Truth

Three Little Words: a memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
reviewed by Maddie

The book Three Little Words isn't a made-up story about an orphan everybody loves and pities. It's a true story, a memoir, of a girl lost deep in the bowels of the American foster-care system.

Taken from her loving but unpredictable mother, Ashley is thrown head-first into a world of orphans, difficult days, and abuse, her little brother Luke as her only company. Forced to move continually, with unhelpful caseworkers and uncaring foster parents, Ashley hardens herself to the word " love." She will never be her Mama's sunshine again.

When she arrives at the home of the Mosses, she is not expecting any special treatment. She is used to these "families", foster parents who take care of more kids than they can handle, and unkind children. But at the Mosses' foster home, all of her previous hardships fade away as she fights to protect herself and Luke from abuse. Uncomfortable positions, impossible tasks, even swallowing hot sauce in a gulp...Ashley is forced to be the big girl, and take care of vulnerable Luke.

This touching memoir of injustice, abuse, and terror is a heart-wrenching read, even more so because it is a memoir. In her fight for what's right, all that Ashley must remember are three little words. What could they be?

Extra information:
The best part of the book is its truth. Every word you read is true.
The worst part of the book is its truth. To realize that all of the abuse that Ashley faced was real strikes a chord in your heart.
The characters do seem real because they are.
The setting is beyond interesting. It is touching, beautiful, and painful.
The story flows like a river. Each problem that Ashley faces turns into a series of events. Some of the things that happened follow her actions, others just happen. Her life was unpredictable.
This book is for mature readers, who can handle things like the Mosses' behavior towards their foster children. This book is also for both boys and girls — it will touch anyone's heart.