Vol. 4, No. 2 • Spring 2000
Dave Pelzer's Books
May Change Your Life
by Becky BurmesterIf you are at all like me, you read to learn and for enjoyment. I am recommending that you read a three-book series that could change your life as well as the lives of the children you serve. These autobiographical books, written by Dave Pelzer, are A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive, The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family, and A Man Named Dave: A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness.
First of all, it has to be said that these books are not "fun." They tell the story of how the author was abused as a child, his life in foster care, and the incredibly productive life he lives today. I believe that Dave Pelzer has told his story in a way that will allow readers to share the feelings of an abused child and of a child in foster care. While the second and third books do provide the reader with some background from previous volumes, I believe readers will gain the most from reading the entire series.
A Child Called "It" tells the story of the author's early years. His early childhood was ordinary: He lived with his parents and two brothers, and the family was happy. Then things went horribly wrong and David suffered horrific physical and psychological abuse at the hands of his mother. In an effort to cope emotionally, David searches for the "mommy" who has been replaced by this "mother".
The Lost Boy recounts the story of David's abusive home-life and of his years in foster care. This second book ends as David leaves the "system." Foster parents may gain some understanding of youth in the "system" as they read David's story.
A Man Named Dave retells some of the story with greater insight and continues the story almost to the present day. The reader shares Dave's experiences as he begins life independently. The author exhibits remarkable insight about how the experiences of his childhood and youth influence his life as an adult.
Reading these books gave me greater understanding of the continuing role the birth family plays in the lives of children even when the birth parents have been terribly inadequate or even harmful to their children. As foster parents, many times we forget that these parents are the reason the children exist and that in many instances the children believe that they themselves caused the abuse or mistreatment and deserved what happened to them because they were bad.
These volumes are widely available in libraries, bookstores, and online. If you are considering purchasing the books, please note that your purchase can benefit the North Carolina Foster Parent Association if you visit our website and click on the Amazon.com icon to make your purchase. Our Web address is <www.ncfosterparents.org>. Through our website, the first book is $4.98, the second is $5.48, and the third is $13.97. The first two books are only available in paperback and the last book is only available as a hardbound edition.
If you would like to suggest books for this column, please e-mail me at [email protected].
Becky Burmester is a foster parent and a member of the North Carolina Foster Parent Association.
Copyright � 2000 Jordan Institute for Families
