The Unbreakable Child: A story about forgiving the unforgivable

Through the pages of this well written memoir, Kim Richardson puts a "face" on all children who have suffered abuse at the hand of those charged to protect and nurture them. In an age where abuse of children and vulnerable adults seems epidemic, her story reminds the reader of the responsibility we all have to be vigilant for evidence of abuse of those who cannot protect themselves and quick to report suspected abuse to the appropriate authority. This is not just a story of injustice and cruelty beyond belief, but is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and the triumph of perseverance and determination over stark adversity. Readers who have suffered an abusive past will be inspired by Ms. Richardson's example of hope, courage, and reconciliation. Those who have devoted their careers to protecting children will face their work with a renewed sense of mission. No one will read this book and not be deeply affected. It is a must read for students entering the field of social work! Thank you, Ms. Richardson, for opening your life and sharing your journey for our betterment.

I just finished reading The Unbreakable Child. It was one of the hardest books I've ever read, yet one of the most necessary. I am a Catholic nun and was outraged at the humiliation, degradation, pain and exploitation that Kim and the others experienced during their years at the orphanage. I am so very, very sorry that those who should have shown God's love for them treated them with such cruel intent. Kim's amazing journey of healing is ultimately a beacon of hope, showing that in our darkest moments our light shines brightest.

Kim Michele Richardson has written an engaging memoir, heartfelt and heart-wrenching, about growing up in a Catholic orphanage where she and her older sisters endured years of abuse at the hands of the nuns to whose care they were entrusted. The book also chronicles the lawsuit brought against the orphanage by Kim and forty-four other survivors. My heart went out to Kim's little-girl self, reading about what she lived through. My heart also went out to the adult Kim, fortifying herself with courage to face such a harrowing past. Despite those terrible growing-up years, Kim survived and grew into a woman of great strength and compassion, planting her feet firmly on the road to healing and to helping others. She never lost her capacity for joy, and she was able to find it in her heart to forgive. Don't miss this book. It is a deeply touching account of the indomitable nature of the human spirit.

The Unbreakable Child will rip your heart out of your chest and dangle it in front of you. You'll ignore that minor inconvenience, because your eyes won't move from the pages of Kim Richardson's debut memoir. This is the story of Richardson's nine years in a Kentucky orphanage. At the same time, it's the story of the lawsuit brought against the order of nuns who ran the orphanage by Richardson and forty-four other former orphans. You know those sensational stories splashed across the newspapers and leading the nightly news? The ones about priests and nuns abusing and molesting children? Kim lived it. Kim and her three older sisters were taken from their neglectful mother when Kim was a toddler. The beatings started soon after and didn't stop until the girls' mother was granted custody again nine years later. There were bright spots--the gardener's flowers and homemade cookies, the friendships, the visits from the mostly ineffectual social worker. But the brightest spot was perhaps the death of Kim's main abuser. Interspersed with the story of Kim's childhood is the story of the lawsuit. Forty-five regular people against the might of the Church might seem too daunting to attempt. But one lawyer took on the task, and won. Kim's struggle against high-powered lawyers mirrors her indomitable spirit struggling against years of abuse. Kim came out the victor both times. The end of this book, with Kim loved by her husband and children, is a testament to hope and strength.