The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology edited by Ron Earl Phillips

I first heard about this book through the Flash Fiction Friday website. If you haven’t been there it is a site that has a writing prompt every week and challenges authors to write a piece of flash fiction. One challenge was different though. Write stories about child abuse that can be put in to an anthology. The proceeds of the sales go towards charities that help protect children. These are genuine people offering part of their soul and their time to help children. That is an example we can all learn from.

The next time you look at a social worker and think they are a do-gooder just in it for the praise, or a phone support worker trying to ensure their place in heaven think about this book. Think about the stories within. They are disturbing in the worst way possible. You will view these people and the jobs they do in a totally different light. I can’t begin to relate to how an abuse victim feels, but I know that I don’t want to feel the way I did whilst reading these stories again.

The stories themselves are emotionally charged and well written. The writing styles are as varied as the types of abuse portrayed. It really is the hardest to read book I’ve ever attempted. If you are worried about being overwhelmed the flash fiction style at least allows for regular stops to take stock of things.

This anthology is a must read, and more importantly a never forget book. Go read it and think about the children. They are our future, but for some it is very bleak.

 

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