| A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive |  | Author: David J. Pelzer
Category: Book
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Rating:  1935 reviews
Sales Rank: 3917688
Media: Library Binding
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 4.8 x 0.7
ISBN: 1435235630
Dewey Decimal Number: 362.76092
EAN: 9781435235632
ASIN: 1435235630
Publication Date: May 29, 2008
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Amazon.com Review
David J. Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva, was, he writes in this ghastly, fascinating memoir, a devoted den mother to the Cub Scouts in her care, and somewhat nurturant to her children--but not to David, whom she referred to as "an It." This book is a brief, horrifying account of the bizarre tortures she inflicted on him, told from the point of view of the author as a young boy being starved, stabbed, smashed face-first into mirrors, forced to eat the contents of his sibling's diapers and a spoonful of ammonia, and burned over a gas stove by a maniacal, alcoholic mom. Sometimes she claimed he had violated some rule--no walking on the grass at school!--but mostly it was pure sadism. Inexplicably, his father didn't protect him; only an alert schoolteacher saved David. One wants to learn more about his ordeal and its aftermath, and now he's written a sequel, The Lost Boy, detailing his life in the foster-care system. Though it's a grim story, A Child Called "It" is very much in the tradition of Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul and the many books in that upbeat series, whose author Pelzer thanks for helping get his book going. It's all about weathering adversity to find love, and Pelzer is an expert witness.
Product Description
Calling him "it" instead of using his name, the author's unstable, alcoholic mother drove him to the brink of death before authorities finally stepped in. This title is the first part of a trilogy that tells the complete story of Dave's victory over violence.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1930 more reviews...
 a child called it January 6, 2009
This book should be a required reading book for all teachers children and parents in that order. Then it should be required for all children welfare workers. Childrens councelors should also read this as most truly dont know how to councel the children they work with. I am making all my family read it. Thank you for printing it.
Carrie
 Very interesting and very brave of him to tell his story. Very easy read. December 22, 2008
You just feel so much hatred for his mother, but so sorry for him. Glad he lived to tell his story. Recommend all children read it.
Highly Recommend! December 14, 2008
I bought the trilogy I simply could not put the books down! I highly recommend them!
A Child Called 'It' December 12, 2008
"A Child Called `It' is a true story about a young boy named Dave Pelzer who was harshly treated by his emotionally unstable alcoholic mother. He had to go through the worst things because his mother was alone all day at home and would come up with new punishing "games" to entertain herself. He was allowed to eat food only if he finished washing the dishes in 20 minutes. Several times Dave had to swallow ammonia for stealing food. Most of the time, Dave did not even know what he was punished for. He thought he was being good boy and he did whatever he was told but he was still punished for no reason. He had gone through so much for so many years that now his brothers also became against him too. With all of these bad things happening to him at such a young age, one thing that kept Dave alive was the dream that someone would come and rescue him. He kept wishing for the love that he wanted all his life from a mother.
With each punishment and torture, you'll feel the pain that Dave was going through and his strong belief that some day he'll be rescued. This horrifying story brings to attention the terrible child abuse and the unimaginable sufferings that a child endures from people that are supposed to be source of love and affection and not hate.
WOW! November 26, 2008
I got this book delivered to me at work, I left work at 5pm, got home by 6pm and started reading this book. I read it all by 1 am the next morning. I could NOT put it down. It was the unbelelivable acts of a parent(s) that I was tyring to justify. I thought..somewhere in this book I would find the answer or that this abuse would subside or lessen the gruesomeness of it all. But..i didn't find that..it only worsens. I am at awe at the details and courage it took to write this book. I am at awe that a child can comprehend the necessary skills of survival and somehow have faith that things would one day, some day , in dreams get better.I am a graduate student earning my MFT degree. This book was very educational and gave me a look at what to possibly expect in my future career.
I look forward to the next book..which I just ordered..with a RUSH!
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