A+Child+Called+It+by+Dave+Pelzer+-+Erica,+Jean-Marie,+Celina

This book is good to read because all the reviews read are positive, and you really get into reading the book. It says that it is about a boy who is abused and it makes the reader feel like they know exactly what the boy is going through. Also, it makes the reader understand what it is like to have parents abusing you and they feel very sorry for the boy. It is almost like you want to be able to help the boy and stop him from suffering. We can also relate to the book in some ways, because we know people who have been abused or are being abused now. Dave Pelzer is a good author and people have recommended this book.


 * APPROVED**


 * Week 1 - Characters:**

A - Erica B/C - Celina D - Jean Marie

Discussion Questions:


 * How come Dave didn't want the teachers and the nurse at his school to find out about his scars and what his bruises were from?
 * What grade was Dave in?
 * Why do you think Dave's mom beat him so much?
 * How do you think Dave felt when he walked into the teachers lounge with the policemen?
 * Why do you think his parents were seperated?

Meeting Notes:

Week 2 - Language A - Jean Marie B/C - Erica D - Erica

Discussion Questions:
 * How did it make you feel when David was being burnt on the stove?
 * Why do you think David hates his father more then his mother?
 * Why doesn't David tell someone about his mother abusing him?
 * Where does David go during recess and why does he go there?
 * What would you do if you were in David's position?

Meeting Notes: This story really changes your emotions. David gets abused terribly. His mother went from smashing his head on the table to breaking his shoulder to burning his arm to putting his baby brothers diaper in his face. He has a punishment of being starved. David doesn't know what to do. He feels if he tells someone that he is abused, that when he gets home his mother will beat him more. Since David is starved, he starts to steal food at school. He takes other kids' lunches. The school finds out, and they call his mother. He is beat even more. David comes up with a new theory. He decides that he is going to leave school as soon as lunch begins and run to the market. David then steals food their. He eventually gets caught and he gets beat again. His new punishment was his mother shoved a teaspoon of ammonia down his throat. David chokes but is okay. His mother said that the poison is implace of food and it will relieve his hunger. The normal routine goes on and David now lives in the garage and is not allowed to use the upstairs bathroom. His blanket is the newspaper. This book gets even more touching every time you read it. It is sick to think that a mother can really do these things to her child.

A-Celina B/C-Erica D-Jean Marie
 * Week 3**

Discussion Questions: -Do you think that since his mother started beating him that is why his brothers do not talk to him? -Why do you think the father comes home less and less? -Why do you think David is allowed to sleep in his dads bed when he is not there? -Why do you think it took so long for David to be called down to the nurse?

Meeting Notes: The story gets even worse as it goes on. David's brothers do not talk to him anymore because they know his mother doesn't approve. They ignore him so there mother doesn't get mad and beat them too. The father comes home less and less because he wants to avoid fighting with the mother and he can't stand watching his so be abused anymore. I think David is allowed to sleep in his dads bed when he isn't home because maybe the mother did something to it that will hurt David. It took so long for David to be called down to the nurse because they didn't believe David was being abused and they finally realized how hurt he is.

Week 4: A-Jean Marie B/C-Celina D-Erica

Discussion Questions: -What are some themes in the book? -Do you think David's mom will ever stop abusing him? Why? -Can David ever change his mothers mind about abusing him? -Why do David's brothers never get abused? -Do you think there was something about David that made his mom only beat him?

Meetings Notes: It is getting close to the end. David has new punishments. He is starved for about ten days straight. His mother also makes him sit outside in the cold all day without a jacket. He freezes and finally, late at night his mom lets him come inside and clean the dishes. He is locked in the bathroom and the mother makes a clorox mixture so he inhales it in and is not able to breathe. His last new punishment was being stuck in the bathtub with freezing cold water. David's mother will probably never stop beating him at this rate. David just believes that everyone is giving up on him and he is not loved by anyone in the world, even his father. One thing that is hard for David is his brothers do not get abused because they are older and smarter and they loved. David's mother probably beat him because he was the youngest and his mother took her anger out on him since he was the only one always home. David is waiting for his day to die.

Week 5: A-Celina B/C-Jean Marie D-Erica

Discussion Questions:
 * How did you feel about the book?
 * Did you like the way it ended?
 * How did this book make you feel about child abuse?
 * Would you have found help from the school earlier if you were David?
 * What was your favorite part about the book?

Meeting Notes: This book we read was intense. Throughout the whole story, a little boy David was beat by his mother. No one could protect him because his mom put on an act when people came to check up on him. It was really sad to read how sick a mother can be to her own child. The group members and I enjoyed reading it but it was really depressing. The ending was not great but I would recommend people to read this book. It may make people realize what its like to live a hard life and it makes you a better person since you are aware of the bad things that go on in the world.