Product Description

In her latest paperback, the no.1 bestselling author of Damaged tells the story of the Dawn, a sweet and seemingly well-balanced girl whose outward appearance masks a traumatic childhood of suffering at the hands of the very people who should have cared for her. Dawn was the first girl Cathy Glass ever fostered. Sweet and seemingly well balanced girl, Dawn's outward appearance masked a traumatic childhood so awful, that even she could not remember it. During the first night, Cathy awoke to see Dawn looming above Cathy's baby's cot, her eyes staring and blank. She sleepwalks -- which Cathy learns is often a manifestation in disturbed children. It becomes a regular and frightening occurrence, and Cathy is horrified to find Dawn lighting a match whilst mumbling it's not my fault in her sleep one night. Cathy discovers Dawn is playing truant from school, and struggling to make friends. More worryingly she finds her room empty one night, and her pillow covered in blood. Dawn has been self-harming in order to release the pain of her past. When Dawn attempts suicide, Cathy realises that she needs more help than she can give.Dawn's mother eventually confides in her that Dawn was sent away to live with relatives in Ireland between the ages of 5 and 9, and Cathy soon realises that the horrors Dawn was exposed to during this time have left her a very disturbed little girl.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2520 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 310 pages

Review
Reviews for 'Damaged': 'Cannot fail to move those who read it.' Adoption-net 'Heartbreaking.' The Mirror 'A truly harrowing read that made me cry.' The Sun 'A true tale of hope. ****.' OK! 'Foster carers rarely get the praise they deserve, but Cathy Glass's book should change all that.****' First Magazine 'A hugely touching and emotional true tale.' Star Magazine

Star Magazine
`A hugely touching and emotional true tale.'

From the Inside Flap
Desperate to start a family, Cathy and her husband John volunteer as foster parents, and so begins their relationship with Dawn, a shy and polite thirteen-year-old whom Cathy treats as a daughter.

When Cathy discovers she is pregnant with a baby of her own, their lives seems to be complete, but it soon becomes obvious that Dawn is going to be much harder to help than they had first imagined.

Cathy awakes in the middle of the night to find Sawn standing over her baby's cot, and a nightmare begins. When Cathy asks Dawn about the scars covering her arms, Dawn insists there is nothing to tell.

Cathy slowly discovers the terrible childhood Dawn has had, rejected by her parents, left to fend for herself, then subjected to violent treatment by her relatives. But Cathy soon realizes that Dawn's worst enemy is herself.

Customer Reviews

Another excellent book
Another moving story from Cathy Glass. Once started I found it difficult to put the book down and was soon gripped by the story. As in her other two excellent books, the authors warmth and affection to her foster children comes through in her style of writing and makes her books very moving and also very readable. I found I just had to finish the book as soon as possible to find out how the story unfolds. The book is not just an eye opener on what terrible things can happen to innocent children and the struggles and difficulties they face as a result, but also shows how a truly caring person can help them and can make a real difference in their lives. Well done Cathy for another inspiring book.

Another amazing book
Cathy's books got me reading again, and having read her two other books, I had this on order. Her books get better and better. Again I couldn't put this down. Well done! Can't wait for the next one.

another thought provoking book................
the third book by Cathy Glass is as moving as the last two volumes. Cathy writes well without being over the top as so many of the "misery memoirs" can be. Cathy paints a picture of her very ordinary family (and I mean that as a compliment, not an insult) trying their best to give Dawn the best life they can. It is to be hoped that the social services do a better job now than they did 25 years ago. Without wishing to spoil the story for others their deliberate withholding of the facts about Dawn's upbringing could have been extremely damaging to the Glass family. The only thing that didn't ring true in fact was Cathys ( and also her husbands) reaction to those revelations........... I would have made an official complaint at least but I suppose that it would have stopped them fostering any more children.

It is also very interesting to learn about Cathys own life - maybe the next book will reveal more about her childrens early life.