A Child Called "It"
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A Child Called It
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I have to agree with you Brittany, I really loved this book, purely because of the purpose behind it. I enjoy a lot of books that touch on this topic, especially the books written by people who were abused themselves. It's really an eye opener because we don't always realise that something like this can happen in a seeminly normal family.
Pelzer has also written more books about his childhood that I'd love to read in the future.
Pelzer has also written more books about his childhood that I'd love to read in the future.
Hated this book. It seemed fake from the beginning. He never explained why his mom abused him or why the transition took place. The brothers and dad were even more despicable, especially dad. He "allowed" the abuse to happen and even encouraged Dav to go with the flow. I just really hated the book!
Licha wrote: "Hated this book. It seemed fake from the beginning. He never explained why his mom abused him or why the transition took place. The brothers and dad were even more despicable, especially dad. H..."im not trying to be mean here but do you really think the poor kid can crawl into his mother's messed up brain?Who knows why she did it?She's a psycho b!tch.Personally i loved it.The way it made you feel like you were in his shoes.I found myself wanting his mother dead as he had. But i also agree with you about the brothers and the dad.The brothers encouraged and even helped in his abuse while the dad although pure hearted was spineless and let his wife walk all over him then left his son for dead.
Licha wrote: "Hated this book. It seemed fake from the beginning. He never explained why his mom abused him or why the transition took place. The brothers and dad were even more despicable, especially dad. H..."How is it fake when it is a documented abuse case in the state of California? Like the previous poster said, how is David, as a child in the middle of the worse abuse imaginable, able to figure out his mother's motive? She was evil and crazy. The father is almost equally to blame for doing nothing. The transition is she snapped and decided for whatever reason, to take it out on one of her children.
I have this book and read it years ago. I have read it more than once. It is hard to believe that parents can be so awful.
I'm sorry Amy and C.C., but some of it seemed fake. I don't doubt that the abuse happened but I feel like some facts may have been somewhat exaggerated for effect. I just don't believe that as spineless as Dad was, he would have dismissed the incident of the knife. The school officials also seemed to be aware of the abuse, yet they let it go on day after day after day. If Dave, the adult, had maybe done some research on the why's of his mother's behavior, maybe I would have felt some connection to him. Why only him? Why the sudden abuse from one day to the next? People with mental problems are not evil, but they do commit evil acts. The mother may have snapped, but I still believe that there had to have been something that led up to it or that those around Mom had to have seen some signs of the breakdown. I know that if I was Dave the adult, I'd want some answers, not just about mom, but I'd also want some answers from those who did nothing to stop the abuse!
I loved and hated this book, I cried, was angry and a lot of other emotions. I have read all of these books and I must admit the last was the best if it really can be a happy ending? He is not the only one that has gone through this unimaginable hell and I'm sure he doesn't know why his mother did what she did, I mean really who could understand that!?
Licha wrote: "Hated this book. It seemed fake from the beginning. He never explained why his mom abused him or why the transition took place. The brothers and dad were even more despicable, especially dad. H..."
I took a class on working with abused clients and perpetrators. It's not as unusual situation as you think. The words "power and control" are an important aspect in any case. There's many reasons someone may not stand up to an abuser, whether they're the abused or a witness. As for being unrealistic, I've seen graphic pictures of cases that were just as bad. Don't think it can't happen.
I took a class on working with abused clients and perpetrators. It's not as unusual situation as you think. The words "power and control" are an important aspect in any case. There's many reasons someone may not stand up to an abuser, whether they're the abused or a witness. As for being unrealistic, I've seen graphic pictures of cases that were just as bad. Don't think it can't happen.
I thought that was a very sad book and i felt so bad for david that he was being abused by his mother and the father didn't stop it instead he just let it go on and on
Believe me, I know child abuse happens and some of it is probably even more severe than what Dave may have gone through. All I am saying is that I never felt a connection to Dave's plight. I felt like I was reading a fictional account of child abuse, each incident escalating in shock factor. From some reviews I read about this book, I know I am not the only who felt this way.
I'm so mad that dave's father didn't step in
As a survivor of child abuse, I can tell you that the reasons that a parent abuses their child may not always be clear. When the child is there and dealing with strikes to the head and kicks to the body, he/she may not understand what led up to the painful actions of their parent.I was not able to get enough perspective on my painful childhood until I had stepped back and tried to forgive. I realized that by not forgiving, I was only being held back. Part of me was still back in that house and could never move on.
It was a difficult decision to write my first book, My Remembrance. I wanted to write it to help people, not to judge or to seem unforgiving. I wanted to tell survivors that they are not somehow defective or unlovable, just because someone who was supposed to love them chose to hurt them.
My sister finally convinced me to write the book, but I had to deal with my emotional issues first. I am glad that I wrote it. Many people have told me that my book has touched their lives. If even one heart or life is changed because of the pain of my past, it may have been worth it.
I would be honored if you bought and read my book, Christine. I would love to hear what you think. If you are truly interested, I have an author page here on goodreads. It will tell you how to get it.
I'm really interested in reading your book
Christine, I'm going to send you a private message.
alright that's fine and i sent you a comment right away so i hope you can tell me
I cried alot when I read this book. It is horrible the way he was treated. I wanted to hurt the mother for treating him like that and the father for not doing anything. I have been through some tough stuff with my folks but nothing like Dave did that is just horrible. I am really glad that he got his story out there though.
I felt so bad for dave because his mother just kept beating him up alot
Licha wrote: "Hated this book. It seemed fake from the beginning. He never explained why his mom abused him or why the transition took place. The brothers and dad were even more despicable, especially dad. H..."I'm sorry but I have been through abuse by my own folks and don't know why my parents have done it. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but I really don't think that Dave would make any of this up. It also states in the second book she took on beating on another one of his brothers. I really wouldn't wish it on anyones life.
Maxine, forgive me if I in any way offended you or any child abuse survivor. That was never my intention. My opinion on this book was only to say that I just couldn't quite buy into it. I would love to read your book.
Licha i think you should write a book about your life
I'm amused by your comment Christine. Why is that?
loved all 3 of the books, read them in 4 days
what do you mean your amused by my comments?
Christine wrote: "what do you mean your amused by my comments?"Not comments, just the comment where you said I should write about my life. I am amused because I'm wondering what would make you say that?
Well you had a horrible childhood and i think you should write about your life in a book
Actually I had an excellent childhood, great parents. I don't know where you got the impression I didn't. Maybe because I didn't like the book like you did? That means I had a bad childhood? Sorry to disappoint you, but it's not the case at all.
yeah maybe but i'm sorry i got the wrong impression
People are really crabby on this discussion
Christine, I think you meant for your comments to be directed toward Maxine whose above comment states she wrote a book about her history with abuse.
Very depressing...no child/children should ever have to go through something so horrific!
Oh i'm sorry lol and i would really like to read your book maxine
Licha, I was not offended in any way by what you wrote concerning your doubts about the extent of the abuse. I simply wanted to offer an insider's view point. I recently read this book. Since my book has been compared to it, I thought I would see if there were any similarities.
Some things reminded me of my own story; some things were much worse.
I actually believed what he wrote. The way he wrote made me think of my own writing. I told my story, but I tried to offer some inside information that would allow the reader to determine what may have led to the abuse. As I read his book, I could see that he had asked himself similar questions. He mentioned that his dad may have felt betrayed by him when his mother would use Dave as a sort of replay of what unkind things the father had said to the mother when they would fight.
It is obvious that the mother was the dominant one in the family. She ruled with an iron fist, even where her husband was concerned.
My step-father was in some ways similar to Dave's father. If mom raised a hand to us, he did not say a word. She even hit him a couple of times. Maybe he and Dave's dad did not say anything because they were afraid the abuse would come their way.
In our society, we expect the men to be strong, to stand up for what is right. This is not always the case. Some men are weak and unworthy.
Maxine wrote: "Licha, I was not offended in any way by what you wrote concerning your doubts about the extent of the abuse. I simply wanted to offer an insider's view point. I recently read this book. Since my b..."
Maxine, I have added your book on my to-read list. I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by my comments. Looking back on what I posted, I realize I was insensitive to people who may have gone through this type of ordeal. It was not my intention and I thank you Maxine for helping me see that. I do want to point out that I work in a field where I get reports of all types of child abuse and it breaks my heart to read these reports, so it's not because I don't believe that these things happen. I just couldn't quite buy elements of Dave's story, and again, I don't wish to offend anyone with my comment. Maxine, I hope you have come to a good and happy place from your experience and I look forward to learning something from your book.
Thank you, Licha. I am truly honored that you have an interest in reading my book.I am a very happy person today. Initially, I left home and became the statistic of the personn who goes from an abusive home to an abusive marriage.
That marriage ended after a few years, but I didn't get myself on track for a few more years.
I thought about writing the book for a long time. I tried and failed several times. My sister encouraged me, saying, "We have a story to tell. We can help others."
I realized that I could not write the book until I had forgiven my parents for hurting us. I did not want to write a book that was angry or full of judgment.
I prayed that God would forgive and love them through me. That he would help me to forgive them and to come to a sense of peace.
When this happened, I was able to write the book. It is not one of those "poor me, look what happened to me" types of books. My book offers hope, which is what I wanted it to do. If I cannot reach out and touch hearts and lives for the better, I shouldn't be writing.
Maxine wrote: "Thank you, Licha. I am truly honored that you have an interest in reading my book.I am a very happy person today. Initially, I left home and became the statistic of the personn who goes from an ab..."
Maxine, that was beautiful and touching. The power of forgiving is so grand. I am a firm believer that when we forgive, we move past all the emotional ties that hold us back. I am so happy to hear that things have worked out for you and you have healed you emotional wounds. I wish you all the best and hope that those who pick up your book will gain from it. I hope to read it soon.
When you read my book, I would be grateful if you would do a review of it on amazon.
Maxine wrote: "When you read my book, I would be grateful if you would do a review of it on amazon."Most definitely Maxine. Is it fairly widespread? I was trying to look it up through my library website and I couldn't find it.
I thought it was a great book but i think the reason why his mother abused him was because she was crazy
Licha, I have an author page here in Goodreads. Look for Maxine L. Owen, as I think I did it with my middle initial. I have two books out. My Remembrance, and Cameron's Journey. They are both available on amazon.com.
Thanks Maxine. Will do.
Thank you, Licha. I appreciate it.
Maxine i have to read your book sometime soon
You were going to ask for it for your birthday. Did your mom buy it for you?
no because she wanted to know what the name of the book was and i forgot lol
Christine, my first book is called My Remembrance. That is the one that is most like A Child Called It. My most current book is Cameron's Journey, which is about my youngest child, who has a high-functioning form of Autism, called Asperger's Syndrome.
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I really liked this book, and I think the author's purpose for writing this book is really important. Child abuse is a major reoccuring issue for humans. Pelzer's story is really eye opening of the hardships some people face, snd just how lucky some of us are.