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A Child Called "It" and The Lost Boy (Dave Pelzer #2)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 29,306 ratings · 1,774 reviews

Imagine a young boy who has never had a loving home. His only possesions are the old, torn clothes he carries in a paper bag. The only world he knows is one of isolation and fear. Although others had rescued this boy from his abusive alcoholic mother, his real hurt is just begining -- he has no place to call home. This is Dave Pelzer's long-awaited sequel to A Child Called...more

Published (first published May 31st 1994)

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Feb 06, 2010 Shiela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Lost Boy is a sequel to "A Child Called It" which basically depicts the life of David (the author) at ages 12-18 years old.

The first book tells you about this little (literally) kid who was strong and determined enough to stay alive amidst all the abuse his mother had put him through.
This second part of the trilogy, however, tells you about a boy who's trying to become a man in order to fit in to the society that's all new to him.

After being rescued from his mother's abusive claws, Dave was...more The Lost Boy is a sequel to "A Child Called It" which basically depicts the life of David (the author) at ages 12-18 years old.

The first book tells you about this little (literally) kid who was strong and determined enough to stay alive amidst all the abuse his mother had put him through.
This second part of the trilogy, however, tells you about a boy who's trying to become a man in order to fit in to the society that's all new to him.

After being rescued from his mother's abusive claws, Dave was jumping from one foster house to another. Little did he know that the "likes" of him. The "F-kids" as what they were branded were being looked down by the society. Community saw them as rotten tomatoes, even freak of natures. Like being a foster kid was their fault and choice.

Physical abuse seemed more easier to conquer and hurdle than the battle that boiled inside this little man. His questions about his past had led him to slightly crooked paths. More than anything, he wanted to feel like a normal teenager. He wanted to be treated like a human being.
These wants eventually became needs. He needed acceptance. He needed to fit in. He needed to feel human. He needed respect.

He befriended kids who had given him the merest of attention. Acceptance and recognition came in the form of stealing and lying.
Deep inside, he knew he was doing something wrong but his early mind shrugged it off. He was elated. No matter how temporary the feeling was.

Foster parents, just like them, were also being frowned upon. But it was from and with these people that David later on realized his worth and found his identity. People who gave him the kind of love his biological parents weren't able to give.

-- This book made me cry my eyes out. My eyes were so swollen I didn't dare to go out of the room so that nobody would ask what was wrong. It made me cry not because I felt sorry for the boy that David was or used to. I cried because I admired his courage and strength to make a difference. In some ways, he was the same little kid that stutters every time people talk to him. But he felt the need to become a man or make a man out of himself.
And above all these, I especially admired his gift of love. He loved the mother who stabbed him and burned his arm on the stove. He loved the brothers who hated him for revealing "their secret". And he loved the father that never stood and fight for him. He loved them more than he loved himself.
And for that, He can't be the Lost Boy =)

Good Read! :-)
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Feb 25, 2012 Sonia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

In A Child Called ‘It’, David was abused by his alcoholic, abusive mother. After years of suffering, fortunately, his teacher discovered his scars and bruises and rescued him. In The Lost Boy , David had to overcome his past and start a new life – as a foster child.

Foster care was not only an escape, but literally a whole new world.

It is brave of David to share his story. In this book, he was desperate for attention, acceptance and love. While I was reading the book, I wanted to hug him, cons...more

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Apr 03, 2008 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Lost Boy, written by bestselling author David Pelzer, is about David’s own struggle in foster care. In this book, David has a conflict internally and externally. The internal conflict is how he feels sad and worthless after all those early years of abuse. The external conflict is between David and his mother. When David was about seven to nine, he excessively abused by his mother. Therefore, with the frequent visits she pays him at his different foster homes, she acts as though he is still w...more

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Nov 16, 2007 Katie Abbott Harris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Lost Boy" is the sequel to "A Child Called It," and it continues where the first memoir left off. This, the second installment, takes the reader through the author's years in foster care after being taken away from his sadistic mother. It is refreshing to hear positive commentary on the foster care system, since most of what is reported is horrible. Dave's strength, perseverence, and unshakeable spirit are extremely inspiring, and it is heartbreaking to learn of his experiences. This is a m...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Thea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a book that explains the kids way of thinking, tells us how hard it is for anyone to fit in especially if everyone else thinks that you are different. I think the moral of the story is to understand, care and love children more.

David is a perfect example of a child craving for attention. Any child if not given the proper attention and guidance, even the most angelic and the nicest child in the world, can do things that may hurt others, destroy some property or worst destroy his own futu...more

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Apr 02, 2008 Delenn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had to read this one after The Child Called It. It was also compelling and opened my eyes to the foster care system.

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May 13, 2008 Nateran rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There Is Always Hope

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Apr 07, 2009 Christine rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was a very interesting and good book. It told me alot about how some kids just dont have the life they want. Alot of kids don't know how to appreciate something until they grow up. This book was about a little boy who had gotton beat all of his life. His mom doesn't treat him like a mom is suppose to: with care. She calls him names and mean things a mother shouldn't say Dave was the little boys name. I learned alot from this book. Soemtimes I think I'm living in hell and i don't learn...more

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Sep 12, 2008 Kellie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-reads, non-fiction, autobiography-biography-memoir

A truly amazing story of Dave Pelzer, the little boy who was viciously abused by his mother. Again, I can’t come close to understanding the viciousness of this woman and how she could treat her own son this way. It is truly amazing that Dave survived and became successful as he did. Dave is so right about Foster Care and the System. I met a woman at work who became a Foster Parent and I truly looked at her in a different light. It takes an extraordinary person to commit themselves to something l...more

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May 10, 2013 Lkk1998 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author's purpose in writing this book was to make people more aware of the emotional as well as physical scars an abusive parent can leave on their child. In the story, The Lost Boy, Dave Pelzer tells his experience of learning how to accept what he lost in the majority of his childhood. His purpose was also to show that a foster parent can change a child's life, by giving them a loving home.

The theme of this book was thankfulness. Dave did not experience the love of a parent, interaction w...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Giak added it · review of another edition

"The Lost Boy" by Dave Pelzer is a non-fiction book about a boy named "It" that is abused by his family and treated like he doesn't exist in the world. This story is about a boy who runs away to try and find a better life. He goes to the police and tells them that he was abused by his mother and is treated horribly in his family. The police takes "It" to a foster home. I like this story because it is telling us about a real life situation that a child can experience. There are children in this w...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Roxanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So the story continues. Now David is looking for a new place to find acceptance. As a "read" it (like the first book) kept me enthralled. I wanted to see the boy find a family,and develop into a capable adult. It certainly showed the journey from point "A" to point "B", however, on occasion a felt just a brief stirring in my gut that perhaps he glossed over just a bit of his more unsavory behavior while in foster care. I would anticipate he would struggle with social norms but he seems to want t...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Aimee O'donnell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book I read for quarter three was “The Lost Boy”, by Dave Pelzer. This book is the sequel to the series of, “A Child Called It”. The author’s purpose of writing this novel was to show that God can give you any struggle in your life; however he will not give you any difficulty that you cannot handle. He has a plan for everybody, and it will all work out in the end. I feel that David tries to tell everyone who is reading the story that you should never give up on something even if it is the li...more The book I read for quarter three was “The Lost Boy”, by Dave Pelzer. This book is the sequel to the series of, “A Child Called It”. The author’s purpose of writing this novel was to show that God can give you any struggle in your life; however he will not give you any difficulty that you cannot handle. He has a plan for everybody, and it will all work out in the end. I feel that David tries to tell everyone who is reading the story that you should never give up on something even if it is the littlest things, because you are not the only one going through whatever your struggle may be. You
have to put a smile on, even if you are feeling down on the inside.

The theme of this book is basically to tell everyone the struggle he went through and to show that you are not alone and you can get through anything. Dave Pelzer was abused at a very young age growing up by his mother. It was harder each day for him and it felt to him like it never got better. If you try and get through the day, it is just one day closer to the ending of your situation or struggle you have going on in your life and I feel that this is the main theme throughout the whole novel. Throughout the whole story, the author tried to stay on the same topic about his life and how he was abused and to tell everyone how to get through things in a better way and stay strong.
The style of this novel is narrative because the author is telling a story that happened to him at a young age. The author is trying to inform everybody his struggles he went through as a child. Dave Pelzer had it very hard as a young boy and it was defiantly not easy. Abuse is something that happens all over the world today. It is very cruel and unfair. Unfortunately, we live in a world where no matter what people do, it will never stop. Many children, teenagers and even adults have abuse in their life or have had it at a point in time. No matter whom you are, no human being deserves this and I really hope adults read this novel to see how unfair this is, and no child on Earth deserves it.
My opinion on this book, it I thought it was extremely incredible and almost life- changing. When I read this story, and all the events that happened to him, I could feel the emotion through the book. I felt sadness, angriness, and even happiness because he was saved from the terrible events in his life. I liked everything about the book and how Dave wrote it and I would not change a single line in the story. The book that is similar to the sequel, “A Child Called It”. This is the story where he is a child and is going through the pain. I feel that we do not know how lucky we really are. We take things for granted and don’t know how much we really have. It is really sad to think that we have to have something bad happen to us, for us to realize what is sitting right in front of us. This book made me realize how blessed I am to have an amazing and supporting family who loves and cares for me each and every single day. No child should EVER have to go through abuse. Every person deserves a mother and a father that loves them. Everyone on Earth should have somebody who treats them right and should not be treated badly and I love how Dave Pelzer tells that in this story.
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Jan 21, 2013 Taylor R rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dave Pelzer a boy who has never had a real home is still searching for love somewhere in the rotten world. In this sequel to Pelzer’s A Child Called “It”, Dave now safe for his brutal home with his abusive mother, he is nine years old is put into foster care. He experiences much instability moving to new foster homes very frequently just looking for family that will love him. During the book his mother comes to visit him and brings his bike; the bike he was never allowed to ride. It was mistrea...more Dave Pelzer a boy who has never had a real home is still searching for love somewhere in the rotten world. In this sequel to Pelzer’s A Child Called “It”, Dave now safe for his brutal home with his abusive mother, he is nine years old is put into foster care. He experiences much instability moving to new foster homes very frequently just looking for family that will love him. During the book his mother comes to visit him and brings his bike; the bike he was never allowed to ride. It was mistreated and broken so Dave saves money and repairs it but riding back down his old street where his family sees him and calls his foster parents. Later in the book Dave meets a boy who he thinks is his friend until he starts using using him to do illegal things. Will David overcome all of his obstacles to do what is right and will he ever find a loving family and seek his mothers forgiveness?
I felt very positively strongly about the main character Dave this book was written from his point of view. Dave’s role in this book was he was trying to find a family that actually will love him. Even though he is frequently moved from foster home to foster home he still has hope of one day a loving family will take him and love him. I connected with this character because through the first book and this book the way he wrote you can almost feel his emotions of pain and suffering and need for love from someone. Anyone who read this book will tell you they have shed some tears because of Dave’s courage and bravery to stay alive and to find love in this nasty world. Dave is trying to fit in and become normal and do things kids his age would like talk to girls of play games; he is beginning to feel free and start his own life without his so called family. "As I turned the corner, I felt like a normal person"(270). Dave did evolve throughout the story well, he kinda has to because he goes from age nine and the book ends at age fifteen a lot of internal changes happens to anyone at these ages in-between. At the beginning of the book Dave is still vulnerable and weak and still needs his mother to survive but later learns if he's with his mother he cant survive. Dave at the end is strong despite his mother and all the experiences he goes through for the duration of the book. I think my reactions was both an intended and a personal response to this character. When Dave wrote this memoir he was just writing what he went through he wasn't intending everyone feeling so bad and feeling what he felt on the edge of death and his search for love. I felt much empathy for Dave and i believe that was intended to feel his emotions and feelings and pain thats what Dave wanted us to experience what his life was like.
I think overall the book was fantastic just like the first book. Once again Dave through his writing made us feel his pain and suffering which gave me more of a perspective of his life at the time. I hate how this boys childhood was ruined and awful but I like that it shows the lessons he learned along the way. I wouldn't recommend this book to anybody because its really depressing and sad but i would recommend it to people maybe high school ages and higher nothing younger. I wouldn't recommend it to children because they wont comprehend what is going on. I also only recommend it to anyone who has read the first book it will be hard to follow if you haven't read the first one.
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Jan 10, 2013 Cam Rogers rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer

Rating: 7

Review:

In his sequel to the haunting and devastating A Child Called “It”, Dave Pelzer takes us through the journey of his removal from his mother’s cruel home and into the world of a foster child. As an “F-Child” in Northern California in the early 1970s, Dave often faces hostility and prejudice from other children, teachers, and the community at large. Dave describes the various foster homes in which he was placed, ongoing court battles with his mother, and h...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Correna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Lost Boy

The book, The Lost Boy, by Dave Pelzer, tells a story of a boy named David and his personal experiences through the search for the love of a family. It is a sad story based around his physical and mental abuse that he receives from his mother. David is eventually placed into multiple foster homes, seeking for the safety and love from others. An important theme in this story tells us about the importance of staying strong and never giving up.

David received the strength to run away fro...more The Lost Boy

The book, The Lost Boy, by Dave Pelzer, tells a story of a boy named David and his personal experiences through the search for the love of a family. It is a sad story based around his physical and mental abuse that he receives from his mother. David is eventually placed into multiple foster homes, seeking for the safety and love from others. An important theme in this story tells us about the importance of staying strong and never giving up.

David received the strength to run away from home knowing it was his last chance of survival. What hurt him the most was the thought of losing his father, his hero, through the events that were about to take course. This young boy was placed into a bulk of foster homes and kept his head up through every change he encountered. David went through both rough and smooth patches because of the choices he had made, but eventually gains the confidence and strength necessary to overcome them all.

This is my favorite book and I highly recommend any age group to read it. It provides you with vivid details, making you feel as if you were experiencing these hardships with David. This book is written extremely well and is also very easy to follow along with. What stood out the most to me in this story was the fact that this young boy acquired the strength to never give up through every encounter he was challenged with and was heading towards a successful future. David is so inspirational to me and makes me personally rethink my hardships.
With every rough spot that I go through I am reminded that they could always be worse, and to be thankful that I do not have to go through the abuse and challenges that David did.

It is remarkable that this man wrote these books himself and is willing to share his story. This book would be a good example to younger children to not bully and be more aware that their peers could be hurting. This may also send a positive message out to those who are taking part in an abusive relationship, showing them that it is ok to seek help and that they are in for a brighter and healthier future. This is a perfect example of staying strong, never giving up through difficult life experiences, and that nothing is too hard to overcome. (less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Emily Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Foster Parents, Young Adults

This review is from: The Lost Boy (paperback) 298 pages, $10.95, ISBN 1-55874-515-7
New York Times & USA Today Bestseller
The Lost Boy (sequel to “A Child Called It”) is based on a true story. Probably the worst known case of child abuse in California, this book shows the need for foster parents, and the love and care that they provide for a child is irreplaceable. This book is very sad and can touch even the hardest of hearts. It is a tear jerker, some tears for joy , and other tears becaus...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Jimmy Phillion rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Lost Boy is a story about a young boy named David Pelzer who faces internal and external conflicts while spending his life in foster care. For those who did not read the prequel, David was brutally abused and neglected by his mother. David was not an only child, yet his mother only targeted him. His parents were the furthest thing from married, and made that clear through the constant arguing and abuse of alcohol. On multiple occasions David was put through severe pain or discomfort for no...more The Lost Boy is a story about a young boy named David Pelzer who faces internal and external conflicts while spending his life in foster care. For those who did not read the prequel, David was brutally abused and neglected by his mother. David was not an only child, yet his mother only targeted him. His parents were the furthest thing from married, and made that clear through the constant arguing and abuse of alcohol. On multiple occasions David was put through severe pain or discomfort for no reason at all other than his mother gaining the satisfaction of inflicting fear and misery upon her own child. He was assigned the chores of all family members and constantly under strict supervision. Even the smallest mistake made during tasks David was assigned would set his mother off, and this was David's worst fear. Whether it was his hand burning on a stove, forced ingestion of ammonia,or sleeping in the garage, David never went a day without feeling worthless. If it was not the physical pain that gave him a sense of insignificance, his mother surely compensated for it with verbal abuse. After many years of wear and tear on David's body and mind, he finally attempted to leave his home.
David's mom often played mind games with him to attack his self esteem and prevent him from ever gaining any courage. At school teachers were suspicious of his odd behavior and tendancy to steal. They were concerned that something was out of the ordinary but David never said a word even when asked. One day David's mom opened the front door and told him to leave, so he left. He scurried down to a local bakery and eventually was found by a chef who worked there. A police officer picked him up and brought him to the station for questions. David was so scared of his mother that even when in the safest environment refused to reveal his secretly abusive mother. He even sanctified her. However after further questioning and contact with the parents, David was taken away from his home thanks to a social worker and placed in a new foster home. We see David experience the life that a young boy is supposed to have and his reactions to different situations he is put in. He struggled to adapt to his new home because the past endeavors he went through would never leave his mind. That horrid experience he called his old life manifested itself as a timid fearful and quiet personality that David adopted. No matter what home David was placed in, he never felt comfortable and couldn't manage to adjust. The story proceeds and shows where this lost boy will end up next. However you'll have to read to find out!
As the story continued, the reader follows David's experiences through his perspective. The reader begins to develop an emotional connection with him as we see all events he sees and feels. I really liked how we get a feel for David's journey as if it were our own experience. I really enjoyed reading this book because of the rich descriptive text and vivd scenes that were conjured from this young boys mind. Throughout his voyage David keeps an insightful perception on reality and views the people around him differently than the average person. I remember one specific scene where he is talking with Big Larry (another foster child) and David said to himself "Somehow we each knew not to ask why the other was in foster care. It was sort of a code that was explained to me while I stayed at Aunt Mary's home." The dialogue really emphasizes how emotionally intelligent David is because he had a mutual understanding with a person who he just recently met. I really liked to see how he approached new situations.
The one thing I did not like about this book was David's tendency to defend his mother. After reading about all the traumatic experiences this boy went through I didn't understand why he still felt tethered to his mother even when they were miles apart. Whenever a teacher questioned David about his bruises he made up excuses such as falling or tripping. At those moments it is understandable because he would have to return to his home later and possibly face the consequences. However when David was with the social workers or even at foster homes, it took an immense amount of talking before he would finally let out the truth. Why is it that he felt the need to protect somebody who treated him horribly? Instead of David avoiding his problems at first, why didn't he immediately surmount them when the opportunity was available? These questions drove me crazy as I continued to read. I never understood why he loved his mother when she didn't love him back. I also didn't understand why his mom was upset when he left her.
All in all this book was truly entertaining because it never had a dull moment. I always read something new about David and felt as though I went on his journey with him. I loved the emotional discussions he had with the reader as if they were able to reply. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the feeling of inspiration. When reading this novel you feel proud that this boy has been through so much and never gave up. I think teenagers such as myself would like this book because of how intense it is. I would not recommend this book to those who are very sensitive towards the thought of child abuse because this case was extreme. For those who can handle the concept, I highly suggest you read this book as soon as possible!

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Oct 04, 2012 Katie Siehr rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read the book "The Lost Boy", which is a sequel to the book, "A Child Called It" it was about a man named Dave Pelzer's, and life as a foster child. "The Lost Boy" is an autobiography. In this book I read about how Dave had changed over the years of being a foster child because of the things he had gone through.

David Pelzer's life as a kid wasn't exactly perfect. He was abused by his parents for most of his life. His mother wasn't nice to him and his father was an alcoholic. His mother would...more I read the book "The Lost Boy", which is a sequel to the book, "A Child Called It" it was about a man named Dave Pelzer's, and life as a foster child. "The Lost Boy" is an autobiography. In this book I read about how Dave had changed over the years of being a foster child because of the things he had gone through.

David Pelzer's life as a kid wasn't exactly perfect. He was abused by his parents for most of his life. His mother wasn't nice to him and his father was an alcoholic. His mother would make him throw up his food that she found out he had stolen or that someone had given to him. She would make him sleep in a cold garage with no blanket, and work very hard all day every day except for when he went to school. Dave ran away from home when he was nine, and a concerned person had called the police. The police came and took him to a hospital and they cleaned him up. A social worker was called and Davis was taken to court to fight against his parents (mostly his mom. He won against his mom and was taken to foster home after foster home. The foster homes weren't easy for David. He had to get used to a new home,new family, new school, and new neighborhood every few months. David didn't fit in with other kids because he was a foster child and he didn't make friends easily. I think David was very courageous to face his mother and for just being a foster child. David learned over the years to keep his head up and stay strong. He talks about loving life and being happy for who you are, no matter what. Even if you don't like who you are at that point in time, you can always change it, but the one thing you can't change is who your parents are. When David got older he enlisted in the Air Force because he was very interested in flying. He said that if you believe in yourself, you can do anything.

This book helped me understand the hardships of being a foster child and the struggles of David Pelzer's life. I had read his first book "A Child Called It" last year and I always thought that he lived a good loved life after winning against his mom, and the I read this book read "The Lost Boy" and I couldn't help but feel sorry for David and how he still was pretty much neglected still even after winning against his mother, but he still had no one. No one to talk to about what he had been through or friends to play with and a family who loved him, thats just rough especially coming from the background he came from. Read "The Lost Boy" to find out more about Dave and his life.

I think the authors point of view was to share his story to the world to let other people know that if they are being abused that it is ok to tell someone because they can help you get away from the people who are harming you.
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Oct 04, 2012 Emily Smarjesse rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author’s purpose in writing The Lost Boy is to show how one boy finds ways to survive in his life. He tries to find his strengthens and weaknesses to balance out his daily routine. The boy is telling the story, which is easier for him to express how he feels.
The theme of The Lost Boy is to fight your way through life’s struggles because struggles make you stronger. In the beginning of the book, the struggle begins like this, “I’m alone. I’m hungry and I’m shivering in the dark…My neck and...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Bur rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is an autobiography. David wrote about the child abuse he suffered for all his childhood. This is a continuation of the first book, and it talks about David’s life from ages 9 to 18.
I read the first book of the trilogy, ‘A Child Called “It”’ a year ago. I cried so hard. It shattered me and I still think of it every now and then. Books and their stories have a great impact on me, and the difference between this book and others is that it is real. Unlike other characters who have suffere...more

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May 29, 2012 Rhayna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is the continuation of A Child Called It. David gets a second chance at life basically. He was placed in afoster home. He had been placed in few homes because he wasn't really behaving in them. His mom was still trying to get him back but e refused to go back to her because he knew that he would basically be abused again. He made it sort of hard for the people that cared for him and i think it was because he was scared to get hurt in any kind of way. He feared that because of all he ha...more

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May 24, 2012 Tyler Truitt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Based on a true non-fiction story Dave Pelzer, the author, Explains his horrific childhood as a boy called it by his mother. In this book Dave is finally “set free” from his mother and is passed from foster home to foster home. But he secretly can’t stay away from his mother, his torturer. Once he feels some comfort in a foster home boom he has to leave to another one because of bad behavior or getting into trouble or just the foster home being to full.
I really felt sympathy for Dave Pelzer. H...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Ficbot rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Begun this with hesitation after not being terribly impressed by the first book in this memoir trilogy, but since it was a library book and it was fairly short, I was curious to see how Pelzer's story continued. There were many issues left unresolved after the first book, and this one addressed many of them and was a vast improvement. Pelzer's style does tend to the melodrama (lots of exclamation points and declarations that a moment was a turning point in his future) but I respect what he has o...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Abi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir-bio-true, youngadultreads

The sequel to A Child Called "It", this book tells the story of Dave Pelzer's boyhood in foster care.

By writing this first person account of what it's like to try to reenter the real world after surviving the 3rd worst abuse case in California (ever), Pelzer demonstrates that escaping from abuse is really only the beginning of the journey. The book is about the process of moving past that: learning to be a child, an adult; finding love and acceptance, from ones self and from others.

Although th...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Newport Librarians rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ms-becky, adult-non-fiction

I looked to this book with hope and for answers to the many questions raised by A Child Called It. It did not deliver on either count. Peltzer focused on the trouble he made, the bad decisions he made and the hopelessness of that time in his life. Now, there is not doubt his transition and healing was a difficult and very long process, but I still would have liked to hear more about the positive times he had with his foster families, the things he worked through in therapy and some of the good t...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Tony rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dave Pelzer- A Child Called “It” and The Lost Boy (Health Communications Inc. 1995) 4.75 Stars

For Dave Pelzer life was so perfect. They had a happy family and enjoyed fun outings, until one inexplicable day things changed. Suddenly Dave wasn’t worthy of a name, food, a proper bed, or new clothes. He became the beating child who went without food most days. His struggle to survive took all of his being and he had to learn to steal what food he got. Just getting through the day was all he could ac...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Rodolfo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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IRB#1

My criteria for the autobiography, The Lost Boy, will rest upon characterization and development of plot. I selected these themes to incorporate because I find it most effective and efficient when conveying the message of the story. David Pelzer was abused and mistreated in every sense of the word by his alcoholic mother. He was the only child of five that was neglected and tormented both physically and emotionally. Surely this isn’t any form of living for a growing child to be exposed to...more
IRB#1

My criteria for the autobiography, The Lost Boy, will rest upon characterization and development of plot. I selected these themes to incorporate because I find it most effective and efficient when conveying the message of the story. David Pelzer was abused and mistreated in every sense of the word by his alcoholic mother. He was the only child of five that was neglected and tormented both physically and emotionally. Surely this isn’t any form of living for a growing child to be exposed to that environment and violence, especially from a mother. Teachers and classmates suspected some sort of abuse but never built enough courage to take a stand. He always arrived at school with a funky aroma, raggedy clothes, and was caught plenty of times scrapping up leftover food in the trash cans. After years and years of being punished for no apparent reason he finally took the initiative and rebelled against this cruel treatment by running away from his “home.”
I like the plot of the story because it teaches you values of unconditional love, trust, and appreciation. After reading this autobiography you start to notice and come to realize that whatever problems one is going through at that time might be worse for someone else. Cherish everything you have because someone out there might not be as fortunate as you. When David was in the courtroom with an attorney, Ms. Gold, and his mother he was perplexed and scared. He was afraid that if he confessed once more to the acts that his mother committed he would never see her again and probably wouldn’t be guaranteed the safety of his siblings. A twelve-year-old child still felt remorse and an unconditional love for his mother even after how she treated him. He felt he was betraying his entire kin if he were to criminalize his mother. A confused child didn’t know how to decide as he wrote her a note that read, “I’m sorry.” David was luckily enough embraced by the foster care system at the age of twelve after Child Services became aware of his situation. He was placed in the custody of a woman named Lillian Catanze who already had two children named Larry Junior and Big Larry. Any nurturing mother is a step up from his biological mother.
Based on my evaluation of the story I rate this book a solid ten for its harsh realistic scenarios and self-evaluation by the author. He takes you back to how he felt and descriptively analyzes the situations he went through. Another aspect that I grew very fond of is that he can understand the feelings of insecurity and loneliness that he felt through his childhood. It’s a great book that’s dilutes your eyes to the harsh reality of life.
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Sep 26, 2011 Mandeep rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This describes his life from age 12-18 - and how he became a ward of the state, and what it was like for him.

Although the author strikes me as having heavy optimistic/idealistic leanings (which although wonderful and probably what helped him survive and thrive... can be a little suspect), I liked his first-person experience account of how in his case the foster care system did work. He touched on the fear some of these children/young adults must feel once they turn 18 and now are completely on...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Anthony Guo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 9th-grade-quarter-3

The Lost Boy, a memoir by Dave Pelzer, is a depressing and great book to read. After being constantly abused physically and mentally by his alcoholic, lunatic mother, he was finally out of the family. Dave, the protagonist, was finally free from his mother, or is he? Though under legal rights, Dave is no longer the son of the lunatic mother, she still comes and haunts him in his dreams. What he feared most is that his mother always win, and he feared that his mother would be coming back and tak...more

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About Dave Pelzer

An author best known for his 1995 memoir of childhood abuse, A Child Called It.

At the age of 12, Dave was removed from an abusive home and placed in a series of foster homes. In 1979, he joined the Air Force and later became an author of memoirs and self-improvement books.

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Books by Dave Pelzer

A Man Named Dave: A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness

The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story

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“You have to understand that in a person's life there are a few precious moments in which decisions, choices that you make now, will affect you for the rest of your life.” — 16 people liked it

“I just don't want to forget this first day of the rest of my life!” — 11 people liked it

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