A Child Called "it"

A 17 year old foster child in our home said this was her favorite book.

Less-than-stellar editing made this book choppy, but Dave Pelzer's personal story is nonetheless compelling and heartbreaking.

The order in which this story is told is interesting: First a hint of the abuse along with the freedom from it; then the abuse itself; lastly, the reflection on the story as an adult along with resources. It is as though the story itself is so horrific, you need to know early on that there will be some hope in it sometime, somewhere.

This story closely resembles the abuse I suffered at the hands of my mother in the 60's and 70's, along with the passivity of my father and other family members, and along with the helplessness of outsiders to do anything about it. The dynamics of "good mom/bad mom" also hold true, switching between them unexpectedly with the fear, fear, fear always always there. Other children saying, "I wish my mom was like yours", and wondering what their moms did to them when they were alone with them... and trying hard to feel lucky that I didn't have it as bad as they must have. Never understanding that what I experienced was NOT "normal".

I look forward to reading the second book in the trilogy, because I know, from experience, that the work has only begun for David at that point once his feelings are finally allowed to surface. To do the hard work to learn a new "normal", and how to care for oneself.

I read this because my teacher said it was a good book and recommended it to me. I had to hold in my tears. This book is amazing.

This book makes you reflect on the things one takes for granted in life. Tears, anger, sadness, were a few emotions that surfaced throughout reading the book. The fact that is is based on a true story makes it more empowering. Must read!!

Very sad but its also a must read. an amzing book

Reading this book bought back a lot of bad memories as a survivor of child abuse myself. Familiar with violent and abusive parents the mother's actions were shocking enough however early on I could not believe the father who did not perpetuate but actively witnessed the abuse could allow such things to happen to their own child. Then drawing parallels to my own history of abuse I understood that it is not so uncommon for one parent to be the abuser and the other silent parent the enabler.

Yes. Without a doubt, A Child Called "It" is a horrifying, but true story of brutal child abuse whose boundaries went well-beyond just mere cruelty.

This sad and very tragic story is told in unflinching detail by the person who experienced it, first hand, Dave Pelzer.

As a young boy Dave fell victim, time and again, to the hateful and sadistic wrath of his deranged and drunken mother, who showed him no mercy.

Now a grown man, Dave Pelzer recounts his experiences as a survivor of this terrible ordeal, hoping through his book that other children might be rescued from their hell on earth and not suffer so like he did.

Meet Dave Pelzer.

Dave is a survivor of "real-life" child abuse of the severest kind. Dave (now a grown man) has written this book chronicling his horrific ordeal at the hands of his alcoholic, mentally-imbalanced mother.

Between the ages of 5 and 9 Dave repeatedly found himself a helpless victim while his crazed mother beat him, humiliated him, tortured him, and, yes, even poisoned him out of her utter hatred for him.

Although this shocking story is true, at times Dave's harrowing experiences seem to go beyond believability, It's the reaction to his punishments by the other members of his family (especially of his father) that will truly blow your mind.

But Dave was a survivor. And, being such, he endured all of the pain that his horrid mother had to dish out and he lived to tell the tale in this heart-breaking book that confirms that Dave was not just an "It".

This book was really sad. the very dark corners of child abuse by viewing to the readers his horrific life as a young boy living with his mother that constantly abused him. recommend this book because maybe by reading this we should try to treat people better because we don't know what they are going through .