A Child Called "It"

This heartbreaking memoir by Dave Pelzer, sends you through the third worst abuse case in California as an eye-witness. It will change every reader who can finish the book.

David was born into a loving home. His father provided for them as a firefighter and his mother nurtured them. They'd go on gourmet picnics, long Sunday drives and annual vacations. All was well.

But, that all changed when David's mother became an alcoholic. She started not caring. He noted that she wouldn't bother getting ready in the morning, and most days she'd lounge on the couch and drink, and drink, and drink. Her drunkenness lead to multiple abuse attacks on one of her five children. Dave was her prey.

At as little as about three he was beaten against counters, hit and ordered to do slave work. Some days she would send Dave searching for an unknown item. She'd swear and scream and slap until her husband came home.

Soon those treatment's were too small for her "bad-boy." She would starve him, and make him sprint to school. He'd earn food and thirst by doing the dishes within a certain time limit. If that wasn't successful he'd scrounge through the garbage cans and well fed pets' bowls. Later did she catch on, and she'd do all she could to prevent him from eating, even out of the wastebaskets. He was forced to live in the basement on an army cot and he would run to school every morning.

His father and hero soon found out about this abuse. He would do very little to help. He'd given him a little food once or twice, and came home on time so Dave wouldn't get beaten, but Dave's hero soon turned into a silent bystander.

The abuse happened everyday. His mother thought out her plans elaborately, and the accounts of each one are described in this book. She had put him in a homemade gas chamber, full of Clorox and ammonia and at one point stabbed him. All I could think throughout this book was, "What human would do this to a poor child?!" The abuse was straight from heck and it was so hard to read through the tears.

I am absolutely amazed by this guy. He seriously survived all of this and is able to share it to millions. Despite all the stuff that had happened to him, he was able to think that one day, he would be out and all would be well. He's a great example of being positive no matter what and this book really showed me that if he could do it through all of that abuse, I could keep a smile on my face with challenges fifty times less than that.

The book was obviously violent. It was sad and very disturbing. But somehow I still managed to love it. I feel weird saying I loved a book like this, but it was very good. There was also some strong language sprinkled in there, but it was justifiable, I mean he's an abused child and there would be some strong feelings against the situation.

A Child Called "It" is an emotional, inspiring book. It is hard to read, but once you are through, you can't help but feel for all the children who need help. It opened my eyes to child abuse. I felt so bad for David and all the other children involved. I didn't yell once for a long time after reading this book, because I just couldn't be angry, knowing I wasn't in anything like David. Like I said before, it's life-changing. This book deserves an A, and a very large box of tissues.