A Child Called ‘It’
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Survival – that’s his main goal. But is survival feasible when you are “no one” to your family and you are not considered a person but an ”it” ?
The answer could be found in the book A Child Called ‘It’ written by Dave Pelzer. I doubt that anyone could read the book (or in my case listen to its audio version) without being moved by the story. It’s about a young boy who is being severely abused by his mother. The best thing about the book is that the story is told in the first person, which allows you to look at the world through the eyes of David, and feel his pain, hunger and desperation. The story is so well told that the reader can easily empathize with the young David and his experiences. This book made me appreciate my own family which, even if not perfect, gave me a chance to have a normal childhood.
The really horrifying thing about the book by Dave Pelzer is that the events in it are based on the memories of his own childhood. As I have learned from Wikipedia , there is a bit of controversy about that. But even if everything in his own childhood didn’t happen as he’s stated, it does not make the experiences portrayed in the book any less horrible. What happens behind closed doors often remains secret and many people are forced to fight for their lives and dignity in unbearable conditions.
The book is excellent and I would like to recommend it to all readers of the blog regardless of your age. Social workers and anyone interested in child psychology may also benefit from reading A Child Called ’It’ . The book is a part of the curriculum of schools in the United States and Canada.
To finish this mini book review, I would like to provide you with few quotes from the book:
“”You are a nobody! An It! You are nonexistant! You are a bastard child! I hate you and I wish you were dead! Dead! Do you hear me? Dead!”
“My relationship with mom drastically changed from discipline to punishment that grew out of control. It became so bad at times, I had no strength to crawl away–even if it meant saving my life.”
To read the review of the second book in the series “The Lost boy ” – please click here
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GUEST says: December 5, 2011 at 10:46 pm skykid says: September 5, 2010 at 1:09 am ___ says: July 1, 2010 at 8:52 am Rivenmaster says: February 21, 2010 at 3:27 am
Comment Policy |If your comment is short , please use this Twitter buttonI need help for a school project I have to find 5 quotes from the book that represent memories
As this book article is by far the most popular book review I am considering purchasing the second book by Dave Pelzer. I have my eye on the book for quite a while and am just waiting for it to go on sale. But hopefully soon I will get it , read it , review it and add it to the site
i think it is good that these book are being made so it gives some people an insight to what sort of stuff could be in our backyard.
I for one have purchased and read all three of Pelzer's books. I believe his first to be the best of the three and hold the most interest for me. I could really relate to the book having seen child abuse and neglect up close and personal. I am a Volunteer CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused and neglected children for my county. I work closely with CPS, Foster Parents, Lawyers, Doctors, and of course the entire court system. A CASA's roll is to re-unify the child with the parent that they have been removed from. Of course in most cases by the time the child is removed reunification does not work out. In those cases we stay on until the child is permanently place in a home or adopted. These cases can stretch on for over a year. This is a bitter sweet volunteer job but it has many rewards as well when the final results end up with a child now safe from harm or neglect. I would encourage everyone to read all three books especially if you plan to work with children.