• The Saddest Girl in the World

  • By: Cathy Glass
  • Narrated by: Denica Fairman
  • Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (236 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Saddest Girl in the World  By  cover art

The Saddest Girl in the World

By: Cathy Glass
Narrated by: Denica Fairman
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.67

Buy for $24.67

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

The Sunday Times and New York Times best-selling author of Damaged tells the true story of Donna, who came into foster care aged 10, having been abused, victimised, and rejected by her family. Donna has been in foster care with her two young brothers for three weeks when she is abruptly moved to Cathy's. When Donna arrives she is silent, withdrawn, and walks with her shoulders hunched forward and her head down. Donna is clearly a very haunted child and refuses to interact with Cathy's children, Adrian and Paula. After patience and encouragement from Cathy, Donna slowly starts to talk and tells Cathy that she blames herself for her and her brothers being placed in care. The social services were aware that Donna and her brothers had been neglected by their alcoholic mother, but no one realised the extent of the abuse they were forced to suffer. The truth of the physical torment she was put through slowly emerges, and as Donna grows to trust Cathy she tells her how her mother used to make her wash herself with wire wool so that she could get rid of her skin colour as her mother was so ashamed that Donna was mixed race.

The psychological wounds caused by the bullying she received also start to resurface when Donna starts reenacting the ways she was treated at home by hitting and bullying Paula, so much so that Cathy can't let Donna out of her sight.

As the pressure begins to mount on Cathy to help this child, things start to get worse and Donna begins behaving in erratic ways, trashing her bedroom and being regularly abusive towards Cathy's children. Cathy begins to wonder if she can find a way to help this child or if Donna's scars run too deep.

©2014 Cathy Glass (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

Reviews for Damaged:
"Cannot fail to move those who read it. ( Adoption-net)
"Heartbreaking" ( Mirror)
"A truly harrowing read that made me cry" ( Sun)
"A true tale of hope ( OK!)
"Foster carers rarely get the praise they deserve, but Cathy Glass's book should change all that" ( First magazine)
"A hugely touching and emotional true tale ( Star magazine)

More from the same

What listeners say about The Saddest Girl in the World

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    211
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    201
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    184
  • 4 Stars
    21
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another amazing book that I couldn't put down.

I love this one as it's clear that the effort Cathy put in with Donna paid off in the end. As with all of Cathy's books, she reminds that goodness, faith, trust, forgiveness and hard work pay off.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Cathy's stories are always good

I loved this story. Cathy Glass never disappoints. She has helped some many children, a true inspiration to all.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Relate

I could relate to Donnas tram with her mother and how her mother treated her.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Love the story short. Great performance. Excellent out come and to know there are still people who will love the unloved.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

she does it again!

Another great book by Cathy Glass. Readers will not disapointed with this unique story of a young girl in need of more than just a home.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Very detailed encounter of a child’s life, written with great detail and sincerity..I love all Cathy Glass’s memories. If only the child care system was like this in the US.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

great authors

this was a great book written by a wonderful woman well I don't know personally but I feel that I do cuz I've read many of her books and will continue to read them all. I have tears in every book as it brings me back to my childhood and I lived in a foster home and was lucky enough to have such an amazing woman like Cathy. I don't know if Cathy Reese's reviews but if you do never stop doing what you're doing because children need people like you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful read

Cathy Glass is a wonderful writer. It is sad that there are so many abused and neglected children, but wonderful there are foster parents that love and care for these children and love them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

chilling story of a child broken

it is true to say this book is similar to A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer just a story from the view of the foster care mother rather than the child what to see through their eyes and feel what they felt how the lack of a mother's love can be so damaging if it's someone's kind heart and soul in patience can show the child the true meaning that love is kind love is patient and fulfill what a mother should have done when she brought this child into this world Cathy glass is an amazing foster care mother should only be more

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Cathy Glass is a saint!!!!

I love these books! Cathy is a Saint and wish we had more like her!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!