In addition to providing this list, we would love to know of other books you have read which you’ve found helpful in understanding the situations our CASA children face, so they can be added to our reading list.

  

"Learning to Live:  A Black Woman’s Journey Beyond Foster Care” by Theresa Cameron

Chronicles Ms. Cameron’s early years in foster care; how education became the key to success later in life and her life as an adult. Ms. Cameron tells of what happened after she "aged out" of foster care.  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Surviving the Storm:  The Life of a Child in Foster Care” by Julia S. Charles

Ms Charles’ writes about her decade in foster care, including her thoughts and fears as a child regarding her circumstances and how she overcame the barriers surrounding her.

 

"The   Glass   Castle:  A Memoir” by Jeanette Walls

This autobiography details Ms. Wall’s life as a child in an extremely dysfunctional family.  Her father, a brilliant free-spirited man, suffered with bouts of alcoholism.  Her mother was also a free-spirit, who did not want to be tied down to a conventional lifestyle.  The family constantly moves, living in houses, out of their car and in boxes.  The children learn to fend for themselves to keep from starving.  Later, as adults, the children become successful, but the parents continue to be homeless. (available in the CASA office)

 

"When a Child Becomes the 4-Year Old Parent – Trouble Don’t Last Always” by Shane Salter (former executive director of the Washington D.C. CASA program)

This autobiography chronicles Mr. Salter’s life from childhood through adulthood.  He details his memories of his drug addicted mother; going into foster care; feeling like he didn’t belong; his struggles with his biological family and foster families; learning that education was a key to success; and how his early life has affected him as a adult and the relationships he has with others. (available in the CASA office)

 

"A Child Called ‘It’: One Child’s Courage to Survive” by Dave Pelzer

Mr. Pelzer’s autobiographical story about the extreme abuse he endured at the hands of his alcoholic mother. 

 

"The Lost Boy” by Dave Pelzer

The second installment of the trilogy of the life of Mr. Pelzer and how he adapts to life in foster care.

 

" A Man Named Dave” by Dave Pelzer

This third book in a series covers the adult life of Mr. Pelzer and how he handles adult relationships and making peace with his mother before she dies. 

 

"It Won’t Hurt Forever: Guiding your Child Through Trauma” by Peter A. Levine

2 Disc C.D.  Two sections of this CD are for parents to help them support and guide their child through a traumatic experience.  The third part, is for both parents and children.  (available in the office)

 

"Out of the Darkness:  The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson” by Eric A. Shelman and Stephen Lazoritz, M.D.

 This historical drama chronicals the story of Mary Ellen Wilson.  Before the world became aware of Mary Ellen Wilson in 1874, it was a hopeless place for abused and forgotten children.  Child protection agencies existed, but were reluctant to the point of inaction when it came to saving children from the abuses of their parents and guardians.  Children were considered property, and to become involved was to invade the family, a sacred and private institution. (available in the CASA office)

 

"The Privilege of Youth” by Dave Pelzer

Mr. Pelzer uses this book to do a more in depth look at his life in and out of the foster care system and how it affected his adolescence.

 

"Three Little Words” by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

This book is an expansion of an essay Ms. Rhodes-Courter wrote for a New York Times Essay Contest.  In the book, she examines the child welfare system as viewed by a child.  Ms. Rhodes-Courter entered the foster care system at the age of 3 and over the next 9 years was in 14 different foster homes.  The story can be frustrating and emotionally draining for the reader, but also a story which reveals the author’s resilience and precocious spirit.  She also talks about how her CASA volunteer "got me out of abusive foster homes and ensured that I was on the path to finding a permanent family.”  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Too Scared to Cry:  How Trauma Affects Children and Ultimately Us All”  by Lenore Terr, M.D.

Ms Terr uses the cases of dozens of traumatized children she has worked with over the years.  Although the book’s centerpiece is the 1975 Chowchilla school bus kidnapping, it gives a comprehensive look into the world of trauma and how it affects children.  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Conversations with Bobby:  From Foster Child to Corporate Executive” by Bob Danzig

In this book, Mr. Danzig reveals the important role that mentors – both intentional and accidental – can play in helping a lonely child achieve success to find happiness. 

 

"Me May Mary” by Mary Cameron Kilgour

"Me May Mary” is a straightforward, but moving story of how a young woman was able to not only survive the tribulations of an abusive childhood, but triumphantly become a prominent, contributing member of society.  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Ghosts from the Nursery:  Tracing the Roots of Violence” by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley

This book presents a shocking but empowering message:  to understand violent behavior, one must look to the cradle.  The book brings to parents and policy makers a synthesis of the newest research on brain development in early childhood and a neurologically based argument for competent nurturing of children’s emotional and behavioral development

 

"Parenting the Hurt Child” by Gregory Keck, PhD and   Regina M. Kupecky, LSW

This book is geared to help foster/adoptive parents in learing to heal and grow as a family and dealing with the hurt and trauma experienced by the children in their home.  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Adopting the Hurt Child” by Gregory Keck, PhD and   Regina M. Kupecky, LSW

This book addresses the frustrations, heartache, and hope surrounding the adoptions of special needs children.  It explains how trauma and interuptions affect these children's normal development and often severely undrmine their capacity to function in a loving family and in society.  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Parenting the Adopted Adolescent” by Gregory C. Keck, Phd

With humor, this book gives tips, strategies, suggestions and insights on raising the adolescent child.  It helps you understand and appreciate the complicated journey that adopted adolescents face.  (available in the CASA office) 

 

"Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes” by Peter A. Levine and Maggie Kline

Trauma becomes imprinted on the body, brain and spirit, resulting in anxiety, nightmares, depression, physical illnesses, addictions, hyperactivity, and aggression.  Rich with case studies and hands-on-activities, this book gives insight into children’s innate ability to rebound with the appropriate support, and provides their caregivers with tools to overcome and prevent trauma.  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Hidden In Plain Sight”  by Barry Grosskopf, M.D.

This book discusses, how trauma’s – large or small- affect our lives and the lives of our loved ones.  The author talks about the effects of trauma experienced by past generations being passed down to future generations.  (available in the CASA office)

 

"Hidden In Plain Sight:  The Tragedy of Children’s Rights from Ben Franklin to Lionel Tate” by Barbara Bennett Woodhouse

This book reflects on Woodhouse’s long career as a distinguished family-law scholar and her deep reflection on the position of children in law and policy.  She brings riveting stories about famous people, who as children, have made significant contributions in areas such as gender equality and civil rights. Woodhouse presents the reader with the original and compelling argument that children should also have rights, not because they are potential adults, but because of the agency, courage and vision they can and do exercise as children.  (available in the office)

 

"Invisible Kids:  Marcus Fiesel’s Legacy” by Holly Schlaack

This novel,  shares not only the horrible story of torture and abandonment and the slow agonizing death of Marcus Fiesel in foster care, but also highlights success stories as well.  The author uses statistics and facts to show why the system works, why it doesn’t, and where it needs help.  (available in the office)

 

"When She Was Good” by Norma Fox Mazer

Em spent the first fourteen years of her life suffering her father’s alcoholic rages and her mother’s silent depression, and the next three trapped with her abusive older sister, Pamela.  When Pamela dies, Em is alone at last.  Shy, sweet and smart, Em does her best to live as she imagines "normal” people do.  But will she be able to manage now that she is finally on her own?  (available in the office)

 

"A Child’s Journey Through Placement” by Vera I Fahlberg, M.D.

Dr. Fahlberg provides the foundation, the resources, and the tools which will help professionals (therapists, social workers, pediatricians, juvenile justice workers, CASA volunteers and child advocates), parents (birth, foster and adoptive), and others who care to support children for whom the journey through placement becomes part of the road to adulthood.   (available in the office)

 

"Bradshaw On:  The Family – A Revolutionary Way of Self-Discovery” by John Bradshaw

Bradshaw focuses on the dynamics of the family, how the rules and attitudes learned while growing up become encoded within each family member.  As 96% of all families are to some degree emotionally impaired, the unhealthy rules we are now living by are handed down from one generation to another and ultimately to society at large.  (available in the office)

 

"What I Call Life” by Jill Wolfson

Removed from her eccentric mother’s care during one of her mother’s "episodes”, Cal finds herself on "just a short, temporary detour from what I call life.”  Cal finds herself in a group home with four other girls, watched over by a strange old woman everyone refers to as the knitting lady.  At first, Cal can think of nothing but how to get out of this nuthouse.  She knows she doesn’t belong there.  But it turns out that all the girls, and evn the knitting lady, may have a lot more in common than they could have imagined.  (available in the office)

 

"Beyond Consequences, Logic and Control:  A Love Based Approach to Helping Children with Severe Behaviors” by Heather T. Forbes, LCSW and B. Bryan Post, LCSW

This book addresses some of the most pressing and challenging issues faced by parents of children with histories of disrupted attachments.  (available in the office)