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Summary: A must read book for prospective Foster Parents
Review: After making the decision that my husband and I would like to become Foster Parents, I saw David Pelzer on the Oprah Winfrey Show sharing about his books. I was astounded that any child should have to live like he did, and there he was, a model adult that any child would want to emulate! For those people who are skeptics about the world of Foster Parenting, this is a book that will change your entire outlook towards society's responsibility for the abused children that live among us.
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Summary: Peddling bogus melodrama for a profit
Review: This 'memoir' ought to be labeled trash fiction. Hasn't anyone read the New York Times article tracing Dave's childhood and examining the inconsistencies in his books? He peddles these books at 'conferences' in order to keep his name on the NYT Bestseller list - which is NOT an evaluation of the merit and literary value of any particular book, but just shows the general ignorance of today's reader. I'm embarrassed for the readers who actually believe the pages of rubbish. It's a sad state when books like these continue to garner attention and prey on poor innocent readers.
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Summary: Rare,insightful look thru the eyes of a child in foster care
Review: I have had the experience of reading both "A Child Called It", and "The Lost Boy". These two books take you down the journey of David Pelzer as he experiences his childhood and teen years while learning to overcome the most outrageous and cruel abuse from first his mother, then his father and siblings, school community and at times the bureaucratic system of foster care. However, thw true joy of the books is that they show us how one young boy through courage, strength,his daydreams, and the use of prayer overcame great odds to becomne a shining example of a success. Although it is true that both books leave you with many questions, the foremost one being, what happened to his mother? How was she made to atone for her atrocities? This is to be expected for several reasons. First, the words were those of a child, later an uncertain young adult searching for answers. Second, the entire issue of child abuse, foster care, and society's nonchalant, or often cruel reaction to F-children is a sad but real Truth, and filled with unanswered questions. This book is an inspirational testamonial to the courage that foster children show each and every day. The author's success in the Airforce, in life, and his own family are living examples that he and the foster system beat the odds, if only this one time. Although the books are graphic and at times depressing or evoke tears, the sheer joy felt when David succeeds uplifts your soul. If all they accomplish is to bring awareness to several hundred persons regarding the atrocities of child abuse and the need for involvement with the system, then Pelzer has surpassed any expectations one could have regarding his novels impact. Thank you David, and God Bless you.
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Summary: Foster Mom's Perspective
Review: I am a 31 yr old single foster mother to a 4 yr old boy. By chance I saw "The Lost Boy" in a grocery store & bought it immediately. The insight into the mind of an abused child was invaluable to me. Since then I have purchased and read his other 2 books. The excerpts in the back of the book from the adults involved in Dave's life were especially helpful to me. When things get tough, I go back & re-read them to remind myself that somehow I am impacting my child. I hope that no matter what happens in my little guy's life, that he will remember me in a positive light. These books are painful to read, but shows how it IS possible to beat the odds. I hope that everyone who reads the series becomes more involved in some way, politically, financially or otherwise to make a difference. God bless you Dave.
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Summary: David Pelzer Courage
Review: <br />In order to read "Lost Boy" you must also read "A Child Called It" first. Within the context of the two books you will read about the harrowing ordeals this child went through, the unsurmountable spirit he held with in himself to endure such devastation and the inspiration of getting beyond the pain. David pelzer deserves all the kudo's imaginable for his work. As well as respect for his courage and determination. <br />Along with david Pelzer's works, I also recommend Nightmares Echo by Katlyn Stewart and A Paper Life by Tatum O'Neil<br />
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Summary: Foster Mayhem
Review: The Lost Boy, a novel by David Pelzer, is a sequel to the book called "A Child Called It". Through his book The Lost Boy, Pelzer creates a vivid picture of his life as a foster child. As a young boy David is forced to bounce back and forth between five different foster homes. His only clothing were literally torn and worn off. David's life has been a long, harsh and a cruel reality. David grew up in a home with an alcoholic, abusive and unloving mother, a father who does not stand up for his own son when he is mistreated by him mother, and brothers who saw David as the household maid. It wasn't until the love of a teacher that David finally escaped the physical and emotional abuse of his own mother. However, David's search for love and happiness was far from over. Everyday that he was in foster care he had to deal with the stereotypes of being a child without a home or family. David began to lose his hope of finding love and care of a family. He was ashamed of himself and found it difficult to form friendships with other children. It took David five foster homes until he finally found a place where he felt loved and cared for as a person. He found this love and compassion in the arms of the Turnbough's, finally a real family. David went on to become a very responsible and motivated young man. He went on to obtain his high school G.E.D. and then proudly enlisting into the United States Air Force. He is a true example of strength, and what it takes to survive. He was able to rise above the loneliness of being the lost boy and triumph as a young man who had finally found the love and comfort of a family that he could now call his own. David's search of love and care from a family finally found him and took him from his past and gave him a new beginning.
This book caught my emotional side of me and made me read more about David Pelzer. This is a great book. I would would definitely recommend this book to other people. i just found this book on my teachers shelf and thought it was a story about boys who are vampires. It was actually about a real boy who suffered and was tortured by his 'Mother'. This book got my attention and i just had to buy it so i can read it at home. This book taught me on how to live my life, somehow. His strength to hold on that long looking for his perfect family that will love and care for him is something i respect about David. I haven't read the book before this, but i know that i will definitely like the book and that i am reading it for sure. Read the book! Davids search for love is not over until you read it.
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Summary: The Lost Boy
Review: The Lost Boy is an awesome book. In the book the little boy, David, goes on a journey through the hardships of his life. As he goes through the foster care system he must deal with all his felling about his mother and the family, and him feeling alone and just wanting to belong somewhere. Throughout the book david must adjust with all the foster homes and throughout it all david can see through all the negativaty surrounding him and makes himself a better person. Also David learns to rely on himself and not on his foster parents when it came to his own future and he learned how to do that as well and just did everything on his own knowing he will someday he will be an adult.
I loved this book. I would so recomend this book to everyone for many reasons. First off because i got really into it and as i kept reading i just had to know what was going to happen to him. As i would get deeper and deeper into it my emotins would feel exactly like davids feeling, from the beginning i was hooked. Another things is that since obviously i knew my life is so much different from davids life i was just amazed by what this little boy had to go through just to survive another day with his mother and i wanted to finish this book to see if he could in fact have a some-what normal life when he was an adult. Although i haven't read the next installment of this book i would also want to read and probably recommend that book as well if it was anything like this one.
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Summary: He made it!
Review: He made it!
Dave Peltzer was abused as a child by his mother. His father was an alcoholic but he tried to stick up for Dave as much as he could. His mother would make him eat out of the trash, and she would starve him for days. He would sleep in the basement on an old army cot with no blankets. His mother would never let him take showers or wash his clothes. One day his mother threw him out of the house and the policeman found him. After the hearing Dave was taken away from his family. He spent the rest of his life in foster homes. He experienced five foster homes and juvenile detetion. He always got along with his guardians, teachers, social workers, and school mates. As a little boy Dave was always scared that his mother would come back for him. He was a rebellious boy yet he was always studying hard and trying to be better than his parents. He eventually made it into the Air Force. I recommend this book. It was a great book. It changed my life, I feel very bad for Dave. I am glad that he is fine and survived everything.
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Summary: An unforgettable, remarkable, tragic, resilient soul
Review: Just know that this is a must read. As one of the 3rd worse abuse cases in California history, this book grabbed me and would not let go of my soul. I cried, got angry, rejoiced, and almost lived what David went through. This is a remarkable boy who is now a man. I am convinced he lived to tell us this story for a reason. So many times we turn our heads when we see a child/person with torn clothes, looking hungry, or smells. We think it's their faults without getting to know the reasons why. So many times we ignore the plight of others. We blame them for not trying hard enough, for giving up, for settling for less. This story is about the indomitable human spirit; the will to live; the determination to "win"; to beat his mother in her game. And he did. I was in awe with what David endured. I was angry that he had to do it, and was relieved that he survived. I am anxiously waiting for the next books to arrive. The thing to take away from this is to just look at your neighbor, kid down the street, kid in the neighborhood. Get to know people. Be responsible. Be concerned. Be active. Care.
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Summary: 2nd quarter book project
Review: In the biography The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer I couln't understand how this boys mother could treat him like dirt. I'm serious she tried countless of times to purposely hurt or even kill him. I mean if she didn't love him at least sign him up for adoption. This book truly shows that even your next door neighbor could be so cold hearted and selfish. Anyways, I really got the point of Daves book. It tells that foster childern are not mean or cold it's just that they have been treated that way for so long that that's all they know. David has many goals that seem very unlikely and courageous at the same time. He is a very good boy because even though his mother has made him go through hell and back many times. He still manages to find it in his heart to love her. To me David is an inspiration to us all. Especially foster children, he has suffered so much and for that I think that that's what makes his writing so phenomenal. I really like his details in the book. Well, I figure they should be good because it was him that got torchered with his mothers"games". I would truly recommed this great book to anybody who has been blinded by what society thinks of others.
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