A Child Called "It" (Dave Pelzer, #1) in Around the World in 80 Books

Jan 23, 2011 Kimberly rated it liked it

Shelves: 2012-bookshelf

Okay this book is definetly not for the faint of heart.
Seriously, if you're easily disturbed please do not read this book.

After seeing several Goodreads friends talking about this in a group I thought that I should give it a try mostly because I needed something short to read and I wanted to get my hands on something that was a little more serious.

The book is written in such a manner as to make it sound like a 12 year old boy's voice about the terrible abuse that he suffered at the hands of
Okay this book is definetly not for the faint of heart.
Seriously, if you're easily disturbed please do not read this book.

After seeing several Goodreads friends talking about this in a group I thought that I should give it a try mostly because I needed something short to read and I wanted to get my hands on something that was a little more serious.

The book is written in such a manner as to make it sound like a 12 year old boy's voice about the terrible abuse that he suffered at the hands of his mother. I think that Dave Pelzer, the author and the victim of the atrocities did a good job writing it that way. So despite the subject matter I thought that he succeeded in this way.

Unfortunately I didn't "feel" for Dave as much as I thought I would because though the book was written to seem like its from the POV of a 12 year old I personally didn't find that there was any real emotion in his words. Now don't get me wrong this book was well written but those are the reason I gave this bok such a low rating.

While I was reading this book all I wanted to do was go after his mother. She was a sick, and brutal *beep* and I wish I could get my hands on her. Also what the hell was up with the rest of the people in his life? His brothers and his father LET the abuse keep happening and I blame them for letting the abuse go on for so long.

I know that back in the day when things like this were happening it was something that often did not get addressed but how could all the adults in Dave's life turn away from him in his time and need and ostrasize him. It sickened me beyond all measure.

I'm glad I read this book and I recommend it to others because it's something that should be read. This book has a message that if something seems off than it's not a bad idea to try to see if anything is happening especially when it comes to children. I think I will be continuing with the other books Dave wrote based on his ordeals but I suspect that I won't be reading them any time soon.

This book may make you cry, but I think it's supposed to get you angry.
Angry enough that you want to grab the closest child near you and hold them close to make them feel the safety that many of us took for granted as children.

...more

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Mar 01, 2017 Linda Martin rated it it was ok

Shelves: geo-california, nonfiction, families, memoirs, 2017, child-welfare

Too sad... but the author has a good attitude, in retrospect, and I'm glad he has faith in God. I do believe he was abused but think the memoir may be exaggerated. He has close family members that dispute his account of his miserable childhood. His comment at the end that 1 in 5 American children is abused seems like rubbish to me. His case of abuse, if 100% true, is over-the-top exceptional. Most families are nothing like this. Unfortunately, people tend to sensationalize child abuse and books ...more

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