A Child Called It http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Child-Called-It-Dave-Pelzer/9780752837505

By Dave Pelzer

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Format:

Paperback, 240 pages

Published In:

United Kingdom, 04 January 2001

Dave Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother, a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games - games that left one of her three sons nearly dead. She no longer considered Dave a son, but a slave; no longer a boy, but an 'it'. His bed was an old army cot in the basement, his clothes were torn and smelly, and when he was allowed the luxury of food it was scraps from the dog's bowl. The outside world knew nothing of the nightmare played out behind closed doors. But throughout Dave kept alive dreams of finding a family to love him. This book covers the early years of his life and is an affecting an inspirational book of the horrors of child abuse and the steadfast determination of one child to survive. 'Dave Pelzer conveys brilliantly how his own determination allowed him to keep alive his dream of one day find a family who would be proud to call him their son. Truly touching, and emotionally shocking. A marvel' Best

About the Author

Dave Pelzer is recognised as one of America's most effective and respected communicators addressing corporations, conventions and health/psychology/primary care workers. His unique accomplishments have garnered personal commendations from Ronald Reagan and George Bush. He was selected as torchbearer for the 1996 Olympic Torch relay. He has dedicated his life to helping others help themselves.

Prizes

A Child Called 'It' received unprecedented media attention on hardback publication and is an international bestseller The UK hardback went straight into the bestseller list and has not been out of the top five since, reprinting regularly, mirroring the phenomenal US success It was on the New York Times bestseller chart for over two years Over a million copies have been sold around the world and it has been translated into 20 languages The follow-up to A Child Called 'It', The Lost Boy, hit the UK bestseller lists within four days of publication Dave Pelzer is one of America's most effective and respected speakers; he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for A Child Called It and was named one of the 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World 'His tale will both break and warm your heart' The Mirror

Reviews

Gr 9 Up‘This autobiographical account charts the abuse of a young boy as his alcoholic mother first isolates him from the rest of the family; then torments him; and finally nearly kills him through starvation, poisoning, and one dramatic stabbing. Pelzer's portrayal of domestic tyranny and eventual escape is unforgettable, but falls short of providing understanding of extreme abuse or how he made his journey from ``Victim to Victor.'' It takes some work to get past the poor writing and the self-aggrandizing back matter, but the book tries fervently to provide a much-needed perspective. One of the greater obstacles to healing for males is admitting that they have been victims, especially if their perpetrator is a woman. This author has overcome that obstacle and succeeded in life by such masculine norms as joining the Air Force and receiving awards for his volunteerism. However, while personal accounts of child maltreatment provide crucial information about the realities of childhood, youngsters need insight and hope in order to digest the raw material of abuse. James Deem's The 3 NBs of Julian Drew (Houghton, 1994) is a well-crafted, fictional work that effectively covers much of the same ground.‘Carolyn Polese, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA

Publisher:	Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
ISBN:	0752837508
EAN:	9780752837505
Dimensions:	19.0 x 12.0 x 1.0 centimeters (0.13 kg)
Age Range:	15+ years

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Reviews

5.0 out of 5 based on 13 reviews. 5 of 5 Stars! – Customer review on 22/12/2008

When I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down.
I was unaware that child abuse could be so severe.
What a family!
How this could have lasted so long without anybody outside the family noticing the abuse, I don't know.
It's an eye-opener- we all have to keep our eyes and ears open and speak out when we suspect child abuse.