Billy Had to Move: A Foster Care Story (Growing with Love) [Paperback]

Theresa Ann Fraser (Author), Alex Walton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2009

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 story: 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 Fiction : Family - Orphans & Foster Homes

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Loving Healing Press; 1 edition (February 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932690875
• ISBN-13: 978-1932690873
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,652,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for "Forever Families", March 22, 2011

By 

KaelebsMomma - See all my reviews

This review is from: Billy Had to Move: A Foster Care Story (Growing with Love) (Paperback)

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars useful book to help children cope with separation trauma, May 13, 2010

By 

Wayne S. Walker "Home School Book Review" (Salem, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Billy Had to Move: A Foster Care Story (Growing with Love) (Paperback)

When you were a child, did you ever move from one place to another and thus have to cope with a new home, new school, new teacher, and new friends? What about a new family? Billy is a seven-year-old first grader. Earlier in the year a social worker had already come to his school because his mother couldn't take care of him and took him to live with his grandmother. After that his mother seemed to disappear. Then one day his grandmother dies. Mr. Lee, the principal, comes and gets him out of class again, and there is another social worker, Mr. Murphy, who takes him to a foster home where he is going to live with Amy, her husband Tim, and their baby daughter Colly.
After Nana's funeral, Billy begins to experience some problems with headaches, tummy aches, and bad dreams. He overhears Amy tell Tim that she thinks that Billy is suffering from anxiety. Toward the end of grade two, Mr. Murphy returns with another social worker, Mrs. Woods, who is a Child and Play Therapist. Billy will start going to her office to talk with her about his feelings while he plays. Will Billy be able to get the help that he needs? All of us experience various kinds of trauma and loss in life, but these things can be particularly difficult for children, especially when the loss involves a close relative. Youth workers, foster parents, therapists, and anyone helping a young person cope with separation trauma will find this book extremely useful.

4.0 out of 5 stars Stories for Children Magazine 4 Star Review, September 30, 2009

By 

Virginia S. Grenier "Children's Author & Stor... (Ivins, Utah USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Billy Had to Move: A Foster Care Story (Growing with Love) (Paperback)

Billy Had to Move is more than about a little boy who has to move to a new home. As many of us know, every month children are put into Child Protection Services for many reasons, from parents' not being able to care for their children to abuse. However, sometimes children end up in the system because of death. This happens to be the situation for young Billy.



As the story unfolds, we learn that Billy has been living with his grandmother for some time. Billy's father and mother are not around to take care of him, so his grandmother has taken on the role of Billy's caregiver. Billy loves living with his grandmother and his pet cat, and he even enjoys taking piano lessons. However, one day Billy's grandmother becomes ill and passes away. Billy hopes the people who have come to help will be able to locate his mother; unfortunately, no one knows where she is. This places Billy in a situation most of us hope never to see our children in: no one to care for our children.

What makes this book so important is that we learn sometimes children are put into Child Protection because there are no loved ones left to care for a child. These children are in situations where they have to live with strangers who are willing to help a child who has lost everyone they have ever cared about. Sometimes it is because a parent can't care for them or because of abuse, but what about those children who have no loved one in the world to help them?

I feel this book is great not only for children who are going through the loss of a loved one and having only strangers to turn to but also for children who have loving homes so they can better understand other children they may know who do live in foster care.