A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive

This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an it.

Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Hci
Published: 09/01/1995
ISBN: 9781558743663
Pages: 195
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 7.40h x 4.90w x 0.50d

Review Citations: School Library Journal 12/01/1995 pg. 139
USA Today 12/18/2002 pg. 1
Time 01/23/2006 pg. 60
Entertainment Weekly 03/06/2015 pg. 72

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 36564 / Child Called "it": One Child's Courage to Survive
Reading Level: 5.8 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 5