A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer is a slap in the face from the heartless side of life. Living in the suburbs gives everyone a little box to shield us from the horrifying events that occur every day, like child abuse. An autobiography of Dave Pelzer’s childhood, A Child Called “It”, is the terrifying truth that seems almost unreal. Memories of Dave’s youth began with a caring, compassionate, and loving mother began to change into his worst nightmare. The beatings began a daily trial in which he had to endure. As his mother became more unstable she cut of his food intake almost entirely, his only meals were the scraps from the garbage that even a stray animal wouldn’t lay a hand on. In her spare time she forced him to drink ammonia until his tongue was raw and bloody. Before long she began to toy with his life. He called her favorite game “The Gas Chamber”, in which she would mix Clorox and ammonia and lock him in the bathroom to suffer through the deadly concoction.

David Pelzer continues to move forward, though never forgetting his past. He gives the world hope by telling about this living hell he once called his life. Beginning the story with a flashback to when he was released from his mother’s torment gives the reader reassurance that there is a happy ending to this dreadful recollection of neglect. As the story continues Dave goes further back in his upbringing to where the abuse began and carries on with the memories until the present day. Talking about his daily horrors in first person created a fiction feel to the book, as though it couldn’t be real. Dave Pelzer shows us that although your life is a series of unfortunate events. You have the courage to hold on until someone can catch you. This book is incredible in the most horrendous ways; I would recommend it to anyone prepared to take a lashing on their innocence. I would also suggest The Lost Boy the sequel to A Child Called “It”, it is just as inspiring to read but brings new settings and feeling to his life. David Pelzer lets the world see that life is an extraordinary gift, and that even in your darkest state of mind, you will fight to keep it.