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Colors In Me: Strength, Love, Resiliency
Follow young Austin as he tells his story of surviving abuse and neglect at home while trying to be the "good" kid at school. He struggles with his emotions, self-control, and anger and this has made his school experience very negative. He is starting at a new school and doesn't want to be the "bad" kid again this year. He seeks comfort and safety with his neighbor Dorothy while his mom struggles with her own addiction and domestic violence. Can he overcome the trauma? Will this school be different than the last? Will the teachers fake-care about him just to get him to behave? You will fall in love with Austin and have a new understanding of how words impact students and children. This story is based in truth from stories that have been shared over years working as a school counselor and therapist. Austin is a mix of the many struggles that students and children face. It truly is a must read for anyone working with kids and for anyone looking for a heart warming and emotional book that you won't be able to put down.
Chapter 1
Dark and hot. It bubbles in my tummy and hurts. The dark grows when I hear the screams and his voice filling the house. I plug my ears. The floor is cold and hard in the closet. It is smelly and sticky. I am hidden by boxes and musty clothes hanging in front of me. The screams bounce around my head like a small rocket that jabs my brain. I squeeze my teddy bear tight, keeping him close. He is my friend, Teddy, he helps me stay quiet. I hear him, my dad, Don. Well, he is not my real daddy. I don’t remember my real daddy much, except he laughed a lot. Sometimes I try to close my eyes and hear his laugh, or what I think I remember his laugh sounding like. Dad’s voice forces me to open my eyes and it is mad and he is yelling bad words. His voice is loud and strong and his voice can hurt me and Mommy.