Book Review: A Child Called "It" (4 Stars)

Three words summarize this book: emotional tear-jerker. This is not a book for the faint of heart who think the world is a place of roses and sunshine. In fact, many of the events in the book will strike the deepest emotion in your soul. You'll go from furious at the mother to shock over the fact that Dave Pelzer survived another vicious attack. It's going to make you cry, going to make you cringe, and in some chapters of the book-it will give you sympathy for Dave because he has the will to survive in a toxic environment.

Dave is in kindergarten when the child abuse first began. It goes from a violent slap across the face to extreme attacks as the years pass. He's forced to drink spoonfuls of Clorox, is knocked down a flight of steps by his mother, and has his arm held over a gas stove. Sometimes "The Mother" will give Dave what's left of his brothers' cereal.

As Dave gets older, his mother's alcoholism becomes worse. She becomes very aggressive and violent--but singles out Dave out of her five sons. His father, who Dave refers in the book as Superman, often turns aways as the abuse goes on. In fact, on a few occasions he has come home to help Dave with his chores so "The Mother" would let Dave be. One of these occasions was when she had pulled his arm out of his socket.

It's the Prisoner of War position Dave is required to sit in at all times. If he is caught not in this position, punishment is certain to come his way. When he is allowed to sleep, he loves to dream. However, he lays on an army cot in the garage, constantly pulling his holey shirt to cover his bony body. He hasn't any other way to keep his body heat in, which makes it difficult.

I have to say it-there are some scenes in this book that will make you cry. It's going to make you put the book down and go hug your children. Dave says in several places in the book, however, that he tries to outsmart "The Mother." His mother must have seemed like a tower over him when he was so young. The way Dave describes the house is amazing. Each detail puts you into the book as if you were a fly on the wall.

If only the school district had intervened soon, perhaps Dave may not have suffered starvation as long. His father, the other alcoholic component of the family, walked out on his family. Dave was sure he would go with his father, his hero. However, he was left with "The Mother" and her furious grudges against the family. It's unclear why she selected as her target, but in the first book, towards the middle, she takes away his name Dave and replaces his name with "it." 'It' has never done anything right, according to "The Mother."

Towards the end, David is reaching the age of 12 years old. His rescue by a police officer at the Daley City School was his way to freedom. He had beat all of "The Mother's" games which were vicious attacks for her humorous fun. He would no longer be a Prisoner of War in the garage. He had the courage to survive.