Advance Praise
"Written by someone whose life’s work has been to improve a system that supports troubled youth, Sleight of Hand is one of the most engaging books I have had the opportunity to read. A fictional account that captures your heart and gives the reader insight into the life of a dual-system youth that is often fraught with chaos, pain and trauma. Reed brings to life lessons of complex cases and how trauma triggers behavior responses in situations that may seem benign on the surface. This book resonates with the importance of having one caring, committed adult in a foster child’s life. Empathy, patience, and endurance – we all need more and this book shows why."
—Michael A. Jones, Managing Director, National Partnership for Juvenile Services
"As someone familiar with the juvenile justice system, I am impressed by how well Vicki Reed has captured its struggles, losses, and victories involving youth. In Sleight of Hand, her follow-up to her two-time national award-winning debut novel, The Car Thief, Reed portrays the gradual transformation of Alex, a distraught teen with a dark past. Much like the metamorphosis of an ugly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly, Alex slowly transforms with the help of his caseworker Sam and his foster father Matt, among others. The journey is not linear, often consisting of two steps forward and one step back, until Alex finally learns to think, hope, and care.
“The novel’s title is particularly fitting, not only referring to Sam’s card tricks to engage reluctant youth, but also because it serves as a metaphor for how many children in the system have been dealt a poor hand from birth. Readers will cheer for Alex as he defies the odds and learns how to stay in the game. Overall, this novel is compelling and will leave readers feeling they have been dealt a winning hand."
—James B. Wells, retired Professor of Criminology and Criminal justice, author ofBecause: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew
"Once I picked up Sleight of Hand, I couldn't put it down. I was too eager to see what happened next! Beyond the story, the book contains a lot of truth about the "system" many children and youth find themselves in. As someone who works to improve that system, I was thrilled with how accurately and truthfully the book reads. Vicki does a fantastic job bringing light to the incredible challenges before us. And she equips you with the opportunity to take action."
—Melynda Milburn Jamison, Executive Director, CASA of Lexington, KY
"Sleight of Hand is a compelling read. The author brings to life a traumatized, angry and vulnerable youth and lets us view life through his eyes and the folks that guide him. We the reader walk the walk of this struggling youth, experiencing first hand his fears, self-doubt, anger, and unfamiliar moments of happiness. We also gain deep insights into the people who try and reshape his life. Relating successfully to at-risk kids is all about developing a deep sense of empathy and understanding for who these kids are and why they do what they do. Sleight of Hand wonderfully decodes the actions and behaviors of kids who have suffered debilitating truama in their lives and offers positive, strength-based ways of responding. It should be a must read for anyone dealing with kids who have suffered trauma and send messages for help through their behavior."
—Charlie Appelstein, MSW, Author of No Such Thing as a Bad Kid and The Gus Chronicles
"With Sleight of Hand, Vicki Reed once again provides a ‘can’t put down’ read that offers the reader first-person accounts of the foster care experience through the eyes of a foster youth, his foster parent, and his caseworker. The interweaving of their three unique viewpoints provides a rich and multidimensional look at a system that both serves troubled children and sometimes victimizes them. The book is both entertaining and informative. It will make you angry, and it will give you hope.”
—Pam Thomas, Senior Fellow, Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, former Juvenile Justice Specialist at the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice
"No one knows how to take a kid who has been dealt a bad hand in life and turn them around like Vicki Reed. I had the privilege of working alongside Vicki, advocating for therapeutic foster care, for many years. She knows how to take a broken system and a wounded child and breathe hope into both. In Sleight of Hand, she brings to life the raw, unfiltered reality of a fractured juvenile justice system and the young people caught in it. Through the eyes of a traumatized, vulnerable, and angry youth, readers experience the fear, self-doubt, and fleeting moments of joy that define the lives of so many at-risk kids. This story is a powerful reminder that it only takes one caring adult to change a child’s trajectory forever. Vicky has spent her career being that person and creating positive systemic change in the nation’s juvenile justice system. Through this book, she challenges all of us to do the same."
