The Things I Want Most: The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy's Journey To A Family Of His Own - Hardcover

Miniter, Richard

3.97

248 ratings by Goodreads

9780553109337: The Things I Want Most: The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy's Journey To A Family Of His Own

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0553109332 ISBN 13: 9780553109337

Publisher: Bantam, 1998

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Since his removal from an abusive home, eleven-year-old Mike had been placed with a dozen foster families and institutions. Medication could not control his defiant, violent behavior. The overwhelming conclusion: nothing more could be done. Mike was labeled severely emotionally disturbed and a hopeless case by the children's home in which he lived. When Richard and Sue Miniter, who'd raised six children of their own, read his file they found no indication that Mike even wanted help. Then, almost by accident, they came across a single sheet of blue paper labeled "The Things I Want Most." Beneath that headline, written in a child's sprawling, smudgy scrawl, were the words: "A Family, A Fishing Pole, A Family." They decided to take him in.

Portraying the unpredictability, frustration, and heartbreak of everyday life with a bright but uncontrollable child scarred by abuse, The Things I Want Most is the engaging and earnest story of the Miniters' first year with Mike. Despite the broken windows, attention demands, temper tantrums, and even fires, Mike and his new family survived their difficult first year together. Sustained by prayer, imagination, and the love of other family members (not the least of whom was Mike himself), they managed to turn the challenges into changes. Drawing readers into the hearts and minds of the Miniter family, The Things I Want Most is a testament to the reserves of strength and love it took to convince Mike that it just might be possible to have what he wanted most--a loving family.

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Review:

A straightforward story of a troubled foster son and his family, The Things I Want Most shows just how much persistence can pay off when it comes to family relationships. Funny, alarming, encouraging, and always honest, the book covers Mike's first year with his large foster family and all the struggles the family went through to make him feel both welcome. His needs and frustrations are central to the book, as are his parents' creative--and often desperate--solutions. There's a lot to think about here, including what makes a real family and how to achieve open communication in any group of people. Told through a combination of standard narrative and conversational snippets, this is a quick and engrossing read that any parent can relate to. But for anyone interested in becoming a foster parent, the book should be required reading: the first-hand accounts will provide all kinds of valuable insights into the special concerns of this kind of parenting. With an epilogue rounding out the past with a brief mention of family members' current activities, you'll feel like you spent the day getting to know a neighbor--and being pleasantly surprised with some of life's happy endings. --Jill Lightner

From the Back Cover:

THE REMARKABLE STORY OF A COUPLE WHO RISKED EVERYTHING TO OPEN THEIR HOME -- AND THEIR HEARTS -- TO ANSWER AN ABANDONED CHILD'S WISH

The Things I Want Most

It was a small note buried in the file of a deeply troubled eleven-year-old boy -- a plea for a normal life Rich and Sue Miniter couldn't ignore:

The Miniters heard in that simple note the voice of a frightened child who wanted what all children want and need: someone to love who would love them in return. So they brought Mike home to the cozy country inn they'd restored and managed in rural upstate New York. There, over the next year, they would try to make Mike's dream come true. But first they would have to work through the fear, anger, and distrust that accompanied this boy who had lived his whole life with the label "severely emotionally disturbed". For the biggest obstacle to Mike's happiness was Mike himself, who gave the Miniters every reason to give up but one -- the power of love.

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