Lovey: A Very Special Child (1978) - Plot & Excerpts
tI’ve just had the pleasure of finishing the book “Lovey” by Mary MacCracken. MacCracken was very unique, she wrote memoirs about her ways of teaching children who had emotional and/or cognitive disabilities. She started as a volunteer for the special education field in New Jersey, once a week, in the late 1960’s. She then decided to further her education in teaching. Sadly, MacCracken passed last year, but her great memories and stories will live on in her books. tIn the book “Lovey,” MacCracken teaches at a school for emotionally disturbed children. All of her children in her class have been greatly progressing throughout each year they have spent together. When MacCracken finds out she will be getting a new troublesome student, shes terrified about losing the progress her other children have accomplished. While reading you find out what strategies are used to help Hannah, the new student, and the other children as well.t“Lovey” was one of MacCracken’s students, the point of this book was to share the experience and journey that she had with this child. She helped change this child’s life as well as her family’s life, it’s a great book idea. Now if you look deeper into it, there's some hidden messages. No child is “hopeless” and nobody is perfect, but with a little love, care. and understanding, miracles can happen. tPersonally I enjoyed this book very much. I am very passionate about children and helping people, this book is both of those combined. Reading about someone’s real life experience and their passion is just pure greatness. You can just tell that MacCracken loved what she was doing, even when times got a little difficult, she never gave up on her children. tI would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in teaching, children, child psychology, and just human behavior in general. Before reading this book people should know that it is a true story, with real people, who had/have real problems. Next, they should know that it does get emotional at some points, but overall it’s a great book.
As a veteran 6:1:1 middle school teacher of students at a residential treatment center (think: "at-risk", emotionally disturbed, mental health diagnosis, behavior issues, juvenile delinquent, etc etc... give me an acronym or diagnosis, I've probably experienced it), this book was put into my hands. I found it in our library as books for staff and upon cracking the spine, I realized why. That first moment where Mary realizes her class is changing?- yea, that happened to me the week prior. This book hits home for me. I have been immersed in this field for so long that sometimes I lose perspective and find myself drained of all hope. Winter break seemed like the best time to recharge my batteries and read this book to remind myself why it is that I teach the kids I do. Lovey is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of a woman dedicated not to her job, but to her students. Mary is a first class teacher. I've read some backlash and hard judgment she has gotten and I can tell you that until you've been in shoes like hers, you have no clue. It is a whole other world. Maty does a superb job! While reading, I kept finding bits of my kids in her students... I found ideas to modify and put into practice... I found drive, love, and hope. Lovey is a perfect representation of why I do what I do. It changes lives and it changes you. Highly recommended.
What do You think about Lovey: A Very Special Child (1978)?
(...)Mais uma vez um livro que me surpreendeu. Esta é uma daquelas autora que, para além de ter jeito para cuidar de crianças, tem imenso jeito para a escrita. Sabe escrever e projetar os seus sentimentos como ninguém e acaba por ser esse o ingrediente de todos os livros. Todos sabemos que hoje em dia existem vários livros dentro deste género, mas, na minha opinião, o facto de Mary ter começado a partir de voluntariado, num salto de fé e de ter iniciado o trabalho nesta área numa altura em que não existiam muitas pessoas a conhecê-la, acaba por ser muito importante, tornando esta autora uma das melhores dentro deste tipo de literatura.A relação de Mary com Hannah foi muitíssimo bem explicada e, sendo o livro do ponto de vista de Mary (afinal estamos a falar praticamente de uma autobiografia), acabamos por entrar profundamente na verdadeira relação que estas têm, torcendo para que estas se dêem bem e para que Hannah se desenvolva emocionalmente.Um livro que gostei e que aconselho!Opinião completa em http://blocodedevaneios.blogspot.pt/2...
—Vanessa Montês
Book DescriptionPublication Date: August 1976 | ISBN-10: 0397011296 | ISBN-13: 978-0397011292 | Edition: 1st"Mary MacCracken had reservations about having eight year old Hannah Rosnic in her class of three emotionally disturbed boys. They had made progress under Mary's care, and Hannah, who had a reputation for being withdrawn and possibly retarded, would only be a disruptive influence. But when Mary first encountered Hannah- wearing a woman's housedress, her red gold hair tangled with chewing gum, alternately screaming and sobbing and acting more like an animal than a little girl Mary knew that she had to help release Hannah from her prision of fear, loneliness, and rage. But how to do it? How could Mary help a child who had been shut up in closets, locked out of her home, beaten by both her brother and father? How could she reach Hannah?" This excerpt is from inside the dust jacket. This book tells how Mary was able to reach and help Hannah.
—Beth Steyer
