The Saddest Girl in the World

The Saddest Girl in the World by Cathy Glass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoy reading Cathy Glass books. Since I am going to school for my ECE diploma, I find they really touch my heart because at some point in my career I may have to deal with children that have faced some or all of the problems that are written about in Glass' various books.

This story was very sad, the main character of Donna was an unwanted child, who was abused by her mum in various ways and then also abused by her other siblings (2 brothers and an older sister). Donna experienced so much sadness that when moved into Glass' care she would destroy her bedroom or take her anger out on Glass' youngest child, Paula. Through living with Glass' family she learns that the best way to take her anger out is to rip paper into tiny pieces and then the act of cleaning up the mess will help her to feel better. There are several occassions in the book when Donna has contact with her mother and all her mother says is digusting things that should never be said to a daughter (ie. calling her a shit/turd, C---). I have never imagined that I would see or read about a child being hated so much by a parent, and all I could feel for the character of Donna was complete sorrow. As the book progresses she learns that her mother is a horrible example of a parent and gets adopted by a woman that is going to give her the love and consideration that her own mother couldn't have bothered too.

A positive ending for such a tragic story.

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