This book was fantastic. I had only read one of Haydens books previous to this one but you can be assured that I will have to get my hands on her whole collection.

I am also the mother of a "Special Needs" child; I happened to discover "Twilight Children", Torey Hayden's most recent book by chance in a local bookstore. I was spellbound and couldn't put it down, and when I had read that book, I ordered everything else she ever wrote from Amazon (how's that for a recommendation?). This book, (and I say this without exaggeration) literally made me gasp at some parts and cry at some others. This is a book that I feel would be of value to parents of special needs children, but also to members of Alcoholics Anonymous, or anyone who believes (or wants to believe) that miracles can still happen to the most hopeless of "lost causes".

In this book, Torey Hayden teaches a challenging class for emotionally disturbed children consisting of Shamie, Geraldine and Shemona, three refugees from Northern Ireland, one of whom (Shemona) is an elective mute; Dirkie, who has schizophrenia; Mariana, who is sexually precocious but academically behind; and Leslie, also autistic and unable to communicate. Hayden could badly use an aide, and she accepts Leslie's mother, Ladbrooke, who is a beautiful but aloof women with a history of alcoholism and child abuse. Through their relationship, Ladbrooke comes to trust Hayden and begins to face up to her problems. Through working with the children, Ladbrooke develops considerable self-esteem. All but one of the children improve, as well, and make dramatic gains in academic and social skills. In an epilogue, we learn of updates, the most remarkable perhaps being Ladbrooke's. This is anything but a grim read, however, Hayden seasons her book with a healthy dollop of black humor.