58 pages • 1 hour read
Dave PelzerA Child Called It: One Child’s Courage to Survive
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1995A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer is a memoir of his harrowing experiences with severe child abuse at the hands of his mother until he is rescued by authorities in the fifth grade. The book details his mother’s drastic transformation from a caring parent to a violent abuser, the various cruel punishments she inflicts upon him, and his ultimate rescue and journey towards healing and stability. This work includes detailed depictions of child abuse.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Dave Pelzer's A Child Called It garners high praise for its raw, compelling narrative and emotional impact, effectively bringing attention to the grave issue of child abuse. Critics appreciate Pelzer's bravery in recounting his traumatic childhood. However, some challenge its authenticity and criticize the writing style as simplistic. Overall, the book is impactful but polarizing.
Who Should Read A Child Called It?
Readers who would enjoy A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer are typically interested in deeply personal, harrowing memoirs of overcoming traumatic childhoods. Similar to those attracted to Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle or Mary Karr's The Liars' Club, they seek powerful, emotional stories of resilience and survival.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
850LBook Details
Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Addiction / Substance Abuse