A Child Called "It" and The Lost Boy Book Responses

By, Alisa Yardley

A Child Called "It"

A Child Called "It" is the first in a three book series written by Dave Pelzer, a survivor of horrific child abuse, primarily at the hands of his mother. When I read this story, I was disgusted by the mother's treatment of her child, and the negligent attitude of his father. I found it hard to understand how the other adults in his life missed the blatant signs of abuse before anyone stepped in to help.

Reader beware. This story is hard-hitting. It's upsetting. It's eye-opening too. Child abuse is an all too common occurrence. When something is ugly to look at or think about, we tend to want to turn away; to think someone else will help; to focus on happier, lighter topics, but child abuse should never be ignored. No matter how far it takes us out of our comfort zone, children deserve to be protected.

Dave Pelzer is an amazingly resilient human being. My heart goes out to him for all he had to endure and subsequently overcome. He has my respect for the life he has chosen to lead in raising awareness, and through that awareness, providing hope for others who may have survived abuse, or know people who have been through similar experiences.

After abuse, when we take our power back, get away from perpetrators, and work through the arduous task of healing, there can be happiness; there can be safety; there can be love, and no matter how hard things become, there is always hope, in my opinion.

The Lost Boy

The Lost Boy is the second book in the three part series by the same author. It pertains to Dave Pelzer's life during his time in foster care and takes readers through his adolescence in the aftermath of his removal from his biological family. We sometimes like to think rescue from an abusive home is the happy ending everyone was hoping for, we can all breath a sigh of relief and move on, but in reality the story for the child is far from over.

To be taken from one's parents, even when necessary, can leave a child feeling rejected and alone. Change can be difficult under the best circumstances. Fear of the unknown can be present even in the excitement of a new job, relationship, or any number of other positive life events. To be placed in a family as a foster child, with strangers during a time when comfort is so greatly needed would be daunting for most people. Being moved from one home to another can remove the sense of stability that provides a strong foundation to build a life upon. New schools, new friends, new streets to explore... never knowing for how long, can be very unsettling.

Wounds of the variety inflicted on Dave Pelzer don't heal overnight. Emotional wounds can leave us scarred for life, especially when we are children, and even more so when the perpetrator is someone we are supposed to be able to trust, like in his case, being repeatedly harmed by his own mother. Pelzer's story is full of insight from the perspective of a child in the system. He shares openly about the struggles he faced, the behavioural issues he had to work to overcome, and how he was able to pull through the many difficult days to make a better life for himself.

Dave Pelzer has been to hell and back, but he made a choice to live his life well. He is an inspiring example to us all, in my opinion.

Note: I have not read the third book in the series. I felt personally satisfied with where things were left in The Lost Boy. Perhaps one day I will come across the title and read it after all, but for now I am left with admiration for someone who took the horrible circumstances that were beyond his control, and found a way to create meaning and purpose, not only for himself but for countless others as well. Hurrah to Dave Pelzer and every other survivor out there!