The True Story of a Tormented Six-Year-Old and the Brilliant Teacher Who Reached Out

Adam Hobbs

Once Child

Torey Hayden

Avon Books

©1998

354 pages

Teacher and literary genius Torey Hayden hits a high note with her captivating book, "One Child." I have been blessed with the opportunity to read this story and it truly is a masterpiece. The words set forth to paper in this story are more powerful than a Boeing jet and have the strength to move you on an emotional level.

This is the story of young special education teacher Torey Hayden and her quest for higher knowledge to the handicapped and disturbed. She is given the task of teaching a class deemed impossible that is full of misfit kids with bizarre backgrounds of abuse, poverty, depression, and mental handicaps. She fights against the odds to reach the kids on a deeper level, when a seven year old girl with a disturbing past and animalistic behavior is placed in her class to await transfer to the state mental hospital. Torey uses everything within her power to help this girl and break her from submission.

Torey Hayden has a style a writing that will not only give you mental pictures of the vast scenarios set forth in this story, but she will also give your mind a ride it won't expect. I'll be honest, when I first starting reading this book my expectations were very low, but once I got into it I couldn't set it down. Torey Hayden has great word choice and can describe any situation down to the detail and still keep the story going. Her fluent, in depth descriptions are beautifully written and kept me engaged through out the whole book.

This story, along with its powerful words, has a strong, meaningful message that everyone should read. This story speaks of tolerance for those who are different because they are a direct result of their environment and it is not their fault they act the way they do. It also tells that you should accept peoples little quarks and disabilities because it is what they want to be like and it is better to be different then to blend into a world that does not accept them anyways.

At age six, Sheila had already endured a lifetime of horrors. Her mother abandoned her on a highway at age four; her alcoholic father neglected and traumatized her. Thus, it was scarcely a shock to anyone when the coarse, hate-filled child attacked a three-year-old boy, nearly burning him to death.

At such a tender age, Sheila's fate seemed inevitable - a lifetime in a psychiatric ward. Yet while the state awaited placement, they decided to put her in Hayden's special needs classroom.

Initially skeptical of a child with such a background, Hayden nonetheless did her best. Quickly, she glimpsed an intensely intelligent child, who longed for love and acceptance.

This wasn't to say it was an easy job. Nor was there any fairy-tale ending. Often, Sheila went into uncontrollable rages, damaging property, once even throttling pet gerbils when she perceived she had been wronged. Yet after glimpsing the inner Sheila, Torey Hayden refused to give up on her.

Then one day, several months after Sheila arrived in Hayden's classroom, the teacher received a call -- the psychiatric hospital was ready for Sheila. Despite having made a breakthrough with the child, would Sheila's life really be taken away before she had a chance to start it?

As always, Hayden's stories about the children with whom she has worked are deeply moving and memorable. By no means does she attempt to portray herself as a miracle worker; she freely admits her mistakes along with her triumphs as she merely dedicates her life to helping turn young lives around.

Readers interested in learning more about Sheila may be interested in the sequel, The Tiger's Child, which picks up when the girl is 13 and recently reunited with Hayden.

This was a beautiful story, illustrating the perseverance and courage of young victims of abuse and neglect. It's funny though; after reading it, I conjectured that Sheila rebounding the way she did at age 6 was hard to believe. After undergoing severe abandonment from her mother, ongoing physical and verbal abuse by her father, and right after surviving severe sexual molestation, she accepted the leave-taking of the only person who had ever loved her, her teacher, Torey. She did not take it easily, and she clung to the story of the Little Prince, which helped, but still! I thought that either the story wasn't true or Sheila's acceptance was actually a self-injurious defense mechanism that would later be exposed. Researching the book after I read it, I realized that the book is a true story. In a sequel titled, The Tiger's Child, I learned that Torey again re-entered Sheila's life and continued to support her. Yet the abuse Sheila incurred had been serious and despite her high intelligence, we learn that she struggled greatly after Torey's departure and on into her adolescence.

Reading the reviews on the store, I noted that a few blamed Torey for leaving Sheila at the end of the year. They said that it was her fault that Sheila experienced such turbulence later in adolescence. I feel that those reviews may well have been written by people who themselves never completely healed from abandonment and still ache inside. The truth is that Sheila's fear of abandonment was caused by her early childhood trauma of being left on the side of the highway by her mother. It does no good to blame one who loves such a wounded bird, even if it was in the context of a short-term relationship. Because of the nature of Sheila's wound, even if Torey committed to staying with her for life, Sheila would have still continued to struggle with a false sense that she is prone to getting abandoned. Healing from that type of wound requires a long-term process that involves recognizing the deception of the false beliefs and emotions and using truth to fight them.

Though Torey made some mistakes, her time with Sheila was overall positive because, like a flower, her love allowed Sheila's heart to be opened to the possibility that her emotions and false beliefs were wrong. In the last few chapters, it appeared that Sheila was able to understand Torey's departure cognitively, if not emotionally. The only aspects I would have changed about Torey's approach would have been to ensure that Sheila knew well ahead of time that she would be leaving. I would never have let her call me "mother" or "father" because it is not true; children can easily mistake fantasy for reality. Also, from the very beginning, Sheila should have been seeing a child therapist who could keep helping her on a more long-term basis.

What an incredible story, more so because Torey really is the loving teacher she wrote about, and because Sheila is the child whose resilience inspires us all! I ask God to give me the courage to love abused kids unconditionally as Torey did, yet also the wisdom to know when to employ healthy boundaries to keep those children safe.

Working in education, I find Hayden's books a good read. It's always interesting to know how other professionals deal with the most horrific cases of abuse. I find her quite self-deprecating as well, able to admit when something just didn't work or when she made errors of judgement.
One Child is my favourite of her books; the emotions involved in educating this child are very intense. However, some reviewers' comments about the level of attachment, confidentiality laws and physical contact with the child (lots of hugging etc) are justified. I believe she did get far too emotionally attached to this girl (and vice versa as a consequence), causing further problems. That simply would not be allowed to happen these days. Remember she is recalling events from the 1970s, when things were very different. I would be around Sheila's age then, and I remember similar affection and cuddles from teachers.
I am from the UK and although I am bearing the era in mind, I am still shocked at the poor quality of social work in this story. Migrant workers in our country would receive a council flat and benefit payments, and their kids would probably be the best dressed ones in class! Maybe, after reading this tale, that wouldn't be such a bad thing. How can children be allowed to live like that?
Perhaps we do need to change the laws and allow teachers to be surrogate mothers again. It seems some kids don't have anything else.
If you loved this book you will probably already have looked at some of her others, but I particularly recommend The Tiger's Child (the sequel to this) and Ghost Girl, which will leave you wondering about the sanity of this world.

Heartwrenching. Great. Perfect as a class read. I had my high school juniors read this and they loved it. Loved it as in I tried to pace them, figuring I'd have to assign a few chapters to make them read. They finished the book on their own in a week, and then requested I assign another book. So if you know high school juniors, that's a pretty big deal. Hayden does a great job telling this child's story without objectifying her. It's even a great book to assign on a collegiate level in an education program especially for students interested in working with students who have special needs.

This is one I could not put down. Possibly Torey's best book!

Shelia, a bright 6-year-old girl who tied up a 4-year-old and set him on fire and was put in Torey's "crazy kid" class until a space opened up in the State mental hospital for her. She had a high IQ, was a bed wetter, had an abusive, alcoholic father and was abandoned on a freeway by her mother who kept her younger brother. She was quite a terror, but Tory "tamed" her and became very attached to her. She was cut bad by her uncle who raped her and was in the hospital for a month. She was able to enter regular classes again. Very good book, but left you wondering what happened to Sheila. Have to read the sequel: The Tiger's Child

Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

When I first started reading Torye Hayden's books, I was always interested in the foster care system and abused children. Hayden's books are wonderfully written, almost to the point where you feel like you are HER experiencing the situations.

This book made me so sad to realize what is going on in our so-called perfect America.

This little girl has been through hell and back and everyone, except Hayden, sat back and ignored it.

I believe there is a special place in heaven for Hayden. She is the reason I hope to one day become a foster mother. She makes you believe that you can and will make all the difference in the life of a child who needs you. She's an inspiration...and this book is proof of that.

My second book by Torey Hayden, but definitely not my last.

ONE CHILD is the story of Sheila, a young girl who was abandoned on the side of a highway by her mother. Now the charge of her drunken father, Sheila is wild, sometimes crazy, and never cries.

What follows after her arrival in Ms. Hayden's classroom (following an incident that is truly chilling) is the relationship that grows, in a short period of time, between Sheila and Torey.

A very good but emotional read. I highly recommend it, and also recommend picking up a copy of The Tiger's Child, which is the continuation of Sheila's story.

As a victim of extreme child abuse and experiences not dissimilar to that experienced by Sheila, and as an adult who has become consistently drawn to helping children who struggle with various aspects that block their progress, I am compelled to say that I found both One Child and The Tiger's child to be an incredible journey and an amazingly cathartic read. I am grateful that I was privileged enough to share it with these two amazing people.

On the one hand, I could relate to Sheila in so many ways - and reading about her helped me to understand my own strength and courage, and through her, to respect what I have managed to achieve in my life, against the odds.

I also related strongly to Torey, who shows what it means when an adult truly tries to understand the child behind the behaviour. She shows us what it means to look below the surface, what it means to truly care enough to have an impact. She shows us what it means to choose to love and take a chance.

The risk of doing harm in this context pales in comparison to the chance of adding some sense of self worth to the psyche of a very damaged child. I cannot praise Torey enough for what she managed to do for Sheila. The value of what was offered far outweighs any cost.

Torey admits openly in The Tiger's Child that she discovered that her own disappearance from Sheila's life caused harm. She is very honest about this. She also expresses her own angst and regret at this fact. Sheila was definitely hurt by Torey's disappearance. However, she also benefited from the encounter in ways that nobody can understand unless they have been there and experienced it.

In my childhood, there was a psychologist/social worker who spent a short time sharing space with me when I was about six years old. I have always missed her since we parted ways and would still love to see her again - but the fact that she was there, even for five minutes, matters enormously to me, because she made me realise I had value, that I was important enough that I deserved help. I have never been angry at her for moving on in her life, and in fact never thought about it from the position of feeling abandoned until I read Tiger's Child.

In the end, it is a matter of choice of perspective - I chose to value the good that was offered to me and to hang onto that and find strength in the memory of it. I imagine many other children would make that same choice.

What Torey added to Sheila's sense of identity by being there for those five months when she was so small, was an idea that she had worth. She also showed Sheila that her life had possibility, that she could have a future - that it was okay to hope for something better. Without this hope, Sheila may never have survived for so long.

At a crucial time in her development, Torey gifted Sheila with an alternative view of the world, and let her know that she wasn't ever completely alone. It seems distinctly plausible that by doing this, she averted disaster and probably prevented Sheila from heading down a path of potential sociopathy.

The focus on IQ was, quite simply, on two levels - firstly, that Torey was so surprised to discover that this firey little ball of dirt and fists had such potential, and secondly, that it was an attribute that could be used in "the system" in order to achieve a new chance at a future for Sheila. In the era described, IQ carried great weight, and I know if I was trying to save a child from what I considered to be a harmful future setting, I would use whatever positive attributes that exist within that child as much as possible. The beauty of IQ in that context is that it is something which can be measured and demonstrated - and it works in a court of law.

Torey made no judgement of any of her other students who had lower IQs, clearly loved them all and was passionate about assisting each and every one of the to a better quality of life. It just happens that this particular child had a huge impact on her teacher, and in the end, that is what this book (and Tiger's Child) is about - the teacher's admiration for the courage, strength, endurance and tenacity of a young individual who is struggling against massive life obstructions.

I urge everyone to remain open to the idea that Torey's efforts, while possibly not perfect, were by far better than the consequences of no efforts being made at all.

This is a story about the author Torey. Torey teaches eight challenged kids and one child named Shelia reaches out to you through his book. You learn about Shelia's life and why she needs Torey. Shelia is really smart her IQ is 180. When Shelia first came to this class she was ambushes. She throws stuff everywhere and gets picked on by the other kids. Through the story Shelia and Torey form a special bond together. Shelia wants Torey to be her mom, but Torey says she can't be. In the different chapters you see this child bloom. Something happens to Shelia and it isn't good. Read this book to find out what happens.

I liked this book because it's a true story and on every page it touches you. This book make you think? Could I be this kind of person? Could I help a child in need? This book is just really good and I absolutely love it. It makes you read on and on.

I disliked this book because it only focuses on one child. I mean it told about the other children not as much as it did on Shelia. Well considering the title says one child it still makes since to talk about one child.

I would recommend this book to people that like the David Pelzer series and people who want to teach little kids. Also people would who like to read about little kids and the things that they do. I would also think that teachers should read it because it would help them see what a good teacher they can be.

If you like this book try reading the sequel: Tiger's Child

Note: for mature readers

Torey Hayden's book was extremely well written and very emtionial. Torey is an exceptional teacher, as well as a compassionate and patient person. She feels for these children and is willing to stick her own neck out to save them. Her strong desire to help these children, especially Sheila is indeed the making of a true teacher. To see Sheila's behavior change was truly remarkable. How Torey got Sheila to respond to schoolwork and other children was amazing. I enjoyed every moment of this book. It made me cry at times to read how Sheila was treated and it also made me mad for the way she was neglected, abused and rejected. I was so happy when she finally accepted the fact that she would have to move on in life, but still could hold on to the memories that she would always have from Torey's Special Class. This book has made me want to read the sequel, as well as other Torey Hayden books. I would recommend this book to anyone, who has any dealing with children.

I absolutely loved this book by Torey Hayden. It was so impresive to me, that I didn't know how to start this review. This story reaches the heart through the unlikely bond between a teacher and a troubled child, a child so troubled she poked the eyes out of the class fish on the first day of school. The emotional bond that grows between Torey and Sheila seems to grow in your heart as well. You feel as if you were a part of that connection as you get deeper into the story. This book teaches tolerance and unconditional love. When you read this book, you feel enveloped in the story, even when you hit some troubling parts. You can also see the story through two perspectives, even though it is being written from one. You know what Torey is thinking, but you can also feel what both Torey and Sheila are feeling. I adored this book, and would reccomend it to anyone.

I have just finishd reading this book. I have to be honest, I absolutely hate reading. Since I want to go to college this fall, I'm probably going to have to read a lot of materials so I decided one day while I was in my school library that I would try to find a good book to read. I was fiddling around with the computer looking at whatever titles struck an interest. What I typed in was something along the lines of problem child or depression. I wanted to read something on this because of the fact that I am bipolar and before I was diagnosed I was a bit of a problem child. I displayed much of the same behavior that Sheila had displayed. In fact I can somewhat relate to her. I also had been abandoned and abused by my mother and father. I wish I had had someone like Torey too. I connected with this book on a more personal note, but I had never appreciated reading so much in my life. So in that case I say this is the greatest book ever written. This book had me bawling my eyes out. It was really good. I am left wondering however, What ever did happen to Sheila, Where is she today?

... I noticed my friend reading [this] story, a book about a young child that had been abused physically, as well as emotionally. At first, I waved it off, uninterested. But, after a day or two, I finally persuaded myself to read it. I only regret I didn't read it sooner. "One Child" is a very compelling story and my heart aches for anyone that has to go through what any of those children had to. I am not a nieve child. No, I know that our world isn't a perfect one and I know that a lot of terrible things happen. But this story really opened my eyes. Things like this probably happen everyday. Also, I am not a church-going person. I hardly ever pray or do any 'do-gooder' things. Now, I'm not saying I am a devil-worshipper, no. I'm simply saying I believe in the Lord and the Bible, yet sometimes I lack the conviction. But, tonight...I will be praying. I will pray that anyone that suffers like young Shiela, finds their Torey.

One Child was definatly an eye opening book. It was the first book by Torey Hayden that I had read. I have only read her books since. This is the best one that i have read so far.

Sheila is a 6 year old girl that has been abused profoundly at home.(both physically and emotionally) She comes to Torey's class as a temperary placement until a spot in the state hospital opened up. Sheila would not communicate in any way with anyone to begin with, but she made durastic improvements as time went on. By befriending Sheila, Torey found out about her past. Sheila had lived a very hard 6 years of life. this included her mom kicking her out of the car on the highway, phycal, emotional, and sexual abuse.

This is still in my mind about every day although I read this book over a month ago. If you read one book this year, read One Child.

I came across this book while looking online for true story books. I like to read books about things that have really happened. Torey Hayden a special ed teacher/ psychologist does a great job with this book.In this book she writes of 6 year old who comes from a rough place and has alot of horrible things happen to her. It shows how much she really made a difference in this girls life and how great a person she really is. When your done reading this one you really want to know what happens to this little girl "Sheila" later in life. I just finished the sequal to this book called "The tigers child" and it was also a great read. Shocking to think all these sad things could happen to a little girl but the bond she has with Torey is unbelievable. I plan to read more of her books.

Torey Hayden's books impress on readers the success of her vast body of work with disturbed and troubled children. However, as you read, do not assume that you are reading facts and biography. You are reading parts of the truth, spiced with generous helpings of poetic license. These accounts are greatly fictionalized, and perhaps conflate a variety of cases.
According to Hayden's official website, one can figure out a timeline of her career. Her "biographical" writings are based on work done in the states, and, again according to her official website, she came to England in 1980. Yet, judging by her date of birth, it is highly unlikely that Hayden graduated from college before 1972, and that was with a science degree. Her graduate work was in special education, which means she was unlikely to have graduated with a Master's degree before 1974. In the US, a PhD is a long hard slog. Hayden did not finish hers, but one can easily deduce that she spent a great deal of time in college, and probably fitted in her work with disturbed children as part of her college field experience requirements.
So from this we know that her entire collection of "biographical" works was, at the most, based on experiences between 1972 and 1980. But even then the timeline is way off, especially when one considers Ghost Girl, and Hayden's claim of meeting her again when she was a college student.
Reading her accounts, one imagines a life's career. No. The fiction is the life work. Keep writing, Ms. Hayden, you do it well. But be honest: don't present your teaching experiences with these children as autobiographical and biographical.

I loved this book. It was recommended by my mother because I work in special education. I loved that Torey Hayden's story shows what the positive influence of an adult can do for a troubled child that many others would be turned off by.

I would recon\mmend teachers to read One Child. The book gives a real insight to how a special needs classroom operates. The author does not try to cover up the negative aspects. Howver, the author deals withthe negatie situations in a very positive and uplifting manner. After reading the book, teachers would be motivated to deal with and handle any uncomfortable situations that arise in their class. I think this book helps teachers see the good and the bad parts of a class in an inspirational way. I strongly belive that all teachers can learn or gain something by reading this book. This book, in a sense, is a recipe for teachers to follow on how to care formstudents with special needs. This book would be for personal use and not for use in a classroom.

As an undergraduate student in Psychology, I found "One Child" to be the most inspiring reading that I have had the pleasure to accomplish in recent times. Being undecided in a field that I wanted to study in, after reading this book I have no question in my mind that I am going to pursue a Masters degree in Clinical Child Psychology. My hopes and prayers are that I might be able to help one child that is being neglected or abused. I would challenge anyone who reads this book to take an active part in a child's life so that another child does not have to be tortured by the silence.

Sheila was a disturbed and abused child who never thought she would be loved. That is until she walked into Torey Hayden's classroom. She started out as an enraged, untrusting child, but ended with being an intelligent, lovable little girl. Sheila started out without a real family, but found a place where she belonged.
Torey Hayden, through this book, inspired each of us to try and reach every child without giving up. She proved that with hard work and determination any person can turn an awful situation into an experience that will last a lifetime!
We loved this book!!!

This is a story about a troubled child named Sheila, who was abandoned on the highway by her mother and is abused by her alcoholic father. Her teacher is Torey Hayden, and she completely changes Sheiela. They become excellent friends and really open up to eachother. Events in the story will make you laugh but also make you cry. I couldn't put this book down, I loved it so much. I wanted to keep on reading to find out what would happen next. If you like the stories about disfunctional families and or people, this is a book for you. You won't be able to put it down.

I felt compelled to clarify the synopsis given bythe store. Sheila was not diagnosed with autistism, she did not have apervasive developmental disorder. Sheila was severely emotionally disturbed due to her home-life situation and the many disturbing things she had to endure. If anything, she may be considered to have had selective mutism which is a failure to speak in
spcific social situations but speaks in other
situations(DSM IV). In all I found the book
inspiring. END

I heard about this book during am assembly and needed a book to read for my english project so i chose this book. Im not a huge fan of non fiction but this book was just amazing!! the writing style the author had made me want to read it more and more and it made me be like woah i cant believe this actually could have happened. I recommend this book to anyone!

I felt compelled to clarify the synopsis given bythe store. Sheila was not diagnosed with autistism, she did not have apervasive developmental disorder. Sheila was severely emotionally disturbed due to her home-life situation and the many disturbing things she had to endure. If anything, she may be considered to have had selective mutism which is a failure to speak in
spcific social situations but speaks in other
situations(DSM IV). In all I found the book
inspiring. END

I heard about this book during am assembly and needed a book to read for my english project so i chose this book. Im not a huge fan of non fiction but this book was just amazing!! the writing style the author had made me want to read it more and more and it made me be like woah i cant believe this actually could have happened. I recommend this book to anyone!

This compelling books shows one teachers dedication to make so much more of a troubled little girl. This little girl was never given a chance and her teacher did. Instead of neglecting this little girl like everyone else the teacher brings out the best in the girl to find out she's a genius and not as destructive as everyone else thinks. This book was a page turner and a hard one to put down.

I distinctly remember reading this book in the eighth grade. Immediately Torey became my favorite author. My heart changed with each book I read. I realized I wanted to have the same kind of impact. She made such a difference in my life. Today I am a very passionate special education teacher in Cincinnati. I don't know that I would be teaching and impacting lives if I had not read One Child.

I've just finished reading this book. It says that it is a composite of different children that the author has worked with and not an actual child although it reads as if it was one child, 'Sheila'. The little six year old has a horrible life and then is badly abused by an uncle. If this was a true account it would be wrong for a teacher to be pushing a disturbed child to learn. Her emotional well-being should be taken care of first. In England social workers would remove her from her highly inadequate home. I recommend the books by Virginia Axeline.

When I read this I realized what specail educations teachers go though and how emotional it is. I think it's great Torey helped her kids so much. I'd recommed this book to everyone. My friends already want to get it because I told them it's such a good book. You'll be missing out if you don't read this book.