I read the book by Torey Hayden a while ago and didn't know that the film was based on that until I began watching it. The book was not something I would normally have watched but once I started I could not put it down.Although some may say it is not as good as the book the storyline is almost identical, after only 5 minutes into the film ( even though all the names were different )I knew it was based on the book and the cast had been picked exactly as i imagined them , well done ! I am not sure if I would have understood a lot of what was happening in the story had I not read the book but with hindsight I found it compulsive viewing as the book had been compulsive reading .

i have spent so long looking for the title of this movie. i was obsessed. i so loved this movie when i first saw it. i was abused as a child and i related to the child. i think this is an amazing movie that is so touching. it really makes you think and feel. i did not know it was based on a real story. people have posted that its nothing like the book therefore not any good. i don't believe that just because a movie is different it's bad. the movie was amazing and no movie follows it's book counterpart perfectly. think of it as individual and you will be sure to love it. i would recommend it to anyone. i would like to publicly thank 'mickeysroom' from the lifetimetv website for telling me the name of this movie. you've saved me from spending any more time looking for it and now i can enjoy learning more about it.

I haven't actually seen this film, but I wanted to point out that it is based on Torey Hayden's book One Child, which is about a 6 year old girl called Sheila- Sheila came into Torey Hayden's class for "special children" at the age of 6 after having tied a 3-year-old child to a tree and critically burned him. (from the back of the book) Torey herself, on her website (www.torey-hayden.com) says that this film was not as good as she wanted it to be. If you want to get the real story, read One Child (and Tiger's Child- the sequel). Also, go to her website, which also has a message board to discuss her books and other stuff.

I watched this recently on DVD and I rate it as excellent - if you like children and have compassion for the disadvantaged.Although there was nothing outstanding in terms of filming or special effects the children's' acting is great and it is a truly heartwarming story, often difficult not to cry! Even more so when you realize that it is true.The other aspects of the story are cleverly interwoven, with interaction between the teachers, and with the teacher's home life, with well acted and thoroughly believable lines. However, it is always the scenes with the children that steal the show.