A Child Called ‘It’ By Dave Pelzer | Teen Ink

A Child Called ‘It’ By Dave Pelzer MAG

March 17, 2008
By Bapalapa2 ELITE, Brooklyn, New York
Bapalapa2 ELITE, Brooklyn, New York
1044 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Dave Pelzer's first book in this series is phenomenal. What actually happened to him as a child is hard to imagine. This was a number one New York Times bestseller for months and is an inspirational story.

David was renamed “It” by his evil mother. His childhood begins as the life everyone hopes for. He enjoyed visits to the zoo, lake trips with family, and being cuddled by his mom while listening to a great book. David's life drastically changed when he became a first-grader. His mother and father developed drinking problems. It's very hard to read about all the sadistic “games” his mother dreamed up.

When you read some of what happens, you'll wonder how anyone could even think of ­doing such things to their own child. Pelzer is a strong man to write about his childhood when he was almost beaten to death. This book really makes you wonder how many other children suffer such abuse.

As his teachers and principal, neighbors, and even his father stand by and let the abuse happen, it makes you wonder what you would have done. This book is extremely well written. All of the gruesome details help you to visualize what he went through. There are more books in this series, and you'll want to read them all once you begin. This book is for mature readers only.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 145 comments.


on Aug. 20 2011 at 11:51 am
collegegirladventures GOLD, Mequon, Wisconsin
10 articles 8 photos 307 comments

Favorite Quote:
A poet&#039;s work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep.<br /> <br /> ~Salman Rushdie

ok i will. thx :)

ambnyc SILVER said...
on Aug. 19 2011 at 9:06 pm
ambnyc SILVER, Rego Park, New York
6 articles 0 photos 133 comments

Favorite Quote:
You know you&#039;re in love when you can&#039;t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. - Dr. Seuss

The book isn't well-written. I get the feeling that people feel obligated to call it "well-written" because of its sensitive subject matter. It's basically one long account of gruesome torture that his mother put him through, not particularly well-written, no plot, just gripping because of the sheer atrocities he suffered.

I feel like people need to differentiate between well-written and "can't stop reading because it's so gruesome" (much like not being able to look away from a terrible car accident, or something).


on Aug. 19 2011 at 3:26 pm
Ladywarrior123 SILVER, San Antonio, Texas
8 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Life&#039;s like a novel. With the end ripped out. The edge of a canon. With only one way down.&quot;<br /> -Rascal Flatts (Stand)

I read this book when I was about ten. I loved it. Amazing story that is amazingly written.

jessicaah GOLD said...
on Aug. 19 2011 at 2:06 pm
jessicaah GOLD, Huber Heights., Ohio
12 articles 17 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I say what I want to say and do what I want to do. There&#039;s no in between. People will either love you for it or hate you for it. &quot;

It is intended for a mature audience but I read it when I was ten or eleven and I still enjoyed it. It is a good book and you should really give it a try! :)

Whittney GOLD said...
on Aug. 4 2011 at 5:47 pm
Whittney GOLD, Somewhere, Kentucky
10 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Everyone is beautiful just the way they are, and everyone is talented at something!&quot;

I checked this book out when I read the back and saw that it was about child abuse, but at that time I didn't know it was really. I couldn't put this book down even though I was cryin because his mother was completely horrible to him. I would hate to be called it by my mom and would hate to feel like an outcast. I am hopin to see an end to child abuse (well any ind of abuse) in the future. I read this the complete series and cried during them all.

on Jul. 6 2011 at 2:35 pm
collegegirladventures GOLD, Mequon, Wisconsin
10 articles 8 photos 307 comments

Favorite Quote:
A poet&#039;s work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep.<br /> <br /> ~Salman Rushdie

cool. im always on the lookout for good books. and do u think its mature enough fr 16-yr olds?

and please  will you chck out my stuff? thank you mucho


on Jul. 6 2011 at 10:23 am
freeflow23 GOLD, Durham, North Carolina
15 articles 0 photos 96 comments

Favorite Quote:
Saul saw Goliath as too big to kill. David saw he was too big to miss.<br /> W.W.J.D.

Nice review. It makes me want to read this book.

Ellimee Pawn said...
on Jun. 14 2011 at 2:42 pm
Great reflecting... A Child called 'It' really is one of the best books when it comes to sorrow and understanding the difficulty of living alone/

my lyf said...
on Jun. 7 2011 at 2:04 am
This is such a gr8 bk...the determination, hope and the need to live jst inspires me lyk hell. Wht his mom did 2 him was horrible, but the way he survived it is perhaps a wonder

k101hninxox said...
on Jun. 3 2011 at 9:44 pm
No  frigging detail was needed !!

k101hninxox said...
on Jun. 3 2011 at 9:43 pm
Le me get this straight about this book. Its awesome. Its intresting & of course sad. I was really crying on the last part of the chapter. No, not the flashback part but the last page. How sad, Dave's faher left him & lied. I would have kill myself than be that woman's slave !

on May. 23 2011 at 10:27 pm
sarah4president SILVER, Santa Clara, California
6 articles 5 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
r&eacute;pondez s&#039;il vous pla&icirc;t

this is one of the best books i've ever read. good review but i think it needed a few more details.

alexa!3 said...
on May. 16 2011 at 3:49 pm
this story is a great book it make many people cry. it is a boy that needs a better life

JusticeH said...
on May. 2 2011 at 8:21 am
This is a very nice book. Sadly, this stuff happens. I'm glad he had the courage to write this.

on May. 1 2011 at 9:46 pm
My_own_thoughts BRONZE, Dallas, Texas
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only thing that can stop you from living your dreams is yourself.

It's a great book, brought me to tears.

naynay said...
on May. 1 2011 at 8:26 am
how could anyone treat a child so cruel? his mother was sadistic. i wonder if i knew that something like this was happening, could i look the other way

on Apr. 28 2011 at 4:34 pm
I have not read A Child Called "It", and i never wanted to until I read this review. I never knew it was a true story about the author.

on Apr. 27 2011 at 11:33 am
peace_love_beauty PLATINUM, Florien, Louisiana
22 articles 35 photos 121 comments

Favorite Quote:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

I loved this book. It was so powerful and sad. In this book, Pelzer takes his readers into his world, where they, page by page, begin to feel and go through his horrible pain. This book made me cry, and stayed on my mind long after I'd read it. I've gone on to read the rest of the series' books, and I loved them. He has brought to light the horrible issue of child abuse.

khayie96 said...
on Apr. 22 2011 at 10:11 am
Dave im glad u rote this book it means so much to me. it mad me notice that there are people who need help.when i get oder im going to help people who have been in your situation and trying to call for help. thanks Dave Pelzer

Taneei said...
on Apr. 8 2011 at 7:00 pm
Your reiview was exemplary. It not only establishes a voice, but a tone as well. It gives graphic and vivid images of the trials and tribulations faced by thr persona. Additionally, it planted  the seeds of sympathy in my mind and opened my mind to a myriad of other things. There is no doubt in my mind that I will definitely be reading this book.