Books like A Child called "it" and, the lost boy by David J. Pelzer

A harrowing memoir of David J. Pelzer’s survival through extreme abuse by his alcoholic mother in California, detailing his struggle and hope for a better future.

Jeannette Walls' memoir chronicles her turbulent childhood in a dysfunctional, itinerant family, detailing poverty, alcoholism, and homelessness across the United States as she seeks stability and personal growth.

Junior, a budding cartoonist from the Spokane Indian Reservation, transfers to an all‑white farm‑town high school, where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

A memoir of a woman who overcomes a strict survivalist Mormon upbringing in rural Idaho to pursue higher education, ultimately earning a PhD in history at Cambridge.

A five‑year‑old boy and his mother are held in a small room, and the story unfolds through the boy’s perspective, highlighting the harrowing effects of captivity.

James McBride’s memoir chronicles his upbringing among twelve siblings in Brooklyn’s Red Hook, revealing his mother’s hidden Jewish heritage and their shared journey of race, identity, and faith.

Louis Zamperini’s extraordinary journey from Olympic gold‑medalist to a World War II bombardier, through a Pacific plane crash, 47 days adrift, and harrowing imprisonment by the Japanese, is a gripping tale of survival and resilience.

A moving non‑fiction account of Richard B. Pelzer’s abusive childhood, detailing his family’s hidden violence and his eventual liberation.

340 pages ; 21 cm1080L Lexile

Includes material on "genocide survivors, witnesses to their own parents' murders, children raised in closets and cages, and victims of family violence ... explains what happens to the brain when a child is exposed to extreme stress, and he reveals how today's innovative treatments are helping ease children's pain, allowing to become healthy adults.

Imagine a young boy who has never had a home. His only possessions are the old torn clothes he carries in a paper bag. His only world is isolation and fear. Although this young boy has been rescued from his alcoholic mother, the real hurt is just beginning-he has no place to call *home*. This is the first paragraph on the back of the book. While I feel it sums up the book pretty well, I think something should be added. I think this is, as the title says, the story of a child's search for the love of a family. Also, I think it is a story of that child's search for acceptance among other children. And he is willing to do whatever it takes, including breaking the law, to get it.

A true‑story biography of Chris Gardner, a former Navy veteran who rises from homelessness in San Francisco to become a successful stockbroker and millionaire on Wall Street.

From the preeminent inspirational speaker and memoirist of our time comes a stirring self-help book for teenagersDave Pelzer continues his tireless crusade against despair with Help Yourself for Teens, an uplifting new book written specifically for young adults.Sharing stories of his own adolescent struggles—fighting for his life against his alcoholic mother and enduring outrageous oppression at the hands of bullies and false friends—Pelzer imparts advice to help young people rise above their circumstances and achieve greatness. He offers teenagers practical solutions for overcoming their own hardships, focusing on three areas: facing current and past problems; realizing the importance of decisions; and finally, never giving up on oneself. Through it all, Pelzer never lets hisreaders forget that they alone have control over the outcomes of their lives.Part self-help book and part inspirational memoir, Help Yourself for Teens is anempowering and uplifting guide to growing up in an often difficult world.

David J. Pelzer offers a practical guide to transforming past pain into personal strength and leadership, encouraging readers to turn adversity into positive change for themselves and their communities.