A Child Called “It” The book A Child Called “It” was written by Dave Pelzer. “In the years before the abuse, my family was the “Brady Bunch” of the 1960s. My two brothers and I were blessed with perfect parents. Our every whim was catered to with love and care. These are Dave's words about his family before he was abused by his mother. Dave Pelzer lived a truly extraordinary life. As a child, he suffered abuse from his alcoholic mother, which included physical torture, mental cruelty, and nearly starving to death. After the rescue, Dave was identified as one of the most severely abused children in California history. At age 12, Dave's teachers risked their careers to alert authorities and save his life. After Dave's dismissal, he was named a ward of the court and placed in foster care until he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age 18. As a young man, Dave was determined to better himself, no matter the odds. tells of him and his relationship with his alcoholic mother, who beats him, starves him, refuses to give him new clothes, and does not call him by name but refers to him as "it" or "the boy". At first Dave and his mother have a perfect relationship. Soon his mother starts drinking and singles out one of her sons as the "slave" of the family. She begins her abuse by sending him to school wearing the same clothes for a year and without food. So for a while Dave steals food from other students' lunch bags to fill his stomach. Soon his mother ...