Review: A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

This is an extremely depressing book that deals with real life issues of child abuse and this is the biography of Dave Pelzer who writes about his childhood and the abuse he received from his mother. Pelzer is able to show the darkness of child abuse by recounting the abuse he went through. Pelzer grew up in an unstable home with his alcoholic mother, in California during the 70's. Through out his childhood Pelzer's aim is to survive his mother's abuse, to survive starvation and the physical beatings he receives.


I was shocked at the disturbing things that happened to this child, such as how his mother tied him to their oven and turned the elements on and off. The most disturbing part would have to be the realisation when you put down the book that this actually happened to a little boy, this is a true story. This is definitely life changing book that will remain with you and make you consider the abuse children go through daily all around the world.


This is a hard book to rate or recommend since it is such a cold dose of reality of what occurs in extreme cases of child abuse. Other books about child abuse I would recommend for people who are interested in the issue would be:
~ Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed by Kristina Jones. 
~ Damaged by Cathy Glass