Rating: Summary: Truly a great book, Kept me on edge! Review: A Child Called "It" is one of the most touching stories I have ever come across. The Author, Dave Pelzer, has done such a good job describing his horrible childhood that once I picked up the book, all the pain that he had felt was felt by me. I would not recommend this to anyone who can not stand horrific scenes. A Child Called "It" is a story about child abuse and how one mother puts a child threw the pain and suffering that is truly unbelievable. The book is kept pretty brief and to the point. It leaves many questions unanswered and describes many scenes that leave the reader in awe, but that is something that Pelzer uses in his book to keep the reader from drifting off.. He writes about how he had lived the beginning of his childhood years in happiness. The happy thought of going home to a mother that loves and cares for him had once been a reality. Then, all of a sudden, he's home was the cold basement where he had to sit on his hands for hours, without food or water, and stare at the wall. Pelzer writes about his alcoholic mother, treating his brothers so kindly, and treating him like a child from hell. He is very descriptive about the tortures inflicted on him by his mother. He writes about one time where his mother stabs him and doesn't take him to the hospital. The stab wound gets infected and he is forced to squeeze the entire puss out of it so the infection doesn't kill him. This process if very painful to him but his survival instincts tell him that if he doesn't do it he will die. It was surprising to read how well this child took care of himself and struggled to survive his mother. Another example is when he writes about how his mother made him swallow a spoon full of ammonia. At first, he writes, he is very happy to know that all he has to do is swallow a spoon full of some liquid because he is too small to comprehend the result of swallowing ammonia. He then describes how his throat starts burning up and his breathing stops, he falls on the floor and starts scratching at it while his mother and father stand there looking at him suffer. I wouldn't recommend this book for children under 14 years of age because the scenes described are just horrible to think about and Dave Pelzer does such a good job describing every single detail that it can very well give children nightmares. I personally loved this book. It opened my eyes and made me appreciate the life that I have. I've already recommended it to many of my friends. I especially make it a point to recommend it to the people that just hate there life because in truth I know that there are people out there who have had it A LOT worse and still have it A LOT worse. When someone tells me how much they hate their life I say, "I suggest you go read A Child Called 'It' by Dave Pelzer. When I was reading this I just couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what happened next, I wanted to know when this child was going to be saved from the horrible life and the horrible mother that he had. Truly a great book, I couldn't put it down.
Rating: Summary: Hits close to home for more than care to admit Review: "A Child Called It" does an excellent job explaining the inner mind set of the abused and neglected child. Mr. Pelzer very convincingly (and I feel quite accurately) describes the internalization of guilt and "prisoner of war" mentality which can develop in someone raised in a physically and/or emotionally abusive environment. I think this terrific account hits very close to home for many out there who are still harboring and struggling to come to terms with "the family secret." A few hours with "A Child Called It" just might help change your life.
Rating: Summary: Why, Mother? Review: I count myself among the many who have loved this book. I kept reading to find out "why," only to to be faced with Dave's own question and bewilderment.
Rating: Summary: THE MOST AMAZING BOOK EVER. Review: I CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT THIS BOOK IT. THIS IS THE MOST TEARFUL BOOK I EVER READ. ONE BOY'S STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE HIS MOTHERS WRATH. TO SIMPLY PUT IT, AN AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT!
Rating: Summary: ... Review: As I read this book, I wondered how much of this (supposedly true story) the author made up. Dave Pelzer may have been an abused child, but much of his story came across as exaggerations. Some is just "over-the-top" and is not credible.Dave's mother inflects horrendous abuse and torture on him (but not her other children), and the author does not provide a single reason, explanation, or rationalization. The story jumps from one horrid torture to another without any meaningful development (actually, there is not any development). This is hardly a book. It is more like an essay. I have no doubt that there are evil people in this world such as Dave's mother. But, his story just did not ring true to me. There are too many inconsistancies and unanswered questions. Also, the responses and reactions defy simple common sense, here are a few: For years, this skinny under-nurished child went to school without a lunch, and no teacher or school employee would see that he got a meal? For years, he went to school in rags, and smelled so bad that the odor gagged others in the room, so he had to sit near a opened window. But, no teacher asked his mother to do something about this? For years, Dave's father watched his wife beat and kick their child, make him eat vomit, stab him, poison him, burn him on a stove, starve him, and make numerous attempts at murdering him; and, the father did not interfere. But, the father cared enough to help Dave with the dishes, and asked him "how ya doin', Tiger." (Give me a break.) For years, this child is starved, and needs food so badly that he eats garbage, steals food from his classmates, steals from stores, begs for food from neighbors and complete strangers. But, he will not tell any of his teachers or classmates that his mother is starving him? His mother makes him sit outside on rocks, while she takes his brothers to the zoo, and he sits there and suffers for hours until they return. Certainly, he must have known they would be away for sometime, so why sit and suffer for hours? During the years of abuse, the author admits that concern was shown by various people: Teachers, school nurses, school administrators, neighbors, a social worker even came to his house. Yet, he never went to any of these people for help?....
Rating: Summary: The Most Moving and Emotional Book in The World Review: I am only 15 years old and have after only just reading this book tonight felt compelled to find out more about its' author David Pelzer.The book is a story of the struggle that a young boy has to survive against the abuse of his alcoholic mother.I was in tears for almost the whole book and I can honestly say that no other book has brought me to tears.The courage and kindness of the author is brought to light in the story.In the book he thinks that it is his fault that he is beaten and abused by his mother which only makes the book more heart rending and desperatley sad.That it is a true story,shows us all what an insperation David Pelzer is,it touched me to my very soul and certainly made me realise how lucky I am. Read it,it makes you see things in a whole new light.
Rating: Summary: Interesting and sad book Review: A Child Called "It" was a very interesting, sad, and disappointing book to read. It was interesting to me, as a fourteen year old, because I could never believe that in this world parents could beat their children. A child doesn't know that the beating is bad because he or she hasn't grown up and seen the better part of life; so he or she doesn't know that there is a better part of life. But I know why Dave Pelzer wrote the book. He wanted to tell other kids that they are not the only ones who get abused. By doing that, it makes the other kids know that they're not alone. I think that he also wrote it for the parents who are abusing their children because then they might think "maybe I should stop hurting my child who's feeling sad and lonely inside." I am looking forward to reading the next two books because I want to know what happens to the mother and to him, and I want to learn how he grows up through all of this and what kind of a person he is now.
Rating: Summary: Opening Eyes Review: This book is the true story of a boy who was abused by his mother. She did many cruel things to him that would make anyone's skin crawl. Yet although the torment he endured he still found the will to survive and eventually escape the hell. I read the second book in this series " The Lost Boy." I liked this book as well but the drama in "A Child Called It" is much more emotionally touching. I enjoyed the book because it shows the horror of child abuse. Which many people try to avoid recognizing. This quote shows one of the many terrible thing his mother made him do or did to him. "I knew she was only doing it for her sick pleasure. Father stood lifeless as she fed me another dose of ammonia."(Pg 75) His mother would beat him for no reason. He became the house slave. Since she rarely fed David, he had to steal food. She eventually caught on and punished him severely for it. At one point in the story she even stabbed him and didn't even take him to the hospital. Many people do not know the truth of child abuse or just ignore it because they don't want it to exist. The truth is it unfortunately does. People should not turn the other cheek when they witness it but do something about it. Its societies way of making things better to pretend that child abuse doesn't exist at all. That is not what needs to happen! If one knows that the child next door is being abused behind closed doors do something about it. Silence will not stop it. David was lucky enough to escape the hell he lived in because someone stepped in. The school nurse got fed up with the excuses David's mother brainwashed into him. She called the authorities and David was free. This book may not be for people who are very faint hearted with this subject of child abuse. This book vividly describes in great detail what he dealt with. It brought tears to my eyes and at times I felt I would be sick. This book opened my eyes to reality though. That's why I treasure and love it. It is a great that is written extremely well. I will continue reading other books by David Pelzer as well.
Rating: Summary: This is the most awesome book i ever read. Review: This book was amazing it was so good it shows the life of a boy named Dave that was abused by his mother got his face shoved into a heated stove. I read this book in 1 hour it was so sad but it was a really good book. I'm glad that my family is so kind and loving to me, i thank god for that. I recommend this book to only children. ...
Rating: Summary: The worst story with the best "ending" Review: I devoted my life to helping children who are "at-risk" and are from abusive homes. But, even my exposure to these children couldn't prepare me for the abuse I read about in this book. I was appalled and shocked at the situations this child has gone through! It just made me more determined to help the children I have committed myself to work with; to get them out of the abusive environments into loving families and communities. This book is a terribly painful eye-opener to the severity of abuse out there; the best part about this story is that the author has grown into a wonderful man and adult which gives the reader hope. A wonderfully uplifting story. It will make you feel angry, sad, and hopeful...and hopefully change the way in which you view child abuse and it's place in our society; and put in a desire to help put an end to the abuse once and for all.
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