Oops! Wrong Family

Debi Toporoff tells her own life story, narrated from the perspective of the child she once was. The book speaks to readers who carry the memory of abuse and to anyone who wants to understand what children who suffer it live through.

As early as age four, Toporoff was expected to keep the household running, and she faced her mother's anger whenever the work fell short of demands that could never be fully met. Her father's neglect also shapes the account. For stretches of her childhood she was placed with foster families, and those periods gave her moments of respite.

The author describes in direct detail the physical harm her mother inflicted: the loss of sight in one eye, a fractured skull, and a broken leg. Readers should be prepared for frank, graphic passages.

Across several foster homes, and with help from caring teachers and co-workers, Toporoff gradually came to know the story of Jesus, his forgiveness, and his enduring love for her. That faith led her toward hope and forgiveness.