Explore our new BookBrowse Community Forum!

What readers think of A Child Called It, plus links to write your own review.

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reviews |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer

A Child Called It

One Child's Courage to Survive

by Dave Pelzer
  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • First Published:
  • Oct 1, 1999, 184 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Oct 1995, 184 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Reviews

Page 14 of 34
There are currently 270 reader reviews for A Child Called It
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Brian M

everyone is Wack.
Hi I'm 18, i love this book. Everyone should most definitely read this book. This is empowering, amazing, filled with hope hope and strength. Everyone that thinks this never happened is crazy. Yes kids lie, but why would he go through everything to get help? You have to think back in 1971 or whenever he was a kid, the school system wasn't really worried about signs of abuse like they are now. It really makes me mad when people from CPS are like this never happened. Maybe do your job and research it. Because I'm sure I am not the only person that feels like that. No wonder this world is so sick, because when a child is abused you guys think it didn't happen and send them back. THAT'S WHY CHILDREN DIE! FYI ... this topic really messes me up because for a couple years when I was younger like around 9-13 years old I was abused. Physically and mentally . So yes I have a lot to say about it. And I really hope this makes you guys think.
Britt S.

In Awe
As a teenager reading this book I felt so many different emotions. I was overwhelmed, relieved, amazed, depressed, and extremely grateful. This book not only entertained me but helped me as well. I understand all too well about family problems and an unstable parent you can't depend on. This book made me grateful for the one parent I do have that loves me more than life, and helped me cope with my feelings caused by living with a parent that doesn't fit the part. I strongly recommend this book to everyone. I read all three in three days because I could not put it down. It teaches courage and inspires. It is upsetting some people, even his brother, would condemn him for sharing his struggles and call his past a lie. That is the very reason so many children continue to be abused today, and I can't even begin to describe how brave this man is for sharing the most intimate details of his life with the world.
Michelle Russell

Excellent book
I could not put this book down and I am not a big reader. I cannot believe how someone could survive mentally or physically as Dave Pelzer has. It was a very eye opening and brought me to tears. Mt 14 year old son read this book and loved it also. He and I are going to purchase and read the two other books so we can see how he overcame such a horrific childhood.
S H E l l O 3

SIMPLY AHH-MAZING. !
I've read your book many many times, and I have yet the urge to put it down. I'm sixteen and I have never felt so sad, and hurt as I felt when I was reading your book. After finishing reading this wonderful and inspirational book six times, I couldn't help but think that there are so many things Ii can do to help prevent abuse from happening. It takes time but it's a start. Your book has changed me for the better. It has set me straight on how lucky I am to be who I am today. I am such a big fan of your book and you as an author. Thank you for sharing your life.
Garett Handle

It makes you think..
I just finished the book and its very upsetting. As an 11 year old I thought it was horrible when I had to do the dishes, take out the trash, and go to school. Dave had it way worse. I can't imagine my mom doing such vile things to me, I still don't understand why he didn't call the police though. Perhaps he was afraid his mom would lie and then beat him more. I dearly love this book and recommend it deeply. This came from the life of a kid who almost got killed every day, and was called "The Boy" and worst of all an "it". I don't understand what kind of mom that would do such things, or what was going through her head when she did this. I'm reading the next book now. And to whoever said that " People lie, this is a fake blah blah blah" need to get a life. This kid went through 10 X what you went through. I'm still wondering what was going through his mom's head right then. Its horrible but such a good book. Recommend it definately.
Linda

Deeply Touching
I read this book after my two teenage daughters had read it and told me about it. I cried through the entire story and was haunted by it for many months. The three of us discussed it with each other almost on a daily basis for a very long time because none of us could get it out of our minds. At the time, my son was about the same age that Dave was when the abuse began and the three of us couldn't imagine that kind of horror being placed upon a boy of that age or any age, for that matter. Our hearts were broken by this book. I can tell you that my son was on the receiving end of so much extra love, kindness and attention from me and his sisters which has continued ever since. It is almost as if we were trying to make things right for Dave by doing that. Thank you Dave for telling your story and for giving so many people strength.
Kate O'Donnell

A Child Called "IT"
I have read this book and could not put it down,it made me cry so hard that my daughter came in and asked if i was alright.I told her about the book and she read it herself,she also agreed with me that it was one of the most upsetting books that we had ever read.Well done Dave for being so brave to write this sad story and for the way you applied yourself for a better life.Best wishes to you and your family.xx
Savannah

wonderful
I think this book teaches me to be happy for what I have and be happy that I have a mother that treats me the way she does. I also think every child should read this book cause they will really learn something

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: Our Evenings
    Our Evenings
    by Alan Hollinghurst
    Alan Hollinghurst's novel Our Evenings is the fictional autobiography of Dave Win, a British ...
  • Book Jacket: Graveyard Shift
    Graveyard Shift
    by M. L. Rio
    Following the success of her debut novel, If We Were Villains, M. L. Rio's latest book is the quasi-...
  • Book Jacket: The Sisters K
    The Sisters K
    by Maureen Sun
    The Kim sisters—Minah, Sarah, and Esther—have just learned their father is dying of ...
  • Book Jacket: Linguaphile
    Linguaphile
    by Julie Sedivy
    From an infant's first attempts to connect with the world around them to the final words shared with...

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Pony Confidential
    by Christina Lynch

    In this whimsical mystery, a grumpy pony must clear his beloved human's name from a murder accusation.

Who Said...

To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

F the M

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.