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Twilight Children: Three Voices No One Heard Until a Therapist Listened

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From the bestselling author of One Child comes the story of three of former special education teacher Torey Hayden’s most extraordinary challenges. Nine-year-old Cassandra, kidnapped by her father and found starving, dirty, and picking through garbage cans—is a child prone to long silences and erratic, violent behavior. Charming, charismatic four-year-old Drake will speak only in private to his mother—while his tough, unbending grandfather's demands for an immediate cure threatens to cause irreparable harm. And though she had never worked with adults, Hayden agrees to help fearful and silent eighty-two-year-old massive stroke victim Gerda—discovering in the process that a treatment's successes could prove nearly as heartbreaking as its limitations.    

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Torey L. Hayden

48 books1,506 followers
Victoria Lynn Hayden, known as Torey L. Hayden (born May 21, 1951 in Livingston, Montana) is a child psychologist, special education teacher, university lecturer and writer of non-fiction books based on her real-life experiences with teaching and counselling children with special needs.

Subjects covered in her books include autism, Tourette syndrome, sexual abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome, and elective mutism (now called selective mutism), her specialty.

Hayden attended high school in Billings, Montana and graduated in 1969. She then attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.

A little time after having written her most famous book One Child, Hayden moved to Wales in 1980 and got married to a Scot called Ken two years later. In 1985, she gave birth to her daughter Sheena. Hayden is now divorced.

She has also written three books of fiction in addition to her non-fiction books.

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5 stars
2,521 (44%)
4 stars
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3 stars
884 (15%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
Profile Image for Maria Espadinha.
1,084 reviews453 followers
May 23, 2021
Eles Falam Calados


Cassandra. Drake. Gerda:

Três Vidas!
Três Histórias!
Três Silêncios!

Por vezes, o Mutismo é a única via de Comunicação!!!
Profile Image for LARRY.
112 reviews25 followers
June 11, 2007
As posted in [http://www.amazon.com]:

How can you not love Torey Hayden? My aunt introduced my mother to Torey. My mother introduced me to her. I introduced my partner to her. I have all her books and have enjoyed them all. I just have one last book to read of hers, *The Very Worst Thing*.

Torey is a teacher and a specialist in elective mutism. However, this book is a little different. She is now working a unit in a hospital. Although she works as a therapist, the teacher in her emerges from time to time.

*Twilight Children* revolves around 3 stories:

Cassandra is a bright girl. However, when she was 7 years old, her divorced father lured her into the car and abducted her for 2 years. Cassandra returned to her mother, abused and distrustful of anyone.

Drake is a charismatic bright 4-year-old with a charming smile. The problem is that he doesn't talk to anyone, except to his mother. The grandfather doesn't make things easier for Torey because the grandfather expects magical results within a session.

Gerda is an exception. A nurse has asked Torey a favor to look in and assess Gerda. The thing is that Gerda is 82. Torey has no experience in geriatrics. Nonetheless, she tries to work with Gerda. Gerda has suffered a stroke and has no one around to care for her. While Torey tries to help her talk, Gerda tells her of a haunting past.

Rotating between the 3, Torey has to work with each individual and unique cases. I just love how Torey tells the story. I also love how she gives simple explanation of her assessment, theories and diagnoses. A couple of them were food for thoughts that I had to just share with other people for intellectual discussion. I love it when people are able to give you something substantial to think about.

Torey did not disappoint me with this book. She still remains to be the best.
Profile Image for Mariana.
229 reviews79 followers
August 30, 2021
Constava da minha lista desde 2013, muito provavelmente por causa do outro que li da autora anos antes ou por causa de uma amiga o ter lido e gostado, e finalmente o requisitei e li.
Mal o comecei esqueci-me que estava perante um livro de não ficção, surpreendia-me ao lembrar de que eram histórias verídicas, relatos de casos que a autora teve de tratar.
Tenho de admitir que houve um momento ou outro em que achei que a autora engonhou um pouco, o que por um lado me cansou, mas por outro não, dado que a forma como narra estas histórias é tão agradável, como se estivesse sentada ao nosso lado a partilhar connosco estás histórias, uma pessoa acaba por se esquecer disso. Além disso, despertou em mim uma enorme vontade de a ter como terapeuta. Penso que é daquelas pessoas com quem é bastante interessante e bom de partilhar o que nos vai na alma. E só de lembrar a maneira como lidou com as crianças e falou com elas cativa ainda mais. Fiquei com o coração apertadinho e feliz por ver que o Drake teve a ajuda de que precisava e espero que assim tenha continuado. Também fiquei feliz pela Cassandra, por ter conseguido ter força para confiar e querer superar os traumas.
Profile Image for PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps .
2,493 reviews239 followers
September 26, 2021
In Torey Hayden’s seventh book TWILIGHT CHILDREN, she’s working as a child therapist with Cassandra, who had been abducted by her father for two years and experienced behavioral problems since returning to her mother. Drake, a charming four-year-old doesn’t speak, or even make a sound except to his mother.

Hayden also chose to include Gerda, a geriatric stroke patient who had difficulty speaking. I have no idea why Hayden included the story. She didn’t work with Gerda but volunteered to visit. Perhaps she didn’t have another interesting child to include in the book.

Torey works well within the system and understands the boundaries of her relationship to the patients, supervisors and team members. She’s clearly come a long way. I questioned some of her leading question techniques, particularly since abuse was suspected. Hayden acted as if her role was to determine what happened during the kidnapping, rather than help Cassandra learn self regulation skills to be released from the hospital. Healing from her abduction would take years. Hospitalizations are meant for acute psychiatric crises that can’t be managed outpatient.

I’m not sure why Hayden never contacted Mayo about Drake’s workup. Reports don’t show everything and having a conversation with a doctor can further understanding. The whole case was off and should have alerted her to HUGE red flags.

I admire Hayden’s dedication and determination to help her patients. She goes the extra mile and has apparently learned more appropriate boundaries than in her previous books.

TWILIGHT CHILDREN is an adequate, often compelling read for those interested in child psychology.
Profile Image for A.D. Crystal.
Author 1 book7 followers
November 21, 2017
AMAZINGLY LIGHT - FOR AMATEURS OF PSYCHOLOGY/PSYCHIATRY - READ TO DIGEST!
A young psychiatrist shedding light into the darkest chambers of three abused souls. Frightening situations described in tones of 'TV-G'. Dramatic, by their nature, facts and events, seriously but, not melodramatically treated in the book. Beautifully combined literature and psychology. Really enjoyed it!
Profile Image for Ingie.
1,422 reviews167 followers
September 30, 2021
4 Stars - Heartbreaking but hopeful ❤️‍🩹

As good as most books by Torey L. Hayden. These stories from her work with often both mentally injured and very vulnerable, so-called “troubled” children, probably affect everyone. Both interesting, heartbreaking but always beautifully hopeful. — Nicely told and I am so happy for all these lucky children who got help from Torey.

❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

Read September 30, 2021
Profile Image for Mónica Silva.
275 reviews46 followers
January 27, 2013
Opinião no blog http://howtoliveathousandlives.blogsp...

Torey Hayden retrata mais uma vez a sua experiência profissional no âmbito da psicologia. Porém, neste livro surgem três casos, duas crianças e uma idosa, cada qual com os seus motivos para permanecerem mudos, os quais Torey terá que desvendar.

Cassandra é uma menina que apenas conhece o pior lado da vida, vítima de um passado terrível. As descrições do sofrimento que sofreu durante a infância são brutais e levaram-me a cerrar os dentes com a fúria que despertam.

Por outro lado, Drake é o símbolo de como as expectativas demasiado altas e as regras rígidas podem levar uma criança tão pequena a sentir-se afogada perante tanta pressão por parte da sua família.

Por sua vez, Gerda, a senhora idosa, tem de lidar com o pior que a velhice pode acarretar: a solidão e a dependência física. Este é um alerta muito importante para o mundo atual. Com o aumento exponencial da esperança média de vida e o consequente aumento da população idosa, é necessário não esquecer todos os idosos que por vezes são isolados, maltratados e renegados pela sociedade.

Torey Hayden retrata três estórias tristes e profundamente comoventes, de abusos e violência, de vivências terríveis e situações bárbaras e repugnantes. A injustiça está patente ao longo deste livro mas mais uma vez Torey demonstra como o amor tem todo o poder para suplantar o lado mais negro da vida.
Profile Image for Lisa Vegan.
2,856 reviews1,290 followers
November 3, 2008
I just love Torey Hayden’s books and was delighted to find one I hadn’t know about and therefore hadn’t read.

She’s an exceptional child therapist and teacher and her writing style is so accessible. I zipped through this book because I was loathe to put it down.

I know these kids inside out, partly from my own work and life, partly from reading so many books about them.

I “diagnosed” both kids before the information was revealed in the book but this is one of Hayden’s better books, one of about three I consider her best, even though I’ve enjoyed them all.

I have no doubt that some professionals would consider Torey Hayden’s accounts with some skeptism and it does seem as though she makes more progress than most, but I can tell from the way she tells her stories that she’s one of those people who are gifted in their work and she is forthcoming about those she writes about actually being composites.

This Torey Hayden offering is unusual because one of the “cases” is that of an elderly woman. Even though I read this author for her stories about kids, I found this part of the story interesting as well.
Profile Image for Heidi.
35 reviews
May 31, 2011
Written by a special education teacher and child psychologist, this book follows the stories of three patients. Each patient is complex and endearing in their own way. As you read, you not only feel for them but for Torey Hayden as she tries to help them find their way through their issues. It was a wonderful book that I couldn't put down. I couldn't walk away from hearing the story of each of these people. Every time the narrative switched between patients, I found myself both hating the interruption from the story of that patient and loving getting deeper into the story of the next.
Profile Image for Veronica.
237 reviews78 followers
July 12, 2018
Che siano benedetti i mercatini dell'usato!
Ho scoperto questo libro per caso, frugando tra scaffali pieni di libri abbandonati, e leggendo la trama l'ho subito inserito tra gli acquisti sicuri.
Essendo la psicologia una delle mie più grandi passioni da sempre ed avendo guidato il mio percorso universitario fino all'abilitazione non ho potuto farne a meno.
Sono davvero felice di aver conosciuto questa autrice.
Ho trovato il suo racconto molto scorrevole, chiaro ed emotivamente coinvolgente (come piace a me). Già, perché credo che per parlare di tematiche complesse e difficili da affrontare, tanto da un punto di vista professionale quanto da un punto di vista umano, non sia necessario farlo in modo eccessivamente scientifico se il pubblico che vogliamo raggiungere non è specializzato nel settore.
Il bello di questo libro è che permette a chiunque di immedesimarsi nel ruolo di chi aiuta il prossimo, come di vivere a pieno le paure, il dolore e la sofferenza di chi è bisognoso di attenzione, comprensione e sostegno.
Torey Hayden è riuscita a ripercorrere, in modo discorsivo e trascinante, la sua esperienza nella presa in carico di due casi, assai diversi tra loro, descrivendo apertamente il proprio modo di approcciarsi ai bambini in difficoltà.
Ciò che ho apprezzato particolarmente è stato riuscire a percepire, attraverso le sue parole, la consapevolezza che l'autrice ha delle proprie capacità come professionista e l'ammissione delle proprie debolezze e dei propri dubbi come essere umano. Non che le due cose siano separate, un professionista dovrebbe sempre tener presente gli errori in cui potrebbe incappare a causa delle interferenze dovute a fattori emotivi e cercare di mantenere un atteggiamento sufficientemente distaccato, ma non è sempre facile assistere alla messa in discussione dei propri metodi, delle proprie reazioni e delle proprie decisioni.
Non vedo l'ora di affrontare altre opere dell'autrice. Assolutamente consigliata!
Profile Image for Naaz.
298 reviews9 followers
April 5, 2018
What I love most about browsing for books at the library is stumbling across a book that you may never have heard of or ever picked up otherwise, simply because you wouldn't have known to look for it. Twilight Children was one such book for me and consequently, I checked out all of the other books that they had written by Torey Hayden because I enjoyed this one so much.

Being a person who works with children, it was deeply interesting to see how the author handled and dealt with the children in her care. Her specialty is working with children with elective mutism and this came along at just the right time for me seeing as I have a couple of children with the same condition in my classroom this year.

The transition between different cases worked very well for this type of book as I was genuinely interested to find out what had been happening with the other people the author was currently working with. The case with the elderly lady was particularly interesting, especially as the author herself had admitted that she had only worked with children prior to this.

This was an incredibly insightful and deeply emotional read. The author is definitely an advocate for these children and her work is important and meaningful. I learned a lot more about the way children with elective mutism may think and as a result, it has made me a lot more aware of the children in my own classroom and of little ways I might be able to help. Highly recommend, especially if you work with children like I do.
Profile Image for Jeanettedianne.
44 reviews2 followers
February 28, 2010
Found this book in the Library today...sounded very intriguing.....

"A light in the darkness for severely troubled children, former special education teacher Torey Hayden faced three of her most extraordinary challenges after she left the classroom

Nine-year-old Cassandra, kidnapped by her father and found starving, dirty, and picking through garbage cans -- a child prone to long silences and erratic, violent behavior, whose hard-won recollections of the nightmare she endured could not be fully trusted.

Charming, charismatic four-year-old Drake, who would speak only in private to his mother -- his tough, unbending grandfather's demands for an immediate cure threatened to cause the delightful boy and his family irreparable harm.

And though she had never worked with adults, Hayden agreed to help fearful and silent eighty-two-year-old massive stroke victim Gerda -- discovering in the process that a treatment's successes could prove nearly as heartbreaking as its limitations."

************************************************************************

UPDATE: This book is excellent! Shocking, yet touching, the author really draws you in, I really enjoyed reading it. Its one of those books that you wish would never end, and when it does, you are left craving for more. A very good read.
Profile Image for Rossella De Feudis .
65 reviews15 followers
December 20, 2018
Nutro un grande interesse per i romanzi-documento, soprattutto per quelli che narrano storie di disabilità, di dinamiche familiari disfunzionali e dei relativi approcci terapeutici, per ragioni legate alla mia formazione e al mio ambito lavorativo.
La Hayden è una psicologa dell'infanzia che ha seguito numerosi casi, impegnativi e sofferti. Le sue storie hanno un impatto emotivo fortissimo, e offrono numerosi spunti di riflessione. Ne consiglio la lettura.
Profile Image for Virginia.
918 reviews39 followers
June 29, 2015
Quando la situazione è disperata, niente potrà renderla peggiore, perciò vale sempre la pena di arrischiarsi a fare qualcosa per migliorarla
Profile Image for Melanie.
70 reviews33 followers
March 19, 2019
Herzzerreißend und tief bewegend! Binnen zweier Tage verschlang ich geradezu die Schicksalserzählungen von zwei kleinen Kindern, die aus unterschiedlichen Gründen ihre eigene Sprache verloren.
Profile Image for Lori.
1,541 reviews
September 17, 2018
I would give this a 3.5. I have read all of Torey Hayden's books about working with special needs children. This one is good but not one of my favorites. She writes of three different cases she was assigned. Two children and one elderly woman. She usually works with kids so the older woman was different for her. "Cassandra" was a very troubled child who had been kidnapped by her father and held captive for two years. the little endured a horrendous two years being abused by an uncle. Another case was a four year old boy named "Drake" who could not or would not speak. It was her job to try and get him to communicate. The elderly woman named "Gerda" was a stroke victim. Torey was asked to try and get Gerda to open up and try and talk to her. All cases were Torey's to try and work with them to help them and get answers. Pretty good book for the most part. I like her books and read this one when it first came out about 13 years ago. Glad to read it again.
Profile Image for McGuffy Morris.
Author 2 books19 followers
March 10, 2011


Torey Hayden is a very special teacher. She takes us into the world of troubled children, from classroom to hospital ward, to life. We meet the children, and then we learn about their lives and Ms. Hayden’s role in them.

The children in this particular book suffer different forms of silence, and the effects of that silence. Some of these stories are difficult to read, but Torey’s handling of the topics is respectful and caring. She educates the reader just as she did each child, each family, and even other caregivers.

Torey Hayden breaks our heart with these children and the tragedy of their young lives, but then she heals us, just as she does them. Torey, her book, and her children will stay with you.

Profile Image for Hermioneginny.
1,318 reviews
March 8, 2017
Torey racconta della sua esperienza in un reparto psichiatrico per bambini. SI occupa di due bambini: Cassandra, rapita dal padre a cinque anni e vissuta per due anni tra terribili abusi, il che l'ha resa una bambina con problemi di aggressività e di identità multiple; Drake, un bambino di quattro anni, amato da tutti, bello e simpatico, pieno di vita...che però non parla, e la famiglia si mostra reticente, non vuole nemmeno pensare a una causa fisica per questo problema. Inoltre Torey fa la conoscenza di Gerda, un'anziana signora ricoverata per un ictus, che sembra non riuscire più a parlare; insieme a lei Torey scoprirà le vicende di una famiglia di immigrati tedeschi, tra i pionieri del Far West e l'estrema povertà.
Profile Image for Meital Ben-Daniel.
174 reviews12 followers
July 25, 2016
Torey Hayden's books, that I have already read, are extremely sad, but I keep reading one every once in a while. Her strength and total dedication to the children she tries to help are admirable. I like the process of getting to know the children and the continuous way of trying to help with their difficulties never letting go or giving up on the situation at hand.

A quote that stood out for me (page: 302): "... But it's usually easier to tolerate such things if you have support, if you know that others will care what is happening to you and you can share it with them. It's also usually easier if you know you are doing the right thing."
Profile Image for Sara.
60 reviews
June 17, 2016
4.5 stelle
L'ho amato! Sono partita un po' prevenuta perché pensavo da come si presentava la copertina che usasse un linguaggio troppo tecnico nel campo della psicologia invece no! Storia originale, narrazione semplice, scorrevole e coinvolgente. Era il libro che cercavo da tanto tempo.
Unica pecca che gli è costato mezza stellina è stata la scelta che non ho capito di inserire in una trama con già ben due protagonisti che si portano dietro una storia pesante e che quindi avrebbero perfino povuto avere due libri separati, addirittura una terza storia completamente inutile e a caso.
Cara Torey sei davvero annegata in un bicchier d'acqua
Profile Image for Esther.
43 reviews1 follower
January 19, 2010
This book is from three different kids point of veiws, Torey now works in a hospital and works with kids there. The three main kids that she works will are so simualy yet so different in so many ways. They all need some kind of help but the only person that can really give it to them is them selfs. I rate this book a 5 because it is aAMAZINg and I t makes me want to do what she does as a living.
Profile Image for Hanna.
118 reviews1 follower
December 29, 2016
Mukaansatempaava kirja, teki mieli lukea yhdeltä istumalta. Kirjoitustyyli oli helposti luettavaa ja lasten tarinat mielenkiintoisia. Tykkään Haydenin kirjoista erityksesti siitä, että niissä kerrotaan kuinka lasten kävi elämässään.
Profile Image for jaroiva.
1,777 reviews48 followers
January 7, 2019
Těžko popsat pocity bezprostředně po přečtení, to si prostě musíte přečíst...
Silná knížka, místy těžké momenty, hodně k zamyšlení.
Doporučuji.
Profile Image for Silvana Martins.
146 reviews54 followers
September 2, 2022
Neste livro em particular, Torey apresenta-nos três pacientes com problemas distintos. De todos, o caso que mais me sensibilizou foi o de Cassandra, uma menina que conheceu o lado mais negro da vida levando-a a alimentar um "lugar inquietante" no seu interior onde se encontravam todos os seus medos, vivências terríveis, tristezas... Revelou-se uma criança extremamente difícil, inconstante, desafiante, mas que com uma extrema mestria Torey conseguiu  entrar no seu "lugar inquietante" e libertá-la, em certa parte, do seu terrível passado. São feitas descrições terríveis sobre aquilo por que Cassandra teve de passar durante os dois anos em viveu longe da mãe depois de ter sido raptada pelo pai. Situações que classifico de repugnantes.

Opinião completa: https://pordetrasdaspalavras.blogs.sa...
Profile Image for Smitha Murthy.
Author 2 books358 followers
April 14, 2019
I don’t know how but I have had this book unread from 2007. It just seemed to have got lost. I hadn’t heard of Torey Hayden when I picked it up, but I was quickly fascinated by the world she captures. A real world. This not a work of fiction even though you desperately hope it would be. The things we do to children! Torey takes three of her clients during her stint in a hospital - a boy who she thinks has elective mutism, a troubled child named Cassandra, and an old woman who has suffered a stroke that leaves her struggling to speak.

Torey manages to relate her own anxieties as she tries to talk to each of them. I found myself being particularly fascinated by the techniques she employs. Cassandra was probably the most heartrending of the three and left me shaking my head in despair. Yet, this is not a book of despair. Hayden shows how even the darkest of our nights has a light - if only we know how to seek it and where.
Profile Image for Sara-Juliette Hins.
606 reviews18 followers
August 3, 2024
J’ai trouvé ce livre dans un croque-livres et j’en suis vraiment très contente. Il y a longtemps que je n’avais rien lu de cette autrice pédopsychiatre (je ne suis pas certaine de son titre) et je l’avais un peu oubliée. Dans cet ouvrage, elle aborde le cas de Cassandra, une petite fille au visage de lutin qui a un comportement parfois extrêmement violent. Elle parle aussi de Drake, un petit garçon qui ne parle qu’à sa mère. Finalement, elle côtoie aussi Gerda, une dame qui ne parle presque plus à la suite d’un ACV à la demande d’une collègue qui souhaite avoir son avis sur son mutisme peut-être sélectif. J’ai lu avec beaucoup d’intérêt ces histoires complexes d’êtres blessés.
Profile Image for Maria Beirao.
22 reviews1 follower
April 18, 2021
Sou suspeita para classificar este livro porque acho a escrita da Torey fantástica. Não só por gostar do tema mas porque a escrita é completa.
Gostei muito
Profile Image for Emma Spurr.
21 reviews
March 3, 2024
Three storylines in this book- I loved two of them but one of them wasn’t interesting to me
Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews

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