Parents are meant to be protectors and guides. They are meant to help you through life until you can conquer it on your own. Parents are meant to protect you from harm, not be the cause of it. However, those who have suffered from child abuse know that these expectations are not always met.

In the novel A Child Called “It,” Dave Pelzer recounts the physical and emotional abuse that his mother inflicted on him as a child. Pelzer’s life was not always riddled with the fear of beatings and the sounds of a grumbling stomach due to starvation. He can still recall the “good times” when he and his family were happy, when he was not a prisoner and outsider in his own home. However, Pelzer’s life took a turn for the worse, as is the case for many other children who have gone through similar experiences. Soon, he was being starved and tormented by his own mother. His brothers never aided him while he sat in the damp basement, glad they weren’t the victim of their mother’s rage. Pelzer had to learn to survive from the person who brought him into the world. A Child Called “It” tells his remarkable journey through the horrors of child abuse and how he was able to survive it.

Though Pelzer experienced things no child ever should (beatings, torture, verbal abuse, and starvation), he managed to maintain hope. He always thought of the days when the good times would return, when he would be free. He shows it is possible to move on, not letting the past define him. He uses his experiences as a motivation to help others. Pelzer’s story is an inspiration because it shows that people can overcome the darkest of times. Dave Pelzer managed to survive by finding ways to outthink his tormentor. He did not rely on someone to save him, knowing it would be too late if he did nothing. He learned to fight for himself. Fortunately, a few staff members in his school started to notice the bruises on young Dave’s skin and the excuses that would come with them. They risked their careers by speaking out. Pelzer’s story motivates people to speak out if they notice something is wrong. It could save someone’s life, like it did for a child called “It.”

A Child Called “It” is a moving story that can bring many to tears. It has a dark theme, but it is one that needs more attention. People need to understand that the lives of some children are not always pleasant. The book is recommended to everyone above the age of fifteen for its dark themes. Pelzer will go into detail regarding some of the ways his mother would abuse him, so those who are squeamish should refrain from reading the novel. A Child Called “It” is relatively short at 160 pages and should only take a couple of days at most to finish. I was truly moved by this story and I hope I can help spread Pelzer’s determination by recommending it to others.