grandmother left. Entering his classroom, Mr. Lee, the Principal, instructs him that he’s to come to his office. Remembering that in the past the only reason this happened is when a social worker attended the meeting in the office and asked about his mother. This would prove to be different as Mr. Murphy, the social worker and Mr. Lee have to gently and carefully tell this young child that his grandmother passed away and that he is being placed in a home with strangers. Wondering why this man had his camp bag and several other personal things that belonged to him, he became defensive in his movements, a little scared and was told to listen to what this man had to say. Just looking at the illustration on page 3 you can and feel the emotional turmoil within this child even before he learns about his grandmother.
Mr. Murphy tells him that his grandmother passed and after that everything else was a real blur. Imagine having to go to a funeral and not really understanding what that meant. Imagine being told you no longer could return to your own home, that your pet was being cared for by someone else and that you whole life was going to change. Not easy for a 7 year old or even someone older. Driving up to the colorful house depicted on page 7 you can see the fear, sadness and heartache in Billy’s young face as he reluctantly takes the social worker’s hand and walks to the door of the lady who would care for him. Listening to the dialogue between the lady named Amy and the social worker you can tell that she understands Billy’s sadness and wants him to feel part of her family from the start. When Billy stops her young daughter from crying she has enough faith in him to watch Colly. Seeing his new room filled with so many things and understanding that he would attend his grandmother’s funeral within a few days had to be overwhelming to say the least.
Most children act out, can be difficult but Billy has other issues that come to light that are real. Headaches, stomach aches and other physical problems come to light as he becomes afraid, worried and confused at times. Dreams that kept him awake, thinking about his grandmother, hoping to hear her voice in his dreams kept him going. But, Mr. Murphy return with someone quite special. A young lady that is called a Child and Play Therapist. The author uses her experience as a Child Psychotherapist/Play Therapist who works with foster care children on a daily basis, showing that the foster care system sometimes does work and that there are social workers who look out for the best interest of the children whose cases they have to monitor.
Amy seemed like someone that understood Billy and went out of her way to make things that he enjoyed or liked and help him adjust to his new life. Trying to find his real mother, they could not. The most heartfelt picture that will bring tears to your eyes is the one on page 13 where Billy feels his grandmother’s presence in a dream.
Mrs. Woods the therapist was quite astute and realizes that it was going to take time for Billy to open up and feel comfortable with her. Talking about her own bike drew him out and her enthusiasm was contagious. Dreaming about his Nana woke him up in the middle of the night and not being about to eat, drink or sleep did concern Amy. Would going to the therapist draw him out? Would she be able to make this child smile? Just how does Amy show her support? Just how does Mr. Murphy prove that there are some social workers that go the extra mile and really care for the children whose cases they manage? Just what does a play therapist do? Read pages 18-22 and learn that for yourself as in a good mystery the answers come when you find the clues, see the end result and create you own conclusions.
Where does Billy wind up? Will we ever see him smile? Read this heartwarming story about a young 7 year old boy who had to find his way to understand that his grandmother was gone, his mother could not be found and hopefully he just might find love with a family somewhere else.
This is a great book that all caseworkers should read, guidance counselors, foster children, teachers to read in class, great for discussion groups and even better for school administrators to understand how important it is to monitor the social workers in the school and make sure they have the children’s best interest at heart. Page 26 is an invaluable resource as it talk to the caregiver and explains Billy’s feelings, Mr. Murphy’s role and how they can better understand their role as a foster parent. Helping children understand that they are not alone in this world and there are people that care for them is paramount. Billy Had To Move is an excellent starting point for all children and presenting this in a positive way is really outstanding. The illustrations are quite expressive and the story is true to life. It would be great if the author continues writing about Billy so that other children can learn what happens to him when he gets older. Added in are websites for foster parents to use as resources, web sites for caregivers, therapists and social workers and information about the author and illustrator.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
Losing a parent, grandparent or guardian can often be quite traumatic for any child whether young, teen or even young adult. Being forced to move from their home where they have their own room, friends in the neighborhood or even made to leave their pet with someone else can create emotional problems for the young person. Billy is seven and has lived with his grandmother left. Entering his classroom, Mr. Lee, the Principal, instructs him that he’s to come to his office. Remembering that in the past the only reason this happened is when a social worker attended the meeting in the office and asked about his mother. This would prove to be different as Mr. Murphy, the social worker and Mr. Lee have to gently and carefully tell this young child that his grandmother passed away and that he is being placed in a home with strangers. Wondering why this man had his camp bag and several other personal things that belonged to him, he became defensive in his movements, a little scared and was told to listen to what this man had to say. Just looking at the illustration on page 3 you can and feel the emotional turmoil within this child even before he learns about his grandmother.
Mr. Murphy tells him that his grandmother passed and after that everything else was a real blur. Imagine having to go to a funeral and not really understanding what that meant. Imagine being told you no longer could return to your own home, that your pet was being cared for by someone else and that you whole life was going to change. Not easy for a 7 year old or even someone older. Driving up to the colorful house depicted on page 7 you can see the fear, sadness and heartache in Billy’s young face as he reluctantly takes the social worker’s hand and walks to the door of the lady who would care for him. Listening to the dialogue between the lady named Amy and the social worker you can tell that she understands Billy’s sadness and wants him to feel part of her family from the start. When Billy stops her young daughter from crying she has enough faith in him to watch Colly. Seeing his new room filled with so many things and understanding that he would attend his grandmother’s funeral within a few days had to be overwhelming to say the least.
Most children act out, can be difficult but Billy has other issues that come to light that are real. Headaches, stomach aches and other physical problems come to light as he becomes afraid, worried and confused at times. Dreams that kept him awake, thinking about his grandmother, hoping to hear her voice in his dreams kept him going. But, Mr. Murphy return with someone quite special. A young lady that is called a Child and Play Therapist. The author uses her experience as a Child Psychotherapist/Play Therapist who works with foster care children on a daily basis, showing that the foster care system sometimes does work and that there are social workers who look out for the best interest of the children whose cases they have to monitor.
Amy seemed like someone that understood Billy and went out of her way to make things that he enjoyed or liked and help him adjust to his new life. Trying to find his real mother, they could not. The most heartfelt picture that will bring tears to your eyes is the one on page 13 where Billy feels his grandmother’s presence in a dream.
Mrs. Woods the therapist was quite astute and realizes that it was going to take time for Billy to open up and feel comfortable with her. Talking about her own bike drew him out and her enthusiasm was contagious. Dreaming about his Nana woke him up in the middle of the night and not being about to eat, drink or sleep did concern Amy. Would going to the therapist draw him out? Would she be able to make this child smile? Just how does Amy show her support? Just how does Mr. Murphy prove that there are some social workers that go the extra mile and really care for the children whose cases they manage? Just what does a play therapist do? Read pages 18-22 and learn that for yourself as in a good mystery the answers come when you find the clues, see the end result and create you own conclusions.
Where does Billy wind up? Will we ever see him smile? Read this heartwarming story about a young 7 year old boy who had to find his way to understand that his grandmother was gone, his mother could not be found and hopefully he just might find love with a family somewhere else.
This is a great book that all caseworkers should read, guidance counselors, foster children, teachers to read in class, great for discussion groups and even better for school administrators to understand how important it is to monitor the social workers in the school and make sure they have the children’s best interest at heart. Page 26 is an invaluable resource as it talk to the caregiver and explains Billy’s feelings, Mr. Murphy’s role and how they can better understand their role as a foster parent. Helping children understand that they are not alone in this world and there are people that care for them is paramount. Billy Had To Move is an excellent starting point for all children and presenting this in a positive way is really outstanding. The illustrations are quite expressive and the story is true to life. It would be great if the author continues writing about Billy so that other children can learn what happens to him when he gets older. Added in are websites for foster parents to use as resources, web sites for caregivers, therapists and social workers and information about the author and illustrator.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
February 10, 2020
What a wonderful book for children. I think that this book needs a cover change but overwise good.
August 15, 2009
Billy Had to Move is not your typical children’s story because it is written from the perspective of a boy who has suffered great loss, and who experiences the procedure of foster care placement and therapy.
It is the story of Billy, who went to live with his Nana (grandmother) when his mother could no longer take care of him. At the age of 7 his grandmother dies, his mother has disappeared, and he is placed in foster care with a kind family. As time passes and he begins to adjust, there is always the question of whether the Child Protection Services will find his mother and he will possibly have to move back with her. Billy then begins therapy and the story ends on a hopeful note.
As a parent, this book certainly opened my eyes to the realities of foster care and the many complex issues these children face when confronting placement. I reread the story several times, and each time I appreciated the way the author’s knowledge of foster care makes this book a great tool for all those involved in the field of Youth Protection Services. The caregiver’s guide at the end of the book is an excellent addition for the caregiver as it points out the issues dealt in the story and the purpose of the book:
“Using Billy Had to Move to normalize some of your child’s symptoms and experiences is the primary purpose of this book. Billy Had to Move can be used as a tool to introduce foster care or therapy. It can also be used to help children recognize that they are not alone in experiencing various types of loss.”
I read this book with my 8-year-old daughter who, at the end of the story, wanted it to continue so she could know how the play therapy was going to make Billy feel better. I understood that she wanted to be reassured he would feel better. She also pointed out that there were “too many words on the page”. I agree that less paragraphs on one page and more illustrations will make this book more user-friendly for children of this age group, especially since the reader needs time to absorb the deep issues brought up in the story.
Canadian author, Theresa Ann Fraser, has written an important book extremely useful to the foster care child, the caregiver, the therapist and the teacher. As such a book is not common, it is valuable for this field and also in all schools since, unfortunately, the number of cases dealt by the Youth Protection Services has become more common. Kudos to Theresa for her insightful assistance through this fine book!
It is the story of Billy, who went to live with his Nana (grandmother) when his mother could no longer take care of him. At the age of 7 his grandmother dies, his mother has disappeared, and he is placed in foster care with a kind family. As time passes and he begins to adjust, there is always the question of whether the Child Protection Services will find his mother and he will possibly have to move back with her. Billy then begins therapy and the story ends on a hopeful note.
As a parent, this book certainly opened my eyes to the realities of foster care and the many complex issues these children face when confronting placement. I reread the story several times, and each time I appreciated the way the author’s knowledge of foster care makes this book a great tool for all those involved in the field of Youth Protection Services. The caregiver’s guide at the end of the book is an excellent addition for the caregiver as it points out the issues dealt in the story and the purpose of the book:
“Using Billy Had to Move to normalize some of your child’s symptoms and experiences is the primary purpose of this book. Billy Had to Move can be used as a tool to introduce foster care or therapy. It can also be used to help children recognize that they are not alone in experiencing various types of loss.”
I read this book with my 8-year-old daughter who, at the end of the story, wanted it to continue so she could know how the play therapy was going to make Billy feel better. I understood that she wanted to be reassured he would feel better. She also pointed out that there were “too many words on the page”. I agree that less paragraphs on one page and more illustrations will make this book more user-friendly for children of this age group, especially since the reader needs time to absorb the deep issues brought up in the story.
Canadian author, Theresa Ann Fraser, has written an important book extremely useful to the foster care child, the caregiver, the therapist and the teacher. As such a book is not common, it is valuable for this field and also in all schools since, unfortunately, the number of cases dealt by the Youth Protection Services has become more common. Kudos to Theresa for her insightful assistance through this fine book!
March 9, 2014
Billy Had To Move is not a story about a kid coping with moving away from the place he grew up. It has that element to it, but there is so much more to it. Billy enters the foster system at the beginning of this story when his grandma and sole care giving dies unexpectedly. He has lived with his grandma since his mom stopped being able to take care of him. Social Services moved him there and then his mother disappeared. Now he has to be put in the foster care system because no one can find his mom to see if she is finally able to take care of Billy. Billy loses more than his grandma. He loses his home, school, and cat. He is placed with a family who has a little baby. The baby is his first step in healing since she likes Billy right from the start. Anyway, he ends up developing an anxiety disorder partly due to not understanding what is happening. He kind of understands what it means for his grandma to be dead, but he doesn't understand the concept of a funeral or why his mom hasn't been found. With time he learns to accept living with his foster family, but still can't stop the headaches, stomach aches, and nightmares he suffers from his anxiety. Being a ward of the state has an advantage though. The social worker that placed him in this home puts them in contact with a psychiatrist that specializes with kids that have suffered loss. She shows him how to play in order to vent his feelings, i.e. a coping mechanism.
I enjoyed the book and felt like it put the situation into something kids could understand. It is meant for slightly older kids in my opinion though. The pages have a lot of text on them. There is a lot to read. I think that it turns a scary situation into something that shows kids that it can turn out ok. It doesn't make them think "Happily Ever After" but at least they see that they could be happy.
Read more reviews at Identity Discovery Blog.
I enjoyed the book and felt like it put the situation into something kids could understand. It is meant for slightly older kids in my opinion though. The pages have a lot of text on them. There is a lot to read. I think that it turns a scary situation into something that shows kids that it can turn out ok. It doesn't make them think "Happily Ever After" but at least they see that they could be happy.
Read more reviews at Identity Discovery Blog.
March 22, 2011
In the book Billy Had To Move, Billy has been sent to live with his grandmother for his own safety by a social worker. Sadly, Billy grandmother passes away and Billy is left with no other family to care for him and is placed in a foster home. This book shows grief, fear, anxiety and finally acceptance and love.
I think that Theresa Ann Fraser did a wonderful job fulfilling her purpose with this story. Many children are put through “the system”, by no fault of their own. Theresa shows the perspective of the child.
I really think the point of this book is to help other children who are in a similar predicament. It shows that the feelings they possess are normal. It also teaches them that it’s okay to open up to others who are trying to help them.
It’s my opinion that Billy Had To Move would be a great book for any child going through foster care and their caregivers. Also, I believe this is an excellent book to share with children who have been adopted. As well as siblings and/or children living within the foster home who are now having the share their parents.
Personally, this story holds my heartstrings. My niece was fostered a couple of times, before she ended up in our home, where ultimately we were able to adopt her. As her caregiver, while I think I understand what she’s going through, I’m aware that I will never fully understand. I think this story helped all of us understand a little better.
I have a lot of respect for Ms. Fraser for tackling such a sensitive subject and doing so with such a genuine understanding.
I think that Theresa Ann Fraser did a wonderful job fulfilling her purpose with this story. Many children are put through “the system”, by no fault of their own. Theresa shows the perspective of the child.
I really think the point of this book is to help other children who are in a similar predicament. It shows that the feelings they possess are normal. It also teaches them that it’s okay to open up to others who are trying to help them.
It’s my opinion that Billy Had To Move would be a great book for any child going through foster care and their caregivers. Also, I believe this is an excellent book to share with children who have been adopted. As well as siblings and/or children living within the foster home who are now having the share their parents.
Personally, this story holds my heartstrings. My niece was fostered a couple of times, before she ended up in our home, where ultimately we were able to adopt her. As her caregiver, while I think I understand what she’s going through, I’m aware that I will never fully understand. I think this story helped all of us understand a little better.
I have a lot of respect for Ms. Fraser for tackling such a sensitive subject and doing so with such a genuine understanding.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews