A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive

Rating:
Summary: Emotionally captivating
Review: You never wanted to put the book down! Your heart breaks for this courageous little boy. Makes you feel grateful for every little positive thing you have in your life.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible story
Review: As a future foster parent, I'm in search of books that will help me understand what kids go through when they're abused and placed in foster care. David's account of his life before and during foster care made my desire to become a foster parent even deeper. Bravo to David for having the courage to survive and to tell his story. It's a book every parent or would-be parent should read.

Rating:
Summary: A mind-shattering, eye opener.
Review: After reading this book, and myself being a mother, I've recommended this book to anyone and everyone, parent or not. The most common reaction was "I don't want to read or know about anything depressing!" to which my reply was "Neither did David." Ignorance is not an excuse!! Saying "I wasn't aware." isn't one either. We all need to open our eyes and see the suffering of others. All it takes is one person to notice and speak up. If one person can make such a profound difference, imagine what we can do together.

Rating:
Summary: Oh How The Truth Hurts!
Review: A child called 'It" is a very real story that did happen. There is no way that Dave could have written this book without having gone through it. The feelings he shares in this book I share in my thoughts daily. I have to put up with the memories that haunt me. I wish that I could say that I've handled my anger as well as Dave has, but I can't. To all of those readers who say that there's no way that this could happen, think again. All that says to me is that you are in need of a good dose of reality. The way Dave survived is the same way I survived--one day at a time---with the determination to win at all cost. As far as people thinking that this story is a marketing ploy, you are sick, and need help. The only way I have been able to get through my experience is to write about it and let people know how I am feeling. And believe me, IT TAKES TIME to be able to get it all out. Three books is nothing when you consider all the years that he had been torment! ! ed and abused. So before you try to hide your own insecurities by trying to cover up the truth, just keep your mouth shut. You have no idea what you are talking about. If you don't want to take it from Dave, just ask any other abused child in the world. If you were abused, then it's time to wake up and stop trying to forget what has happened to you. It is not going to go away, but getting your true feelings out will release some of the frustrations. DAVE, to you I send my thanks. I finally convinced my mother to read the book, and she has apologized for the first time ever for some of the things she has done to us. God bless you, Dave. I look forward to reading the next two books!

Rating:
Summary: A very powerful book
Review: This book was very good. It took me two days two read which is a lot for a 13 year old. I just feel so lucky that my mother is not like that. If she was I do not think I would have the power to fight back like David did.

Rating:
Summary: A simple yet powerful story of extreme courage
Review: Though able to be read in one sitting A Child Called It will remain in your memory forever. As I read the descriptions of what David went through I wanted to transport myself back to his time to help him. This book will change the way you think about children that seem troubled without apparent reason.

Rating:
Summary: This book has opened my eyes and let me know I'm not alone.
Review: A "Child Called 'It'" was a very real account of child abuse. I know, because I've been there. The feelings Dave expressed are still alive and tormenting children today. Instead of throwing the book down and saying it wasn't good because it didn't tell why the mother did what she did, consider this, "Why does it matter?" There is nothing on earth that could justify this kind of abuse. NOTHING. I put up with it for almost five years. Reading this book has helped me in so many ways. The price of the book was cheap, but it means more than a million bucks to me. By the way, my parents are reading it now, too, and believe it or not, it's helping them. They admitted their fault to me for the first time ever after reading Dave's book. Thank you, Dave. You've instilled peace and hope back into my life!!!

Rating:
Summary: An incredible story of survival, strength and will to live!
Review: Over the course of the past two warm summer afternoons, my girlfriend and I took turns reading the book aloud to each other. As my husband and brother overheard us reading, they each found a place at the picnic table and sat listening, transfixed at the horrors being revealed. The book was tremendously moving for me for a number of reasons. As a parent of three young boys, my maternal heart literally ached for little David. I am also a fighter as was little David. I am in awe of the human spirit's ability to not only overcome but to use the hard times in life to motivate us to use those events in a positive way for the good of others. And lastly, as a foster-parent, I know all too well the consequences of abuse on the psyche of a child. His story reminds me of the reasons behind my decision to open my heart and home to the innocent victims of abuse and neglect. This comes at a perfect time as I was beginning to feel the burn-out that comes from working with severely emotionally disturbed children. It is not easy being a GOOD foster parent and the rewards are not always evident. But David's story has given me the renewed sense of purpose and energy needed to make a difference, to make some positive mark in the life of a child in desperate need of love, nurturance, safety and acceptance for the good each child posesses.

Rating:
Summary: A mind-blowing story, but will leave you unsatisfied
Review: This book graphically accounts for many horrible acts of child abuse committed in Pelzer's life, but that's all that it does. I realize the book is written in a child's manner, however it does not discuss any of the major concerns of the reader. Why is the mother so evil? What happened? Why doesn't the mother abuse her other children? Why? Why? Why? The only thing you get is a matter-of-factly description of each encounter. I hope one of the other two books in this trilogy answer some of these questions, and from the reviews of "The Lost Boy," it doesn't look like it. I do have one final note in Pelzer's favor though. Because the book is written in the style of a child (and also because the book is small), the book reads extremely fast. One could read the book in a couple hours maximum.

Rating:
Summary: A hard book to put down, very captivating.
Review: "A child called it." is one of (If not) the best books ever written about child abuse and a childs determination to survive. In this novel you follow David from the "Good times" at age 4 to the begining of his torment at age 7 untill his belated liberation at age 12. A gripping novel that will stay with you.