Too Scared to Tell

by Cathy Glass

The true story of a 6-year-old boy with a dreadful secret.

Oskar's school teacher raises the alarm. Oskar's mother is abroad and he has been left in the care of 'friends', but has been arriving in school hungry, unkempt, and with bruises on his arms, legs and body. Experienced foster carer Cathy Glass is asked to look after him, but as the weeks pass her concerns deepen. Oskar is far too quiet for a child of six and is clearly scared of something or someone.

And who are those men parked outside his school watching him?

Genres: Nonfiction, Fostering, Audiobook, Biography, Memoir, Adult, Abuse

336 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2020

About the author

Cathy Glass is a bestselling British author, freelance writer and foster carer.
Her work is strongly identified with both the True Life Stories and Inspirational Memoirs genres, and she has also written a parenting guide to bringing up children, Happy Kids, and a novel, The Girl in the Mirror, based on a true story.
Glass has worked as a foster career for more than 20 years, during which time she has fostered more than 50 children. Her fostering memoirs tell the stories of some of the children who came in to her care, many of whom had suffered abuse.
The first title, Damaged, was number 1 in the Sunday Times bestsellers charts in hardback and paperback. Her next three titles, Hidden, Cut and The Saddest Girl in the World, were similarly successful, all reaching the bestseller charts.
The name "Cathy Glass" is a pseudonym for author Lisa Stone.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is going to be slightly different to the majority of my books reviews as 'Too Scared To Tell' is non-fiction and deals with real life events and it isn't fiction. Reviewing non-fiction can be tricky but I will do my best.
Cathy Glass is an amazing woman, friend, mother and foster carer. She has fostered well over 100 children, who have often been taken to her house in the most desperate of circumstances and who have often been very frightened. Cathy has a huge heart, as do her children, and she doesn't treat her foster children any different from her biological children. Cathy manages to get her foster children to trust her and to open up, which is no easy feat when you consider the heartbreak and trauma that the children have been through before they arrive at Cathy's home.
Cathy's books always appeal to me. I guess in a way that they bring back memories for me, since I used to work within Childrens Social Services and so reading Cathy's books feels like I am back at work. Cathy mentions the endless paperwork that a new placement brings with it and I remember printing out or photocopying endless reams of paper ready for the social worker to take with them. All necessary paperwork I hasten to add. Anyway that's enough of my ramblings so back to the review itself I do go.
It didn't take me long at all to get into this book. In fact as soon as I started to read 'Too Scared To Tell', I knew that I would have to cancel everything I had planned for the rest of the day as I wouldn't be able to put this book down at all. I must be psychic because that's exactly what happened. For me, 'Too Scared To Tell' was simply unputdownable. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I became so absorbed in Oskar's story that I didn't want to miss a single second of the book. I kept everything crossed that things would work out for him and that any wrongdoing against him was adequately punished.
'Too Scared To Tell' is superbly written but then I think that of all of Cathy's books. She treats difficult subjects with great tact, diplomacy, sensitivity and with great compassion. Cathy draws you into the book from the start and you end up so wrapped up in the book that you feel as though you know Oskar and you share Cathy's fears and hopes for him. Cathy's writing always tugs on my heartstrings and I find myself feeling increasingly emotional.
In short another compelling and emotional read. Cathy is a fantastic foster carer and deserves recognition for everything she has done and still does. I would definitely recommend Cathy's books to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of her work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Demi Nolan (Taylor’s Version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so much love for Cathy Glass books!

[Klare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flowed well and finished it quickly.

[Julie Haigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very good read from Cathy Glass.

Certainly a page-turner, and I finished it in just a couple of days. I've seen some reviewers comment about it "ending on a cliffhanger"-or "how could she end it there?"-but, really, this IS a complete story in the book-but there is also another story which branches out-and she said that will be covered in her next book. Needless to say, I've already pre-ordered it-I know that will be another good book!

I enjoy Cathy Glass' fostering memoirs, and how you can 'drop in anywhere' in her series of books. They don't necessarily go in order, so you don't need to read them in any particular order. By their very nature, there can tend to be a bit of repetition-for example, she explains routine things in most, if not all books: The required medical, dental, and optical checks for new charges. Also about how she has to write every daily happening in a log. This is great for readers new to her books-but can be a bit repetitive for regular readers-but I do see it's necessary.

Another very good read, can't wait for more.

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as always. I found myself tearing up... A lot.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pulled at every emotion. I could not put this book down. Bless your heart Cathy Glass for all you do.

[Jenn Brouwer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Cathy Glass book. I can never put her books down and this is no exception. Her Fostering memoirs tug at your heart, they make you laugh and cry. Oskars story is both sad and happy. He has lived through some horrific abuse but through a diligent teacher and the care of experienced Carer Cathy he comes out of his shell and in the end is able to go to a good home that loves him.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best by Cathy Glass

[Sid™ · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILERS-
I’m so glad this is another one of Cathy’s books with a happy ending 😅 from reading a lot of her previous books, I instantly knew what had happened to Oskar from the way that he’d withdrawn himself and how scared he was of Adrian and Andrew. My heart sunk when he finally disclosed his abuse to Cathy :(( I’m so glad he got to live where he wanted to in the end and that those monsters got locked up. Every time I read a Cathy book, it cements into my heart how much I’m looking forward to fostering in the future, when I’m settled and ready.

[Ian Mcnamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved the book

[Deborah Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

No complex narrative just beautiful storytelling. A true story of a Foster Carer and one of her many fostered children. This book offers a captivating insight into the life of a foster carer and the heartbreaking story of a 6 year old boy.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first ever Cathy Glass book.
I always saw and heard of my mum and her sister reading these books quite often when I was younger but I never read one until recently because I felt I was now old enough to (I'm 18 btw hahaha) ~
I think it's obvious that Cathy Glass isn't a skilled author. Her writing is very mediocre and isn't particularly impressive. She uses the same phrases and words to describe things over and over.
However, the story itself was very interesting and also not something I would rate as I dislike rating non-fiction books as it's like you are rating someones experiences and their life and it just feels wrong. But I read this very very quickly and I definitely want to read more Cathy Glass books

[Tracey Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Cathy Glass.
Hard hitting as all her books are but excellently written.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. I felt that the ending became a bit scattered though I suppose it is based on a true story so it may not have the typical 'resolution.' I do feel at certain points that it was a bit simplistic/glossed over some of the issues (Eg. Oskar acting out/behaviour problems seems like it should be more significant) but nonetheless as it is a true story they probably wouldn't want to go into too much detail which I understand. I do feel it's likely that the boy would still have problems going into the future and it will take longer than a few months for him to heal (which I think the 'happy ending' implies he is pretty much better now after his foster care stay). I think Cathy is doing good work and it is good to raise awareness of what happens in some of these families but part of me feels like it isn't quite the quite the right thing to do to be profiting off the stories of foster children. Though idk. The book was pretty much what I expected it to be I guess.

[eddy · Rating 2 out of 5]

me: cathy glass has an atrocious writing style with no sense of telling a story or hooking a reader. but more than that, it's concerning that this woman is the poster child for foster carers when she shows a complete lack of respect for every single social worker she meets and a total lack of empathy for the insane, unmanageable workload that they have compared to the one child she's asked to look after at a time.
also me: anyway onto the next one

[Kivalina Mauck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Oskar is only 6. His mom works so much she tends to ignor him and strangers are taking over. 2 men have badly abused him. Luckly he gets put into care . He finally tells what happened. Ending was amazing. That was so extra sweet. What a great thing to do. I hope the guy stays with Lucy. Some do some do not. I have 3 daughters. I know how things can be.

[Caroline Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cathy Glass never fails, always enjoy her true life experiences

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of Cathy Glass.

Why? Because she has been a foster carer for most of her life. She writes these books based on her real experiences.

I’ve heard about some readers who have said that these are not her stories to tell and she shouldn��t write about the vulnerable children she has cared for!
I disagree. If more people read these books, maybe, parents and carers would learn or pick up something useful! I have suggested these books to friends. I’ve had feedback, genuinely thanking me for lending them to them. There were things they had never considered and were basing their own upbringing on how they parented. Many parents, my self included at one time, never knew any different because you only know, what you know.

This book written in such a way that keeps you interested and explains in basic terms, some policies and procedures of social services and carers. It is also written so that, I certainly felt like I was almost there.

The love the fostering family show towards those they care for is immense. Patience, time and help where they can as well as the times that things go wrong and lessons are learned!

I love that there are people like this in the world. The synopsis of this book tells you enough about the actual story! Very emotional and I winced and tears welled up at times.

[Taylor Turnbull · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Too Scared to Tell’ represents the motions of the care system in the UK. The novel follows the memoir of a six year old boy, Oskar, who has entered the care system due to abuse in the home and the neglect from his over worked mother due to reasons she can’t seem to avoid.
Glass follows the time of Oskar’s time in care, recording the trials and tribulations both Oskar and Cathy face - both emotional and physical.
Furthermore, the novel dips in and out of Cathy’s personal life, which gives the novel as a whole a ‘close to home feel’ for the reader.

Positives:
- The novel gives an insight into the care system which the reader may not have had before reading this novel. I know personally I was not exposed to this information before reading this (eg: process into care, parental
contact etc).
- Easy to read and gets to the point to why certain events and processes take place.
- Approaches explicit content with respect and shows the reality of caring for abused children.

Negatives:
- The writing style used by Glass is pretty basic as no major literary techniques are used other than the description of emotions and events. However, we need to remember as readers Glass is a carer first, and an author second.
- Some words and phrases are often repeated (eg: ‘sympathetically’), which could become tedious for the reader.

[Great Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day in the bookshop I was challenged by a customer to pick up Cathy Glass and give her a go, as a writing style and knowing the subject and focus of her writing I would have said before that there was no way these were for me, but how wrong I was!

Oskar's story was shocking, and absolutely unexpected. What got me the most though was the writing style, instantly friendly and welcoming I felt like I was there in the home for the journey with Cathy and could visualise everything from the meetings in the lounge to the difficult meetings with the support workers and the school. Without spoilers to the plot there's not much more I can say but I highly recommend as for me this was the starting point on a journey that has captivated me to this day. Especially to those who, like me, would have never tried these without a prompt please let me pass on my customer's recommendation to you as you may be pleasantly surprised.

[Pidge · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading Cathy glass, Mum put me on to her.
Amazing book and Cathy is a delight to read.
Her books can be quite sad sometimes but the way everything is written makes you feel safe and reflect on everything you had read, and really think about how you feel about it all.

As for this book, in particular, I Loved Oskar and his progression, being reminded how far he had come since first coming into care. Oskar and his mother are really well written and complex characters (this is probably helped due to the fact they are real people but still the way they have been written in excellent) You really go back and forth about your feelings towards Oskars mother.

Only lost 1 star for being a little too long-winded in the end, although the last few pages are amazing and I just wish it had cut 10 or so pages between that.

[Katie_Potatie]

Three things about Too Scared to Tell:
1. Trigger Warning: Child Abuse
2. Almost clinical prose
3. Neglectful parent

CAWPILE: N/A

We all know by now, that I love Cathy Glass, and reading Too Scared to Tell has not changed my opinion at all. Oskar's story was heart-wrenching and beautifully told. Cathy is one of my idols, a lot of what I learn in her books about compassion and patience reflects back to my own family.

Oskar is an abused 6 year old that comes into Cathy's care after a teach notices a bruise on his face. It is important to know that the mother in this book will make you angry at her blatant disregard for her child and instead her need to work constantly at the expense of her child. It was infuriating and hurtful to read. but as always Cathy was the idol who treated him with the safety and respect he deserved.

[Rebekah Mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off well, But it took over 150 pages to get my hooked on the storyline. Obviously a very important and powerful topic that I thought Glass raised a great amount of awareness for. Towards the end I found myself only skimming the words and skipping pages as the story got very repetitive. I think if you took all the important things that happened in this book and wrote them down, You would only fill a page. Most of the language and plot was uneventful and unnecessary. Though on a more positive note, The wording was easy to understand and it was a good, quick read. I’m glad that Glass chose to write about this experience and I think she described Oskar’s emotions very well. I do hope Oskar is ok now :)

[vin_dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heart-wrenching read and I remember myself tearing up on multiple occasions. The book takes you through so much emotions - sometimes it makes you grin, and at certain points you're filled with a lot of sadness that you won't be able to get anything done during the day (as it was the case with me). I cannot imagine kids going through such things - and I'm horrified to be reminded that child abuse is a regular occurrence in the world (and even within the past couple of months, there has been an increase in the percentage of content that were been uploaded to child pornography sites. And the saddest thing is that the abuser can be someone you really trust - a neighbour, a friend, or even a relative.

I really admire Cathy Glass for all that she does for these kids. She has a remarkable talent and patience to get children to open up to her - which is obviously the first step of a journey towards healing.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical Cathy Glass book. Stories about the many children she took into her home over many years. Many bring unique challenges, but most leave better than when they arrive. All have different backgrounds. In this case, the end is truly heartbreaking. She has so many books and a lot of experience with all kinds of kids in the UK, and in spite of what challenges she knows some of these kids will bring, she is still open to accepting them during their time of need. In addition, she has personally adopted several of her own fosters. Her own kids are so open and helpful to allowing foster kids into their own home. It takes a special person to open your heart and home to children you don't know well and have to learn their triggers and distinct personalities, and then have to let them go.

[Janice Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Excellent book!

Could not put down! Cathy makes a reader feel like they are standing in the room watching. A play right before your eyes. Cathy's stories are interesting and a learning tool as well. Emotional,Funny, and heart warming. I have read all her books and have so much respect for her beautiful soul. I am 75 years and have read all her books and she is by far the best Author I have ever read. Her books touch every emotion
I have. Thank you Kathy for sharing your beautiful family and journey of foster care. If one is looking for a book you cannot p down....read Cathy Glass novels. They are all spell binding!

[Maryshell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Excellent Read by Cathy Glass!

Of all the British foster carer authors, Cathy Glass has always been my favorite. I’ve read every one of her fostering books. Her writing style is very descriptive, and I always feel like I’m right there. This story about Oskar was no exception. Oskar had a terrible secret he was keeping, and with the love, kindness, and caring of Cathy, he was able to finally tell it and work through it. This book was a bit different, though, because there was a little surprise at the end. I always look forward to Cathy’s new books, but I’m totally excited for her next one!

[RonDana Houchins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't finish the book. I Maddy still pick it back up. But it moved a little slow for me. Since I only have so much time to read I needed something a little more fast paced. But the author is a good writer and is very careful, paying attention to details. The author, writing under a pseudo name, is a foster parent in her actual life. I Can only imagine what she has seen. But to me, she appears to be very good at it and had a broad knowledge of childhood trauma and how to approach a child.
In summary, if you have time to spend reading, I would recommend this book. I may have done better if I had purchased it in the audio version.

[Brent Seheult · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cathy and Casey both do a wonderful job providing love to the children they bring home. I did foster care training in Virginia and these two authors have been strongly suggested. I love both of these care workers and their job is not easy task. I read as many books by these people as possible because I know these women love children. I support both women by purchasing their books to help offset the cost of care. Yes, the book no where to go, Bill bear the first and his epic fist but was so cute. Thank God for these women. Just to be on the safe side, I never had a Cathy or Casey when I was being abused.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

another moving story

This story about little Oskar who had been scared and abused really pulled me in. Cathy again played such a huge part in getting Oskar to feel secure and safe enough to share what ugly truths he had been through and was afraid to tell anyone. His mother was overworked and trying to earn enough money to pay off debts and care for her other sick son that she failed to recognise what Oskar had been through. Yet again Cathy shares how she opens up her home to look after and care for these vulnerable children until they are safe enough to move on to a forever home.