• Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."

Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

David J. Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva, was, he writes in this ghastly, fascinating memoir, a devoted den mother to the Cub Scouts in her care, and somewhat nurturant to her children--but not to David, whom she referred to as "an It." This book is a brief, horrifying account of the bizarre tortures she inflicted on him, told from the point of view of the author as a young boy being starved, stabbed, smashed face-first into mirrors, forced to eat the contents of his sibling's diapers and a spoonful of ammonia, and burned over a gas stove by a maniacal, alcoholic mom. Sometimes she claimed he had violated some rule--no walking on the grass at school!--but mostly it was pure sadism. Inexplicably, his father didn't protect him; only an alert schoolteacher saved David. One wants to learn more about his ordeal and its aftermath, and now he's written a sequel, The Lost Boy, detailing his life in the foster-care system.

Though it's a grim story, A Child Called "It" is very much in the tradition of Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul and the many books in that upbeat series, whose author Pelzer thanks for helping get his book going. It's all about weathering adversity to find love, and Pelzer is an expert witness.

Customer Rating:
Summary: A Great Inspiration
Comment: This book A Child Called It is a inspiration to many people. I think that this story about this young boy might inspire you to try to make it through if you have had some hard times in your life. This book is not fiction this is a true story the boys name is Dave Pelzer he is the author of the book and the boy is Dave. Dave was abused by his mother earlier in his life badly his father tried to help but he couldn't do much. Its very inspiring and I think it would also be inspiring to you. There are two sequels that go along with this book.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: ABUSED CHILDREN
Comment: I can tell you that from personal experience with my own son due to his father: That both Fireman's and Law Enforcement Families are some of the worst out there. The legal system allows them to get away with this kind of behavior by siding with them. Protective services fails these children most of the time by leaving them with the abusive parent or family. God help the children.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: One of the best books!!
Comment: Though this book makes you feel so sad for Dave, it's so detailed it makes you feel all his pain..one of my favorite books!!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Heartbreaking
Comment: What a wonderful heartbreaking book. I read this book in one night. I tried to put it down after the chapter The Accident. I lay there in my bed and cannot stop my mind from wondering, what happened to this little boy. I had to finish it, that night. The next morning I ordered 3 more of David's books. 5 STAR BOOK

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Too much detail from a child of 5 or 6
Comment: I found this book to be very disturbing in many ways.
First the shear horror of the acts inflicted on this child by a parent were too disturbing to complete.
Second, the detail that is included in the book from the time this man was 5 or 6 until he was 12 or 13 is just a little too over the top for me to believe it is actually the memory of a small child.

I am not denying that he was abused but I felt there was a little bit of embelishment from the adult writing.

I could not finish the book nor am I interested in ready the rest of his writtings. I find it amazing that he can over come the abuse and become a whole person but it was just a little much for me

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