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

Rating:
Summary: A STRONG WILLED BOY'S EAGERNESS TO SURVIVE.
Review: THE BOOK IS ONE I WOULD RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE. DAVID PELZER DID A WONDERFUL JOB IN WRITING IT. THE BOOK FLOWED SO WELL, I HAVE READ, "A CHILD CALLED IT" AND AM NOW READING "THE LOST BOY". I AM VERY EAGER TO READ MR. PELZER'S UPCOMING WORK. I GIVE HIM A LOT OF CREDIT, HE NEVER GAVE UP. THERE ARE A FEW QUESTIONS I DO WANT ANSWERED HOWEVER. FIRST, WHAT EVER BECAME OF THE "MOTHER"? WHAT ABOUT THE BROTHERS? AND WHAT HAS BECAME OF DAVID'S OWN FAMILY TODAY? I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR MR. PELZER AND ALL THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN THAT HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE HORRIBLE HANDS OF CHILD ABUSE. CONGRATULATIONS DAVID, YOU DID WIN!!

Rating:
Summary: HEART-BREAKING
Review: I came across this book by accident and once I started reading I couldn't put it down. The story is disturbing and heartbreaking. While I was reading the reviews on the book I noticed that several people were skeptical. Believe me, the story told in this book is more realistic than many people are willing or able to admit. I work with abused children and I have seen first hand and heard accounts of abuse very similar to Dave's story. It happens every day and unfortunately most people are only forced to face it when a child ends up dead and the story is thrust into the media. As depicted in the story, many children today are severly abused and go to school and go to camp and go to public places and deal with people on a constant basis and nobody notices the signs or maybe they refuse to see the signs. Dave, you are an inspiration to all victims of abuse and non-victims alike.

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Summary: A lesson in how the spirit can survive.
Review: Thank goodness the reader is told at the begininning of the book that he finally becomes "free", otherwise this would have been impossible to read. The opening chapter gave you hope from the start, which is one of the main points of this story-one must continue to have hope. This boy was amazing in his spirit, determination and will to survive. He discovered much too early in life that survival is based on the will to live. The only disapointment I had was coming to the end and realizing the story continues. I wish I had the next one available to me to read when I finished this one. I would recommend they come as a set, or for the reader to get them at the same time so that as they finish one they can immediately go to the next. I look forward to the continuation of this inspiring story!

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Summary: Read about the author's undying will to survive day to day.
Review: The book starts out with a police officer telling the author, "David Pelzer, you're free." If you din't know that right from the beginning, reading this book would be unbearable. The first chapter tells how when he was very young, David Pelzer and his family led a "Brady Bunch" life. Then, at the age of five, something went horribly wrong with his mother. The author details the unspeakable abuse he suffered and describes his undying will to survive day to day. Hard proof that no matter how rough your childhood may have been, you can make something good of yourself. You don't have to continue being a victem through your adult life; David Pelzer suffered unbelievable childhood abuse at the hands of his mother, and by simply reading the back cover of this book, you can see he turned out to be a very productive adult. So often you hear of the cycle of abuse from parent to child. So often you hear people blame their adult behavior on how "messed up" their childhood was; Not David Pelzer. Also check out "The Lost Boy" to find out how the author went through foster care, therapy, and found the love of a healthy, giving family, at last.

Rating:
Summary: tragedy to triumph
Review: reading this book is like riding a rollercoaster of emotion...how tragic david had to endure years of such horrific abuse ! i believe he does not want our pity, only to open our eyes and hearts to abused children we may come in contact with and not be afraid to speak out to their abusers.any problems i thought i had will never ever compare to what david went through and to think this continues to happen on a daily basis to children in our country is gut wrenching....

Rating:
Summary: excellent writing about a heartbreaking subject
Review: I LOVED THE BOOK, BUT HATED WHAT HAPPENED TO AN INNOCENT CHILD. I CAN NOT EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW ANYONE COULD DO THIS TO ANYONE. DAVID IS AN INSPIRATION TO EVERYONE. I HOPE THE GOOD LORD CONTINUES TO BLESS HIM. HE DESERVES IT FOR A LIFETIME. MY HEART WAS BROKEN FOR HIM THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, I DON'T LIKE TO HATE, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY HARD NOT TO HATE PARENTS LIKE THAT, HIS WORDS IN THE BOOK BROUGHT OUT EMOTIONS AND THAT'S WHAT A GOOD AUTHOR IS ALL ABOUT . GOD BLESS YOU DAVID I CAN NOT WAIT TO READ MORE. I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THEY DID IF ANYTHING TO THOSE HORRIBLE PEOPLE.

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinarily heart-wrenching story.
Review: A Child Called It is truly a wrenching example of the indominable human spirit. The very fact that Dave escaped his horrible surroundings and became an inspiration to others speaks volumes about the human spirit. While it is easy to criticize the teachers, family members and friends for not reporting the situation, we must remember that this took place in the early to middle 1970s. This was not happening during the "enlightened" 90s, and reports of child abuse were not as prevelant as they are currently. Rather than criticize, we must empathize with those who "knew" something was wrong, but did not have the knowledge, nor the resources, to do anything about it. Let us all be thankful that this type of unreported abuse is much less frequent, although, unfortunately it does occur. One incident of child abuse is one too much. When child abuse is suspected, and you are in doubt about the depth of harm to the child, remember howseemingly mild the eventual torture of Dave Pelzer began. Kudos to Dave for having the strength to tell his story.

Rating:
Summary: A real eye-opener to every reader
Review: I felt this book was a very interesting yet disturbing book to read. Many people fail to realize that this type of thing happens everyday to millions of children across the world. I am glad I read this book and would reccommend it to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: I cried when I read his books
Review: Dave, I first read your book A Child Called It and I cried the whole way through it I let some of the people I do workstudy for read it and so I went out and I bought the Lost Boy and I read it in a few days and then I went back and bought A Child Called It, and people have been asking me if they can borrow the books so I let them. I work in the TRIO office at ILCC in Emmetsburg, IA

Rating:
Summary: It gave the best insite of a childs point of view I've read!
Review: I think that he should not delay in publishing his 3rd book and sell it in a special 3 book package especially through book clubs like Double Day Book Club. I know I would buy it.

He should keep writing and I would love for him to get with some orginazations and help them help children and families.