Songs of Aging Children: Short Stories

Virginia Gillham is Associate Librarian of the Public Service Library at
the University of Guelph.

Ken Klonsky teaches children who have been isolated from mainstream
public education because their disruptive, antisocial behavior impedes
both their own progress and that of others. Having been an antisocial
child himself, Klonsky empathizes with these young misfits and
understands that their behavior is the manifestation of deep personal
hurt. The title refers to the fact that the tragedy of some of these
young lives causes the children to age prematurely and miss significant
parts of their childhood.

Each of the 10 haunting stories in this collection is based on fact,
and is about some terribly abused or disturbed young person. There are
no pat answers here and few happy endings, only deeply moving insights
into the lives of those most of us are too ready to dismiss as hopeless
and irredeemable.

This compelling book will not be easily forgotten.