With the same acute observation, humor, and compassion she brought to her Pulitzer Prize-winning Is There No Place on Earth for Me?. Sheehan tells the story of one family's passage through the child-welfare system. A searing account of poverty, addiction, and abuse which poses inescapable questions about our society.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Pulitzer Prize-winner Sheehan recounts a black urban family's odyssey through the New York City foster-care system.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
YA-This Pulitzer Prize winning author has written a poignant and moving tale of foster care in America. Sheehan tells the story of Florence, an African American; her oldest child, Crystal; and Crystal's son, nine-year-old Daquan. Although interviews with Crystal's younger siblings and social workers are incorporated, this narrative is told mainly from Crystal's point of view. At age 14, she gave premature birth to her son. Because she was a minor and her mother was a drug addict, she and her baby were placed in two different foster homes by the state of New York. The author demonstrates how the many moves from one home to another, from one social worker to another, and from one institution to another affected this young woman and her child, and vividly shows the impact of institutional neglect and abuse on dysfunctional families. However, Crystal is a realist and a fighter and successfully takes on the battles of her mother, siblings, and son to improve their lives. This is a compelling tale written in a spare, nonjudgmental style. It's easy to read and informative.
Pat Royal, Crossland High School, Camp Springs, MD
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Pat Royal, Crossland High School, Camp Springs, MD
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Moving story,
By Luv2Read "imareader2" (Baton Rouge, LA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Life for Me Ain't Been No Crystal Stair: One Family's Passage Through the Child Welfare System (Paperback)
This book was an account of a young woman's life from early childhood to young adulthood. Crystal Taylor and her siblings were shuffled from foster home to foster home, a pattern that was similar to that of their mother's life style. Crystal became involved in theft, drugs, and sex. She became a teenage parent at 14 years of age. Crystal and her siblings were a part of the welfare social system, as well as Crystal's baby boy. "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair" is a moving story of an individual's experience. It is an eye opener of the effects and drawbacks of poverty in a life.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Devastating!,
This review is from: Life for Me Ain't Been No Crystal Stair: One Family's Passage Through the Child Welfare System (Paperback)
I devoured this book in one night. I was shocked and saddened by the story of this young woman and her family's history with the New York Foster Care system. The thing that surprised me most about the book is the family's unwavering hope that someday they would be reunited, despite the horrible poverty and dysfunction in their lives.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
RESOUNDING SORROW,
By
This review is from: Life for Me Ain't Been No Crystal Stair: One Family's Passage Through the Child Welfare System (Paperback)
The tragic tone of "Crystal's" life could not be made more clear than if one was living it as well. Psychotic and confused, Crystal is all too familiar with an unstable home life. Her mother's boyfriend impregnates her and Crystal, barely out of elementary school becomes a casualty of the system. She makes the rounds of hospitals, treatment centers and schools. At each stop she wonders what place exists for her and her child.This author provides a calming voice of reason to Crystal's plight. To her credit, she does not villify or condemn even the harshest of people and conditions. She writes in a tone of respect and even acceptance. If nothing else, this book is a reminder of each person's duty to care about the needs of others.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
|
|
