A Child Called It: Summary and book reviews of A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer, plus links to an excerpt from A Child Called It and a biography of Dave Pelzer.

This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it." Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

Media Reviews

Library Journal This autobiographical account charts the abuse of a young boy as his alcoholic mother first isolates him from the rest of the family; then torments him; and finally nearly kills him through starvation, poisoning, and one dramatic stabbing. Pelzer's portrayal of domestic tyranny and eventual escape is unforgettable, but falls short of providing understanding of extreme abuse or how he made his journey from "Victim to Victor." It takes some work to get past the poor writing and the self-aggrandizing back matter, but the book tries fervently to provide a much-needed perspective. One of the greater obstacles to healing for males is admitting that they have been victims, especially if their perpetrator is a woman. This author has overcome that obstacle and succeeded in life by such masculine norms as joining the Air Force and receiving awards for his volunteerism. However, while personal accounts of child maltreatment provide crucial information about the realities of childhood, youngsters need insight and hope in order to digest the raw material of abuse.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by dymon
why
I have see this book everywhere in my school, thinking it was just a book, but when I finally got to reading the book I got sucked into it. The way the mother was it just hurt me. He was such a strong boy; I don't know if he is still alive but if...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Madeline
Awesome better than better
Best book I've ever read.

Rated of 5 by Krystal Webb
thetrue courage and faith he had in his youth
I just cant believe that it happened to him....he was just a small young boy.....its soooo sad I wish I could have been there to help him even though I'm only 14:/ awww I just want to cry and help him... at least that he got out of that mess...I...   Read More

Rated of 5 by kami
the true courage he had
What a book; I loved it. I felt and feel bad for him, but the past is the past and you can't change it. I cried most of the time I read it, I would throw the book to the wall and think what kind of person would do that to their child. I sometimes...   Read More

Rated of 5 by nathan
Sad and scary
This book was sad and scary at the same time. I had to read this book for reading and I was super sad. This actually happened to him. I think he is 52 years old now, but he was 10 or 11 years old when this happened.

Rated of 5 by Laura
A Life-Changing Read
I purchased this book many years ago at a garage sale and let it sit on my shelf, knowing that one day I would have to face it and read it. I feared that day because I knew what was in store... but I felt it was something I had to do. Just the...   Read More

...248 More Reader Reviews

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