An intriguing glimpse into a foster parent’s life that falls short of helping readers understand its young subjects.
A social worker looks back 50 years to her decision to become a foster parent to five boys.
As debut author Thompson-Guppy recounts her story of fostering children from dysfunctional families, she comes across as brave, nurturing, and naïve by turns. In 1963, the Canadian Children’s Aid Society sponsored a group home for the first time, and the author and her then-husband received minimal information on their kids’ backgrounds and no training: “it did not occur to me that I was putting my family at risk by inviting them into our home—and that naïveté may have been the reason they integrated in a successful manner,” she writes. With only a psychology degree and a short stint as a social worker at Toronto’s Unwed Mothers Department, she plunged into her new role. “Lefty,” 15, was the first to join the author, her husband, and their toddler, Trisha; he’d been abused by his father, who’d chained him to a swing set as punishment. After that came 13-year-old “Bob,” whose parents drank excessively and beat him. Later, “Val,” “Johnny,” and “Dan” joined the household. (The boys’ names are all changed.) Some boys stayed for about a year, but others left quickly; one was removed after he hit Trisha. The kids fell into predictable trouble—drug dealing, addiction, failed relationships—and the author tells of calmly helping them navigate their problems. Overall, the tone of this book is like a warm letter home, and it engagingly illuminates the life of a foster parent for troubled kids. However, it also has one primary weakness: a lack of extensive interviews with the boys themselves. For example, nearly 50 years after she took them into her home, she met Lefty, Bob, and Dan for a reunion. It’s a largely happy gathering, but Bob remains remote as he struggles to hide his addictions to alcohol and drugs. This scene would have benefited if readers could have heard more from Bob directly. Without such information, the portrayals of the boys sometimes amount to little more than lightly sketched case studies.
An intriguing glimpse into a foster parent’s life that falls short of helping readers understand its young subjects.Pub Date: July 24, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4759-3050-4
Page Count: 116
Publisher: iUniverse
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A straightforward tale of kindness and paying it forward in 1980s New York.
When advertising executive Schroff answered a child’s request for spare change by inviting him for lunch, she did not expect the encounter to grow into a friendship that would endure into his adulthood. The author recounts how she and Maurice, a promising boy from a drug-addicted family, learned to trust each other. Schroff acknowledges risks—including the possibility of her actions being misconstrued and the tension of crossing socio-economic divides—but does not dwell on the complexities of homelessness or the philosophical problems of altruism. She does not question whether public recognition is beneficial, or whether it is sufficient for the recipient to realize the extent of what has been done. With the assistance of People human-interest writer Tresniowski (Tiger Virtues, 2005, etc.), Schroff adheres to a personal narrative that traces her troubled relationship with her father, her meetings with Maurice and his background, all while avoiding direct parallels, noting that their childhoods differed in severity even if they shared similar emotional voids. With feel-good dramatizations, the story seldom transcends the message that reaching out makes a difference. It is framed in simple terms, from attributing the first meeting to “two people with complicated pasts and fragile dreams” that were “somehow meant to be friends” to the conclusion that love is a driving force. Admirably, Schroff notes that she did not seek a role as a “substitute parent,” and she does not judge Maurice’s mother for her lifestyle. That both main figures experience a few setbacks yet eventually survive is never in question; the story fittingly concludes with an epilogue by Maurice. For readers seeking an uplifting reminder that small gestures matter.
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4516-4251-3
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Howard Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
A highly readable account of how solid research and personal testing of self-help techniques saved a couple's marriage after...
Self-help advice and personal reflections on avoiding spousal fights while raising children.
Before her daughter was born, bestselling author Dunn (Why Is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?: And Other Questions I Wish I Never Had to Ask, 2009, etc.) enjoyed steady work and a happy marriage. However, once she became a mother, there never seemed to be enough time, sleep, and especially help from her husband. Little irritations became monumental obstacles between them, which led to major battles. Consequently, they turned to expensive couples' therapy to help them regain some peace in life. In a combination of memoir and advice that can be found in most couples' therapy self-help books, Dunn provides an inside look at her own vexing issues and the solutions she and her husband used to prevent them from appearing in divorce court. They struggled with age-old battles fought between men and women—e.g., frequency of sex, who does more housework, who should get up with the child in the middle of the night, why women need to have a clean house, why men need more alone time, and many more. What Dunn learned via therapy, talks with other parents, and research was that there is no perfect solution to the many dynamics that surface once couples become parents. But by using time-tested techniques, she and her husband learned to listen, show empathy, and adjust so that their former status as a happy couple could safely and peacefully morph into a happy family. Readers familiar with Dunn's honest and humorous writing will appreciate the behind-the-scenes look at her own semi-messy family life, and those who need guidance through the rough spots can glean advice while being entertained—all without spending lots of money on couples’ therapy.
A highly readable account of how solid research and personal testing of self-help techniques saved a couple's marriage after the birth of their child.Pub Date: March 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-26710-6
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
