RAISED BY COMMITTEE

This book felt very personal, as I understood that I was reading about the author's story. It takes great courage to tell people about your life openly and honestly, and I praise the author for being able to do so. The book entails her life in general; having endured different forms of abuse from one parent was hard to deal with, but realizing that her other parent had always known about it and chose to do nothing was heartbreaking. After she summoned the courage to finally talk to an officer about what she was experiencing at home, she and 2 of their younger siblings, Justin and Jane, were moved to an institute. After some time, she was separated but remained in contact with them as she visited often. She experienced serval heartbreaks, especially hearing that her parents had willingly given up her sister Jane. Having such irresponsible parents took a toll on her, and it somehow affected her emotions as she would randomly burst out in anger over situations. Although she spent her life in an institute, she got used to it and even pieced her life together. There is so much to like about this book. It was truly inspiring, and the author is resilient. I loved her devotion to looking after her younger siblings and even living an everyday life. The book was well-paced, and even though it is a true-life story, it wasn't dull. It was well-edited, and I spotted no errors while reading the book. There was nothing I did not like about the book, and I learned a lot from the author's story. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to people who appreciate stories about family, biographies, and self-discovery. I would also recommend this to readers above 18 as it contains details unsuitable for younger readers.

Raised by Committee by Carollyne Haynes is a terrific book that explores the author's experience growing up outside the normal and formal home setting at inception but within the child welfare system. The book is a first-person narrative, which gives closure to Haynes's story. She writes deliberately, honestly, and straightforwardly, reflecting the realities of childhood and adolescence. I appreciate the reflective and descriptive nature of the book because it gives me, as someone who has read the book, the opportunity to visualize every environment in the book and the prints of swell emotions. It also addresses the challenges of mental health that come from an unstable upbringing and then sheds light on the quest for identity and belonging, which opens the necessity for human connection and love for every child. The author also mentions the lack of stability in the child welfare system, which should be considered for a child's development and sense of self. The book's character development is consistent through Haynes's evolution, and I rate this book five out of five stars all the way through. It has a heavy sense of emotion from trauma and hardship. The subject matter of the book is powerful and thought-provoking, as we see through the last letter of the book. I recommend this book to educators, students, child welfare professionals, and general readers interested in social issues. It is educational and enjoyable.