There are more than 450,000 children living in foster care. The Heart Knows Something Different collects over three dozen personal narratives by young writers, ages 15 to 20, and provides an insider's account of growing up in "the system." It takes us into a world largely hidden from public view, and attests to the mix of pain and fear, and sometimes hope, and sometimes even happiness that the foster care experience involves. Selected Reading Questionnaire.

The Heart Knows Something Different is a collection of writings by young people in the US (New York) foster system aimed mainly at peers - teens who may have similar experiences. Sadly, this book has become dated in a few ways - slang, walkmans, etc. Clearly it is talking about the '80s and '90s, but the experiences described are still raw and universal. It's definitely worth reading if you are an adult trying to understand someone young, especially someone who has been in "the system." I think it would be even more powerful in the hands of teens, although some of the pieces are pretty raw. I wouldn't l want a teen under the age of 14 read all the pieces in this book unless they had a trusted adult they could discuss it with. ( )