Ashley Rhodes-CourterRecensioni

A great read detailing one girl's experience growing up in the Florida foster care system.

I liked that Rhodes-Courter wrote what she was thinking and feeling as a child, rather than only reflecting back with "adult understanding" - I think it helps readers better understand what kids in care actually experience.

There is some language (in dialogue) and a few sexual references (depicting what she was exposed to as a child).

Though the foster care system has improved some since Rhodes-Courter was in it, there are so many more improvements needed, and I found this book motivating!

"Although [our mother] submitted applications for food stamps and aid for dependent children, the welfare officials told her that she was ineligible because her children were no longer living with her. When she tried to get us back, the caseworker said she had to be able to provide food for us.... We were now state property. Our legal guardian was the executive branch of the Florida government, an entity that would rather pay strangers to care for us than offer any economic help to my mother to care for her own children." (p 15-16)

This incredibly emotional memoir was tough to read, but also very inspiring. Ashley Rhodes-Courter relates her life story as a child in the foster care system. I have not had a very good perception of our current system for handling the needs of children who are failed by their biological parents, and this book sadly reinforced my views. However, the strength of Rhodes-Courter really comes through as well and saves the story from just being completely dark and depressing.

An extraordinary tale that makes me want to become a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate . . .somehow, we, as a society, need to do better for these innocent children who are blameless and yet suffering for the faults of others.

Finished this one in a day because I couldn't stop reading it . . .

"Sunshine, you're my baby and I'm your only mother. You must mind the one taking care of you, but she's not your mama." Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent nine years of her life in fourteen different foster homes, living by those words. As her mother spirals out of control, Ashley is left clinging to an unpredictable, dissolving relationship, all the while getting pulled deeper and deeper into the foster care system. Painful memories of being taken away from her home quickly become consumed by real-life horrors, where Ashley is juggled between caseworkers, shuffled from school to school, and forced to endure manipulative, humiliating treatment from a very abusive foster family. In this inspiring, unforgettable memoir, Ashley finds the courage to succeed - and in doing so, discovers the power of her own voice. Selected Reading Questionnaire.

The book, published in 2009, tells the story of how Ashley survived in Florida’s foster care system. Eventually she was adopted by a family with two adult sons, and she began a battle through the courts to seek justice and help for other foster children.

Painful memories of being taken away from her home quickly become consumed by real-life horrors, where Ashley is juggled between caseworkers, shuffled from school to school, and forced to endure manipulative, humiliating treatment from a very abusive foster family. In this inspiring, unforgettable memoir, Ashley finds the courage to succeed – and in doing so, discovers the power of her own voice.
Ashley Rhodes-Courter’s book is a treasure to foster children and to a system that needs fixing so badly. Every person who reads this book will feel a desire to advocate for these kids and to see the system change. As a teen, Ashley herself sees the movie Erin Brockovich and decides that she will be like Erin and stand up for what’s right. She will help other children who are enmeshed in the foster care system. Today she is a public speaker on this issue and a foster mother.

The author recounts her harrowing years of growing up in fos- ter and group homes, the abuses she suffered, her mother’s termination of parental rights, and finally being adopted as an adolescent. Note to Reader, Photos of the Author.

author's story; really well done

Sad. Heart warming.

Three Little Words is a compelling memoir about the horrors of foster care. It jumps around quite a bit and isn't terribly well-written but the story is shocking enough to keep you turning the pages. Ashley escapes from "the system" as a successful young woman but I was repeatedly struck by her lack of gratitude. I would have loved this book as a middle school student.

This memoir is especially useful for children learning to self advocate or working their way through tumultuous home lives. Courter spent 12 years in foster care moving through numerous caregivers. She spent years literally lost in the system without an advocate. She lived with abusive parents, neglectful parents, and in modern-day equivalents of the dickensian orphanage. Even so, her narrative does not dwell in self-pity. Ashley story shines a light on lost children and a hidden system and, at the same time, graciously acknowledges those who've worked behind the scenes on her behalf.

While Ashley's story has a happy ending, it is not a fairytale. Her purpose is not simply a good story well told. This book is meant to raise awareness among those inexperienced with our modern foster care system and to act as a lifeline for those who know it too well.

This second memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter is every bit as good as the first. It's a continuation of her life, and this is one remarkable person. Readers will understand the difficulties of foster parenting and that it takes a very special person to do this well. The need for good foster parents is always there and apparently having bad ones in the system is an ongoing problem. Ashley is Wonder Woman in many ways. Everything about her story is exceptional. She's also inspiring. I didn't realize before how much difference CASA volunteers can make in a child's life.

It's important that Ashley told her story and the continuing story of all children in foster care. Maybe exposing more people to the truth will help change things for the better. There just aren't enough remarkable people like Ashley around.

This book came to me from Goodreads Giveaways.

Everything about this story is remarkable -- the author, as a person, the family that adopted her eventually, and some of the people who made the adoption possible. Unfortunately, the book is also full of people who let children down in the most basic ways and some who harmed them. It's a great story because of the attitude of the author, despite her experiences in Florida's foster care system. Thank goodness a super special family found Ashley and then gave unselfishly of themselves and their time to give one child a chance to fly, and oh did this one fly. Now Ashley does remarkable things to help other children. I hope other caring people will be moved to adopt or help make positive changes in the system.

Ashley's story isn't simple, nor did she tell it in a simple way. There are so many facets and nuances to this story. For a young person we can all be proud of, Ashley's talents and insights shine through, and the goodness inside her is apparent. She's also totally honest in this recounting, something that will endear readers to her. These are real people making the world a better place and the book should be shared.

I received this book through Goodreads Giveaways along with Ashley's new book, "Three More Words", which I can't wait to finish.

This is a very moving story that brings the reader to tears and fills their hearts with joy with each success Rhodes-Courter has. This novel is written in a very accessible manner, so that teens are more likely to read and understand her perspective. The message of this novel builds empathy for foster children in any reader.

This would be a great novel to read in a journalism class in preparation for a story on foster children in the United States and the stress that they endure. This would also be a wonderful novel to feature in the library during a child welfare theme

A powerful and disturbing memoir of a foster child who had the inner strength to endure and survive uncaring and abusive families and governmental agencies. This is a story of hope but also despair, for all the damaged kids who will fall through the cracks. Kudos to Ashley for speaking out on their behalf.

This is a memoir of a little girl who was put into foster care at the age of three. She spent nine years of her life in fourteen different foster homes. It discusses everything she went through.

Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sequel to the author's 2008 memoir, Three Little Words, which I reviewed here.

This book chronicles Ashley's continuing challenges of dealing with her troubled childhood into adulthood, letting go of the past, learning to trust, opening up her heart, accepting and giving love. It tells stories of how she went through college, fell in love, struggled with body image and self-esteem, made peace with her past, accepted love, and adopted frail foster children.

You have to give to the world the thing that you want the most, in order to fix the broken parts inside you.
- Eve Ensler

From taking a leap of faith to spreading love to others, Ashley epitomizes the healing power of love, the strength of the human spirit, compassion, and resilience, and grace. Her inspiring story confirms that adults aren't prisoners of troubled childhoods.



I was shocked to learn that there are 130,000 children in the U.S. foster care system waiting to be adopted. I hope her efforts to improve the failing foster care system will pay off someday.

And the "three more words" from the title are, as you probably have guessed, "I love you."

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.



This is a deeply personal chronicle of the author's nine tumultuous years spent in 14 foster homes mainly in South Carolina and Florida. Born to a teenage mother, she was taken from her before she even turned 4 years old. Then she was juggled by a constant parade of caseworkers and so-called "mothers" before she eventually arrived at a secure and loving home at age 12.

During those 9 years of her troubled childhood, Ashley felt frustrated, abandoned, confused, neglected, and trapped. The chaos in overcrowded foster homes seemed overwhelming. For example, at the Mosses’ home, they enforced usually harsh discipline, including making children drink hot sauce. There, Ashley and other foster children suffered from hunger, manipulation and humiliation.

She does a good job of reporting her experiences from an innocent child’s perspective, but her narrative also shows interwoven complexity.

The three little words in the title were not "I love you," but "I guess so", taken from words that Ashley spoke at her adoption proceedings, when she was asked by the judge for her consent. She simply reply, “I guess so,” indicating her tenuous faith in not only in the system but also people in general.

Ultimately, her leap of faith paid off in her new home, where she was encouraged to tell her story as well as filing a class action suit against the Mosses.

Ashley’s heartfelt story exemplifies hope, resilience, and the healing power of love.



This book challenges an often overwhelmed and failing foster care system. I suppose it would be a pleasant read for any social worker involved in child welfare, foster care, or adoption, since this book offers great insight into the mind of children in transition. It would also be helpful to those considering adoption or fostering.

This is a very good book full of the hardships this foster girl went through on the road to find her adoptive parents. 3Q3P The cover art is okay and I'd recommend this book to middle school and high school students as well as adults. I chose to read this book because I liked the way the girl on the cover looked and thought it'd be good. DanaS

This book is a definite tear-jerker. The most real, in depth book on foster care and the hard life of a child I have ever read 5Q4P The cover art is okay and I'd recommend this to high school students and adults. I chose to read this book because my mom recommended it to me. AlanaK

Poignant autobiography of a young woman who lived through hell in the foster care system of Florida from ages four through twelve. She was jaded and had a hard time trusting the couple who adopted her for a long time. I read some parts quickly just because I wanted to get past the horror story of her life with the Mosses, but it was replayed many times as she tried to get people to believe her story and bring justice to the Mosses.

The story of Ashley-Rhodes is a heart wrenching story which follows her journey through the foster care system and brings to light how flawed our system is and the many areas in which the process could be improved. Much of the abuse that Ashley encountered echoes stories that have been told by other abused children but from the perspective of someone who encountered not just one but many, and never experienced stability as a child. This is the challenge that is presented all across the United States, how do we look out for the best interest of children who are in abusive homes while giving them the security and stability that they need?

This is a must read for anyone interested in the experience of abused children or foster children or anyone who might be looking for their avenue of opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child. I hope that those who read this book are not only touched with emotion and sympathy for Ashley, but are also compelled to get out and do something. You might even be compelled to act as a volunteer for a system so overburdened and in desperate need of those who care and can give their time.

I became a CASA in August after waiting to get into training for nearly a year. In the short 4 months that I have been serving my CASA family the experience has already taught me more than I could have imagined. My family has blessed me far more than I could ever bless them.

If you are a family preparing to adopt from the foster care system, read this book. Ashley writes a memoir detailing her childhood experiences from removal from her bio. family through adoption. A 12+ year experience full of trials, abuse, shuffling, getting lost in the system, and ultimately finding her forever family. Yet, even after she is adopted, it takes many more years for healing. I love her voice, her determination to help others in foster care, and ultimately her ability to overcome and accept love. Read "Three Little Words." You will be changed.

Three Little Words
By Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Ashley Rhodes is a girl who lives with her irresponsible, drunken parents who are constantly in and out of jail. By the age of 3, Ashley and her little brother, Luke, are sent away from foster home to foster home, waiting for their mother to get her act together so they can go back home. Soon Ashley and Luke land themselves in Mrs. Mosses’ foster home, which is a dumpy, crowded trailer that is every child’s worst nightmare. The Mosses are abusive. When there is a lack of food that Mrs. Mosses provides to the children, the backyard is the place to find something more to eat. Punishments are horrible. Most of the time, Mrs. Mosses doesn’t even need a good excuse to beat them.
Soon her mother’s monthly visits become yearly and Ashley realizes the truth. Ashley moves on from Mrs. Mosses and continues on to find a new family. On the way she also learns that Luke is not her legal brother anymore. Then, when Ashley’s life couldn’t get any worse, she meets two people that change her life forever.
Ashley Rhodes-Courter is an amazing writer. To me this book did not feel the author just wrote it for the sympathy she would receive. I give this touching memoir 3 ½ stars. This story really changed the way I think about foster care. The more I read, the more I felt sorry for the children that had to go through the things this story was about.
However, towards the end of the book, the story became dry. It was all about the Courters prosecuting the Mosses which was not very interesting to me. But overall, this memoir was fantastic! I would recommend this book for young adults and adults.½

This book was a quick read for me. The story is interesting, however, the author seems a bit jaded; maybe I would be, too, under the same circumstances.

Reviewed by: Rodshea (Class of 2013)

"I felt resentful...abandoned...alone...sad...scared...and furious." This is how Ashley was feeling when she was sitting across from her mother, who sent her into foster care and made promises that Ashley would one day live with her again. That promise Ashley held on to, until it was broken cause she could never go back to be with her mother.

Ashley Rhodes-Courter had spent ten years in foster care; she has featured in Teen People, Glamour, USA Today, and on Good Morning America. She speaks out all across America about foster care and adoption. She spoke on Capital Hill, and had been invited, twice, to the White House. She was honored with the "Do Something Golden Brick Award." Her memoir "Three Little Words", published by Simon and Schuster, began as an essay, and won a writing contest for high school students, and ran in the New York Times magazine, and is also a Gate Way Reader Award book.

Ashley was a foster child for nine years and lived in fourteen different foster homes. Ashley was juggled between schools but she always did well. There were abusive foster families but not all were that way. The worst family was the Mosses family. To other people such as the social worker they lead on to be the perfect foster parents, but behind closed doors they were very abusive people. Ashley was found by adoption parents Gay and Phil Courter. At first she wouldn't give them the chance but soon found as she got older that she couldn’t live without them. After seeing the movie Erin Brokovich, she filed a lawsuit against the Mosses, she didn't succeed but they got arrested later for child neglect and abuse. Not succeeding in the lawsuit did not stop Ashley; she began speaking out about the foster care system all over America.

My opinion of this book is that it was very good. I loved reading about Ashley and learned a lot about her experience in foster care. I would recommend this book for others to read.

This is an incredible memoir. I purchased it as I am interested in the foster-care-adoption process. Ashley Rhodes-Courter provided a window into so much more. This novel is very real in the heart-wrenching, heart-warming, and matter-of-fact emotions that it elicits. This should be required reading for anyone working within the foster care system and with the children affected by the system. The memoir is even more amazing when you consider the fact that Ashley finished the first draft when she was only 18.