A Child Called It

Pelzer, Dave. A Child Called "It". Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, Inc., 1995.

The title of this book has to do with what Dave went through as a child. He was just referred to as a child by "It". Dave's mother didn't care about him enough to call him by his first name. Throughout the book, his mother avoids calling Dave by his name. He is just a very unlucky child who gets brutally abused by his mother. She is somewhat ashamed of what she does and so it makes her feel better not to call Dave by his first name. He is just an "It" in his mom's world. She doesn't want to think of him any differently than other kids. She won't feel as guilty if she doesn't show love to him by calling him by his name. By not acknowledging Dave, it shows that he is not important in her world.

Throughout his childhood, Dave feels unloved. He feels very alone and sad. By his mother doing these horrible things to him and when she doesn't even call him by his first name, he grows up thinking he isn't supposed to feel loved. He feels "stripped of his existence" (pg. 140). This made Dave feel like he was nobody, like he worth nothing in the world.

A theme of this book is to never give up hope. Even when he feels like it can't get any worse or he will never make it out of his house alive, Dave never gives up hope. He finds ways to survive whether it being stealing food from the other kids or grocery stores. Dave learns to play his mother's games. He learns how to get through the days by thinking about when he finally gets to leave. Dave learns to never give up hope.