The Girl Without a Voice: The true story of a terrified child whose silence spoke volumes

by Casey Watson

Bestselling author and foster carer Casey Watson tells the shocking and deeply moving true story of a young girl with severe behavioural problems.

This is the first of several stories about ‘difficult’ children Casey helped during her time as a behaviour manager at her local comprehensive.

Casey has been in the post for six months when thirteen-year-old Imogen joins her class. One of six children Casey is teaching, Imogen has selective mutism. She’s a bright girl, but her speech problems have been making mainstream lessons difficult.

Life at home is also hard for Imogen. Her mum walked out on her a few years earlier and she’s never got on with her dad’s new girlfriend. She’s now living with her grandparents. There’s no physical explanation for Imogen’s condition, and her family insist she’s never had troubles like this before.

Everyone thinks Imogen is just playing up – except the member of staff closest to her, her teacher Casey Watson. It is the deadpan expression she constantly has on her face that is most disturbing to Casey. Determined there must be more to it, Casey starts digging and it’s not long before she starts to discover a very different side to Imogen’s character.

A visit to her grandparents’ reveals that Imogen is anything but silent at home. In fact she’s prone to violent outbursts; her elderly grandparents are terrified of her.

Eventually Casey’s hard work starts to pay off. After months of silence, Imogen utters her first, terrified, words to ‘I thought she was going to burn me.’

Dark, shocking and deeply disturbing, Casey begins to uncover the reality of what Imogen has been subjected to for years.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Fostering, True Crime, Biography, Family, Biography Memoir

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2014

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I must have some kind of morbid fascination with tragic life stories such as these, because I seem to read a lot of them. I’ve read a few of Casey Watson’s and have always found them emotive and well-written. ‘The Girl Without a Voice’, although a sad story, was nowhere near as hard-hitting as some others I’ve read. It’s an interesting case of a teenage girl with selective mutism, but I don’t think it really warranted a whole book to be written about it. There was a lot of filler text, talking about Casey’s family life at home, having dinner with her kids, and so on, which really didn’t seem necessary. If this was compacted into a short story it would certainly have been a fascinating read, but I just found this too long.

[N.KH # · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imogen had difficulty to speak in front of anyone but her grandparents . She parley showed gestures to show people that she could understand what they were saying. She lived in her grandparents' house , for her father was working a lot and at far places. Beside her step mom who lived in her father's house . So Imogen's grandparents decided to take her to a new school where different people could be found . However, as soon as she went there , Imogen's teacher and her classmates were more than helpful. The teacher had been using different strategies and methods to get the girl to talk. After discussing the girl's issue with specialist at school, the teacher knew that she had to know the reason behind the girl's silence. From that point , the teacher played Sherlock Holmes character to discover what caused the girl's silence " selective mutism" .
After a lot of obstacles, Imogen spoke only words ,and then completed sentences.

[Rita (housefullofbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

É tão bom saber que existem pessoas como Casey Watson, que trabalha diariamente para fazer a diferença na vida daqueles que precisam de alguém que os ouça. Tenho uma enorme admiração por ela, e pelos seus livros, claro!

[Rose Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read practically all of Casey's books...this was her first memoir from her days as a teacher. And I loved learning about Imogen and her past, although it is pretty horrific. Casey seems like the nicest woman ever, and a fantastic teacher to her select few. Not to everyone's taste, and to some people, 'Selective Mutism' may just seem like something ridiculous, but these conditions do exist and need to be recognised!

[Nada · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was okay. I was slightly disappointed with this book because i had high expectations. I gave it three stars because i enjoyed learning about Imogen's selective mutism and her devastating childhood.

[Lily Rawnsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this novel was based on a true story, of a terrified, traumatized young girl, the writing and narration did not set up for a thrilling and emotional experience for readers. The unnecessary dialogue and structure allow readers to flow through the book, unintentionally too quick. This takes away the realness and authenticity of Imogen's unique story. In criticism, slowing the book down, providing more about Imogen's family and her story, producing more effective dialogue, and illustrating the process of Imogen's breakthrough and hard work as a character would get readers to relate and become emotionally connected within this deeper and challenging topic. The front cover reads, "a terrified child whose silence spoke volumes". Yet, there is little description or mood incorporated to pose that Imogen is actually terrified; while her silence was rather hard for me as a reader to empathize with. If narration was done by Imogen's character, readers would likely feel more for her, and remain intrigued with her selective mutism. As with the title, "The Girl Without a Voice", the story does a lot of telling, rather than expressing and going into deeper detail about characters. This kept me disengaged. Differently, Mrs. Watson was a likeable character who showed care for all of her children. Ultimately, with all of the episodes and events that occurred, many lessons were presented, about life and understanding children: all you can do is "to make them change the way they felt about themselves, which would in turn, change how they interacted with their world"... 'listen to what children have to say' to be able to understand them — all of which were effective to the understanding of the students issues and behaviors.

[LAURA JONES · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is when Casey worked in a school and when Imogen joined the school she was living with her grandparents; her stepmother did not want her and her father worked as a long distance coach driver. though she was mute at school home life meant some thing different after all; a swearing fighting angry girl who the grandparents struggled to cope with. can Casey sort out what is troubling the girl? get her to speak and tell what is causing her so much anger and pain? can she get the grandparents on her side? a book that is true and turns out so much different to what you would think

[Tanya Boulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting another book where Casey fostered this child, but this went back to when Casey was a behavioural teacher. I can totally relate working in a primary school and coming across kids like this in everyday life maybe not to the extreme Casey has. She must of kept diaries to be able to recall so much detail from times past and I really enjoy reading her stories. Just having trouble sourcing some of them

[Anya Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read but someone needs to take away Casey Watson’s right to assign pseudonyms! 2 Mikes and a Mick for no apparent reason, then loads of other main characters all beginning with the same letter - Gavin, Gary, Gerri, Graham! Literally no reason for this!

Enjoyed the story though and although I was a little dubious about the school Unit setting rather than fostering, i actually really enjoyed it! Although a bit shocked she’d share so much confidential info with her family constantly!

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a corner of a school behaviour manager casey runs a unit for children who find mainstream difficult for various reasons. In comes imogen a silent child, hiding family turmoil, will casey discover the childs secret before term is out ? I will be reading more of her books because she recounts a situation so easily.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a memoir about Casey's time working in a unit for kids who are not thriving in a regular classroom, for one reason or another. In particular it is about a girl who is selectively mute and Casey's search for the trigger for her muteness. I learned a lot that I did not previously know about selective muteness, which was very interesting.

[Milly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not rating a story as it's obviously sad, but the way the book was written - it made me feel a bit bored. I struggled to focus on it, I got confused a few times as it seemed like Casey was talking about something and then drifting off to a different story and then coming back to what she was talking about previously.

I hope the rest of her books will be more gripping

[Jesse Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caddy Watson is no Torey Hayden but I enjoyed the story all the same. Unfortunately, Casey comes across as holding a lot back or not entirely honest and she, and the children she teaches, are boring characters because of this

[M T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very poorly written. Too much info on the authors cleaning habits and coffee consumption.

[Marta Pereira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um desenlace um pouquinho precipitado e pouco credível, se calhar como a vida real...

[carlee loveday · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of casey’s earlier books I would highly recommend her if you like torey Hayden

[Pammi Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fab read

Casey strikes again well done , I and yr family are just amazing in what u do for these children,
I found it hard to put this book down booked from start to finish

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good but a bit slower then some of hers.

[Joyce Van noten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes me miss my job so much in these current times. It really shows an image of the work some schools and member of staffs are putting in helping students. A very touching story.

[Rosanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

If only everyone in this genre could write like Torey Hayden.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor girl has selective mutism due to unspeakable trauma.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

[Dan Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very compelling read. A true testament to the hard work of teachers and the resiliency of children.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selective mutism is an interesting phenomenon resulting from trauma, and even harder to help heal, but Casey did!

[Nush · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful

A great read about a young girl, Imogen, who is mute in school. Casey makes it her mission to get to the bottom of why Imogen won’t or can’t speak.

[Lish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do prefer her foster caring books by far but I do think it is just personal preference this was still a brilliant book and I can’t wait to read the next in the chronological series

[Shana · Rating 3 out of 5]

THREE AND HALF STARS.

[Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Watson, teacher in the behavior modification unit, helps a girl with selective mutism tell her terrible story.

Contains: Cussing, psychological abuse of a child.