Summary of A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive

A Child Called "It" is the harrowing and deeply moving autobiography of Dave Pelzer, recounting his life as a victim of one of the most severe cases of child abuse in California’s history. The book details Pelzer’s torturous experiences growing up under the control of his emotionally unstable and alcoholic mother, who subjected him to unspeakable cruelty. In her eyes, Dave was no longer her son but a dehumanized "it"—a slave who was to endure endless torment.

The abuse Pelzer faced was relentless: he was physically beaten, starved, and emotionally manipulated, forced to play his mother's twisted and unpredictable "games" just to survive. His once simple desire for a mother’s love turned into a desperate need to navigate a world of pain and neglect. His bed was an army cot in the basement, and the clothes he wore were ragged and filthy. The food he was allowed to eat, if any, was barely fit for human consumption, often nothing more than spoiled scraps—leftovers that even the family dogs would refuse to touch.

For years, Dave’s suffering went unnoticed by the outside world. He had no one to turn to and no way to escape the nightmare that his home had become. Yet, despite the brutal conditions, he found solace in his dreams—dreams of a world where he was loved, cared for, and treated as a human being, a son.

This deeply personal and painful memoir not only chronicles Dave Pelzer’s childhood trauma but also highlights the resilience of the human spirit. A Child Called "It" is a testament to the strength it takes to survive unimaginable abuse, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of love, kindness, and compassion in the face of adversity.