Bibliograph

Orphans of the living, stories of America's children in foster care, Jennifer Toth

Type

Label

Orphans of the living, stories of America's children in foster care, Jennifer Toth

Language

eng

resource.biographical

contains biographical information

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Orphans of the living

Oclc number

36103961

Responsibility statement

Jennifer Toth

Sub title

stories of America's children in foster care

Summary

In the first book of its kind, Toth presents the stories of five kids caught in a system in crisis, and chronicles the complexities of a culture that both liberates and hobbles its dependents. In addition to speaking to social workers, judges, officers, counselors, and psychologists, as well as to the remnants of shattered families who can't or won't raise their own children, Toth goes directly to the kids - capturing their voices and lives with striking clarity andPoignancy. These children were thrust into an overburdened and antiquated machine designed to care for Dickensian orphans, not today's "throwaways," who are abused and neglected, often by substitute parents no more prepared to care for a child than were the biological parents. Following the children, Toth travels to foster care homes, emergency shelters, children's homes, and detention centers. She shares their despair and their triumphs - the midnight phone calls fromJails, hospitals, and strip joints; the celebrations of straight-A report cards, graduations, and Congressional honors - as the children demonstrate their humor, hope, and resilience in trying to overcome their society's failure

Table Of Contents

Part I: Damien and Sebastian, Oxford, North Carolina -- Part II: Jamie. Lamberton, North Carolina -- Part III: Angel, Los ANgeles California -- Part IV: Bryan, Chicago, Illinois

Classification