Kathy Harrison is not the kind of person who can just sit back and
watch others suffer. She isn't the kind of person who feels like
making a charitable contribution is doing her part to make the
world a better place. Kathy Harrison is one of a special breed of
people: someone who is willing to make sacrifices in order to make
others happy. For Kathy, those sacrifices mean opening up her home
--- and her heart --- to the neediest children in the world. Kathy
Harrison is a foster parent but, more importantly, she is a hero to
over one hundred children that she has helped through their
toughest times.

In ANOTHER PLACE AT THE TABLE, Harrison makes no attempts to
glamorize her role as a foster parent. She doesn't make herself out
to be a saint. She simply tells it like it is, complete with the
disheartening stories of children who have been neglected, abused
and abandoned. But throughout the struggles she recounts in her
book, there is always a glimmer of light: the children she has
helped rehabilitate, the foster children who have found wonderful
permanent homes, and the children who Harrison and her husband have
adopted themselves. Despite her battles with the social services
system, Kathy Harrison has made a difference.

ANOTHER PLACE AT THE TABLE is emotionally draining and fulfilling
at the same time. While the subject matter is not lighthearted, the
writing is excellent and the reading is fast-paced. Harrison has
presented an open, honest view of her life --- faults included.
Perhaps that is what makes the book exceptional.

Reflecting on the stories in this book, the phrase "Truth is
stranger than fiction" comes to mind. In a world where so many of
us live such comfortable lives with caring families, it is hard to
believe that the events in this book really happened. And no
invented character could rival the personalities of those living in
the Harrison household. ANOTHER PLACE AT THE TABLE tells not only
the story of Kathy Harrison and her foster children but also the
story of foster families across the nation. It will bring you to
tears and will make you angry. It won't make you laugh and it
doesn't have a happy ending. But it will make you think about the
foster care system, and maybe it will encourage you to make a
difference.