Lovey

Lovey
Mary MacCracken

This deeply moving memoir tells the story of Hannah: a child who has been beaten and abused; a girl full of loneliness and rage; a student no one but learning disabilities teacher Mary MacCracken could reach.Mary had reservations about eight-year-old Hannah joining her class. The three emotionally disturbed boys she was currently looking after had been making steady progress, and Hannah, who had a reputation for being a withdrawn and incredibly troubled child, would only be a disruptive influence.For the first fortnight Hannah retired to a cupboard and refused to come out. Howling almost non-stop she was displaying the worst symptoms that Mary had ever seen.How could Mary help a child who had been shut up in closets and treated like an animal? What could she say to a child who had been locked out of her own home, and beaten by both her brother and her father? How could she reach this lost girl?This is the remarkable story of Hannah and Mary’s journey together. Deep within Hannah, Mary recognises an amazing strength. And with love, skill and patience, she gradually starts to make a difference. It’s a long road to recovery, but Mary never gives up.As this moving true story unfolds, we feel Mary’s joy, we share her hope and, in time, her faith that Hannah will be okay.

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Copyright (#u82169d21-2612-57d6-bea3-c88eb9c7f6f5)

This book recounts the essence of my experience and in that sense is a true story. However, it is not intended as a literal account and it is not to be taken as a portrayal of any living person. All names of individuals, places or institutions are fictitious.

HarperElement

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and HarperElement are trademarks of

HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

First published in Great Britain by Andre Deutsch Ltd, 1977

This updated edition published by HarperElement 2014

Copyright © 1976, 2014 by Mary Burnham MacCracken

Mary MacCracken asserts the moral right to

be identified as the author of this work

Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2014

Cover photographs © Diane Kerpan/arcangel-images.com

A catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780007555147

Ebook Edition © March 2014 ISBN: 9780007555154

Version 2016-10-24

Also by Mary MacCracken (#u82169d21-2612-57d6-bea3-c88eb9c7f6f5)

The Lost Children

City Kid

Turnabout Children

Dedication (#u82169d21-2612-57d6-bea3-c88eb9c7f6f5)

For my remarkable father,

Clifford Wilcox Burnham, and Ann

Contents

Cover (#u296e5c38-60f0-5439-a3f3-fdbb0a95bc35)

Title Page (#ulink_93dc9397-4029-5bf4-af14-02860c25528b)

Copyright (#ulink_0987e8c7-3522-5c3b-8ccf-e248927e2078)

Also by Mary MacCracken (#ulink_8a70cad2-c219-5375-ad0f-cf4b79a012d1)

Dedication (#ulink_46014902-a14c-52bf-8913-8520fd5e36e5)

Chapter 1 (#ulink_39619965-b1d1-5ee1-a536-09224d1b9609)

Chapter 2 (#ulink_0faaeea5-2426-553f-8b7b-53b48d9ca403)

Chapter 3 (#ulink_d3330022-4244-57fd-a21f-c0122393d24e)

Chapter 4 (#ulink_bd521821-2da2-518a-8988-e73afdaf63dc)

Chapter 5 (#ulink_e839802b-e757-50c4-81b5-669b7e558ff5)

Chapter 6 (#ulink_6a99e71a-850d-5d8b-bea4-56eff80a5f4b)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)