A Child Called "It" proves to be a moving memoir about David Pelzer, who goes through most of his childhood unloved, unfed and abused. David is left in the hands of his abusive, imitating alcoholic mother who plays torturous and brutal games on him. Although David started out loved along with the rest of his brothers, his mother quickly turns against him in her times of depression. David is often in the presence of his many brothers, but he stands alone in his fight to stay alive. Mrs. Pelzer has scared everyone out of helping David. His brothers, the neighbors, the school, and even his father fail to help David escape his mother.
Mrs. Pelzer is a truly cruel and bitter person, despite her caring veneer. Mrs. Pelzer insists on playing fatal games on David, like locking him in the bathroom with a suffocating ammonia-bleach mixture in a bucket. Throughout this book, David slowly loses all his hope of surviving, as the conditions worsen and his mother becomes more bitter and heartless.
David was a child all on his own struggling to stay alive. He never gave into his mother and he never gave up in trying to survive. While reading A Child Called "It" I could not help but cry as David withstands his mother's ruthless beatings. I feel like I would never be able to measure up to David in that he has undying courage and power. David never lost sight of his goal, which was to survive the blows of his mother. I will forever wonder how such a young child could survive such horrors. A Child Called "It" is an inspiring, tear jerking story as David strives to live through his mother's brutality. Whoever decides to read this book should be prepared to shed some tears.
