A Child Called 'It'

by

Dave Pelzer

This is a grim but very true story.

It is a horrifying account of a young boy's struggle to free himself from his abusive mother. He was brutally beaten, starved and burned over a gas stove. His mother, Catherine Roerva, referred to him as "an It".

This very moving account of how the author, Dave Pelzer, struggled to survive is heart rending. Yet in the determination to realise his dreams of finding a family to love and care for him and, to make something of himself in the world, the reader finds the story life enhancing.

Despite all the odds, particularly as the outside world knew nothing about his nightmare, David survived. He brings to this story and to his sequels, an insight to the horrors of child abuse. But to Dave this darkness brought an appreciation for life. He turned tragedy to triumph that must be an inspiration to all of us.

The book is compelling in that the questions raised are very thought-provoking indeed. For instance, why did cruelty such as this go undetected and why, as a society, do we let it happen?

Maybe this brilliant book will go a long way to help prevent other children from suffering in the same way. Let us hope that lessons have been learned.

A Child Called 'It'

Audiobook

The Second Book of the Trilogy:

The Lost Boy

A Child Called 'It' was told from the perspective of a child aged from 4 to 12.

The Lost Boy recounts his years from 12 to 18.

The Third Tale in David Pelzer's Autobiographical Trilogy:

A Man Named Dave

This story completes the trilogy. It shows courage, compassion and love. The author's ability to forgive leaves the reader in awe of his ability to do so.

Most inspiring.