Oh how I felt for this child. My heart was torn in two. Child abuse just astounds me. How does it happen. And then the ignorance of the legal system! The school dragging their feet along, knowing something was wrong. I cried through this book.

Some of the writing is uneven, the plot a little bit disjointed, but in fairness to the author, he is writing from the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy.

This book is vitally important, because there still isn't much in the way of non-fiction written by grown men who were abused as children. Their needs are completely different from those of girls. Pelzer's reaction to being placed into his first foster home - literally bouncing off the walls, jumping on all the beds, is perfectly normal behavior for a boy who has been abused. At times, boys taken into foster care are doubly abused, by well-meaning caretakers who don't understand the unique temperament of the abused male child.

In my view, the system very nearly failed Pelzer by shifting him from one placement to another, often at the last minute. However, his positive attitude is truly inspiring, and he has only praise for the social workers and foster parents he dealt with as a child.

It is impossible for a normal person from an intact Brady-bunch family to understand why a child, placed into a loving and safe second home, would start acting insane and doing everything they could to get kicked out of that home. It's a child's fantasy that holds out even into teenage years, that somehow, being kicked out of a foster home means that they're one step closer to going home, even if deep down, they honestly know that they can't ever live with their parents again.

I highly recommend this book to any person considering becoming a foster parent, and for people who are employed as caretakers in group homes or who work with children and young adults in placement. The writing style is easy enough to appeal to even a middle-school age child, especially one that is already in foster care.

I also enjoyed this book as much as A Child Called "IT". This also made me cry as much as as the first one. I could not put it down as well.

This book among others written by Dave have left me riveted. I can't put them down. All I see is a man who has overcome the circumstances placed before him. He is such an inspiration, I only wish more people would read his books and make something out of their lives, instead of playing the victim (which is much easier to do)

The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer is a sequel to the heartbreaking memoir, A Child Called "It". Pelzer explains what happened after he was taken away by his abusive mother and neglectful father. This book is really uplifting and moving. I highly recommend this fascinating story and his quest to find a foster family who will love him unconditionally. Enjoy!

This book helped open my eyes to what children go through in Foster Care. It helped me to relize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance,love acknowledgement or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...to even the point of doing something you know in you heart is wrong. This book makes me want to work hard, so I can buy a big house, Just so I can provide enough love and support and room for not only my three children, but for those children in need of a place to call home & to know that they have someone who care about them.

This is a story about a young boy who gets abused and treated unfairly. He doesn't have any clothes besides the ones he caries in a brown paper bag. He runs away from the world he hates. He has no home to go to, then he finds hope. To find out more information about this book find it and venture into it.

In my opinion this book was excellent and amazing.Why? Because it made me cry on the first page, some parts I felt like going in the book, because the suspense never ends. I would recommend it to those who love to read soppy, exciting books that are true.

This book, along with another came in on time and for a great price. I Love this book.. I am now waiting to read the two books left that tells the rest of Dave's Story. There are 4 all together!

This book will open your eyes to child abuse. You will forever remember and reflect on what you have read. We all have a need to be loved.

I purchased this book for my girlfrind, and she loved it! The compelling story of this little boy and his fight for survival would motivate anyone to keep moving forward. It is a must read!

This book is a great follow-up to A Child Called It that leaves you wondering what ever happens to David. It tells another great true story leaving you even more curious about what's in store for David. I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoyed A Child Called It.

(This is the sequel to A Child Called It) A truly amazing story of Dave Pelzer, the little boy who was viciously abused by his mother. Again, I can't come close to understanding the viciousness of this woman and how she could treat her own son this way. It is truly amazing that Dave survived and became successful as he did. Dave is so right about Foster Care and the System. I met a woman at work who became a Foster Parent and I truly looked at her in a different light. It takes an extraordinary person to commit themselves to something like that. I really admired her. This book brought tears to my eyes. Truly inspirational.

I have never been much of an avid 'Real Life Story' reader I'm more of a Science Fiction reader, but the book 'Child Called It' was recommended to me by a co-worker. Once I read the first book I was hooked. This story, as well as those that came both before and after, is heartbreaking and yet at the same time amazing. It is so stunning that a child who grew up through such abuse, neglect and loneliness could survive to grow up into the man who is able to share his story so well with others. This heart wrenching story will keep you captivated as you find yourself seeing things through the eyes of David and you wait, holding your breath, for the next chapter to see what happens to him next. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is an amazing story of survival and triumph of one young boy to one grown man.

I don't know if "enjoyed" would be the right word to describe how I felt about reading this book. I had much in common with the writer because we lived only blocks away. I found myself wishing I had know about him at the time, so I could have rescued him. I had already finished high school and may have stood up for him. His story was so tragic. I thought my life was bad...it paled in significance. The amazing thing about this kid, is his ability to live through this and bounce back to a functioning adult. Bravo Dave Pelzer...I applaud you.

This fast read is a sequel to the first book of Dave Pelzer's autobiography, A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive. This book picks up right where the first one ends as David leaves his home when his mother said he could and a policeman picked him up. His dad came to the station to bring him home and lied about what happened. Finally, the police came for him at school and this time he was examined, abuse was charged, and David got a hearing and chose to leave home to become a ward of the court. This book is about his teen years and living in different foster homes. He got in some trouble trying to be cool to make friends, including stealing and arson, but finally got his life turned around because some good men took an interest in him. He experienced love for the first time in his life when he was placed in some foster homes. This book was much more uplifting than the first one in the trilogy.

I liked this book because I was pulling for him to make it, and it looked like he would. It gave some insight into the foster care system in a good way. There is still one more book that takes him into manhood called A Man Named Dave: A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness which you need to read as well to get the full inspirational value of his story.

Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of My Funny Dad, Harry

I've read all of the books and this one I felt was not as exciting as the rest but if you plan on reading all of them then you must read this one. So if you do plan on it just read it, it's not that bad but it's not that good.

As a foster parent who accepted only one child at a time, I needed all the inspiration I could get. Dave's story not only inspired but also encouraged me. It is full of truths that make us aware of how blessed we are. Anyone who is interested in helping abused kids should read this book. With Great Mercy author.

As a foster parent who accepted only one child at a time, I needed all the inspiration I could get. Dave's story not only inspired but also encouraged me. It is full of truths that make us aware of how blessed we are. Anyone who is interested in helping abused kids should read this book.

Dave Pelzer gives a wonderfull account of his experiences of foster care in this sequel to A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive. In this book you begin to see the transition to a "normal" state of being, but it is not without it's problems.

All of Dave Pelzer's books are absolutely by far the best books I have ever read. I couldn't put them down!!!

This book is the second in the series of dave pelzer books. It tells of how this child who was severly abused and beaten down by his very cruel mother servived this horrifying time in his life and the courage it took to servive. Very heartbreaking!

Dave Pelzer is now away from that horrible thing he called "Mother" just to find himself in another life that's is just as unforgiving. Dave is now bouncing from foster home to foster home and automatically dubbed a bad child. He's finding it hard to fit into a normal lifestyle and struggeling to fit in by stealing and falling in with the wrong crowd. It's heartwarming to see him grow with foster parents who love him no matter what and case managers who are willing to go the extra mile to keep Dave safe. His mother is still around and threatening him and as a result Dave is very confused and terrified that he will be returned to his mother and have to go through what he went through again. I suggest that if you read A Child Called It then read this book too. It's a great sequel and leaves a better taste in your mouth than the first one did.

Enough cant be said for this book and its author, Dave Peltzer, tho its been a while now since these incidents, it will keep you reading, on and on. I was sitting in my Doctors Office reading this one, and the Nurses caught the title, and remarked, they had read it also and couldnt put it down. Many have had the privledge. Touches the Heart in a big way. I recommend it to anyone and especially those who love children and appreciate them.

Very easy read in terms of text and format. Difficult read based on subject matter. Images you will not soon forget. This was ordered for a sophmore health class...I just happened to read out of curiosity. Disturbing for young readers.

This book along with the accomping book a child called it are page turners and was not able to put it down one acceptional book. Also read the last book at it is just as good when you purchase this book you want to order all of them together so that you can read the others as soon as you finish the first one.

The second story of survival. A must read for those who read the first story, A child called it.

When i read this book i thought it was sad. because no one should go throught whta he went through. I liked this book. It was about a boy name Dave pelzer who was abused as a child. Some of the chalenges he goes throught are that he cant find a family that loves him and acually accepts him for who he is.This story is a good story about dave life and how he had to go throught what he did. It is rreally sad. If oyu read the first one i serioulsly consider reading this one it is the second in three series. The first on The Lost Boy was also a good book it was more sadd but i thought it was a good 5 star book.You really should be 11 or polder to read this book because there is some bad language and there are some hard words to understand. But you should deffintiotly read this book

This book gives the reader a fascinating and personal look inside not just the foster care system, but why they are very much so needed. Young Dave's life was very likely saved by being taken from his mother's home and placed into foster care. But this book makes it clear, that despite this positive change in is life, it certainly didn't mean everything was "happily ever after". Dave then struggled with issues ranging from not knowing some of the mere basics that other twelve years olds know by that age, ranging from as simple as how to take a proper bath to how to behave with proper manners. It also gives you a good look at the struggle these hard working foster homes and parents go through. They deal day in and day out with children coming from troubled homes, and these foster homes are in such high demand that they end up cramped to the brim. I think many of us, myself included, are unaware of just what a struggle it is for both the foster children and the foster parents, as well as how much we need to support these people. They are dedicating themselves to a truly needed and wonderful cause.

Thanks again Dave, for having the courage to share your beautiful story of heartache and triumph with us!

You read the first book, A Child Called "It". You couldn't put it down. Now, here's the continuation. In this book, David is abused, but he's had enough! It's time to make a change, and get out, but will David leave his family or stay and take the hits? Yes, maybe this book won't entail you as much as it's older sibling, but it'll definetly expand your view on things. The Lost Boy is another quick-read, not to skip through, but to read super fast, because you'll love it too much. The Lost Boy follows in the footsteps of A Child Called "It", as it pulls you into the exploding world of young David Pelzer.

A boy named Davied was beat on by his mother and always did what she told him to. But then one day he ran away and got put in a foster home with lovly partens thow he was still scared but he leaned that being free was wounderly, I wont give away the ending but it shows us how us kids are lucky then others kids are and that we could live a life like that one of these days. It alos tells that he loved to be a troble maker but he found ou thtat you dont have to do bad things to get attention all the time. also to for happy for what parents we have cause they might of had a life like that.

This is a story about a boy all alone in the world going from one foster home to another and how he deals with all of his problems. This is a great book, It is a good sequel to A Child Called It but it did have a couple moments where it would loose interest. For the most part I couldnt put it down.

Author of
TThe Truth
About Cafffeine

10 stars - As with David's first book A Child called It this book is just as fabulous.It really gives readers an excellent perspective of what's it like to be a foster child. To get attached to people and then have to leave, never really knowing where your going to end up. In this book David thankfully was taken out of his mothers care and ended up a F-Child or Foster Child. In the book we see young David still struggling with what his mother did too him and wondering the biggest question why? We see David over several years go through 5 foster families each who help shape and mold his life for the better. We see him go from a scared little 12 year old to a young man who sees more for himself and has a path planned for his future.

Sitting down with this book, I thought it would be just as heartbreaking as "A child called it". However, this book was inspiring and moving. David Pelzer took a tradgedy and turned it into a miracle. None the less, he managed to do this all before the age of eighteen, a challenge most adults could not take on. As David reaches his goals, he teaches all of us an important lesson, reach for the stars and never give up; there is always room for hope, love, and passion.

I wasn't a big reader until recently after finishing my Master's degree and not having anything to do with all my free time. I heard about A Child Called It from a friend and read it in 24 hours. It was a horrifying tale and I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to go through that kind of abuse and neglect as a child. Within the hour of finishing that book, I drove to the closest bookstore to pick up The Lost Boy, but I couldn't find it!!! I ordered it from Amazon and the wait was somewhat painful. I just had to know what happened next and I couldn't stop thinking about little David Pelzer until my book finally arrived!

I was so happy that David had been rescued in the first book and that he was fortunate enough to find a few foster parents that showed him the love that he missed out on as a child. The book describes an incredibe adventure and vividly tells of a continued struggle that no one should have to go through.

I would recommend this whole series to anyone! I almost didn't read the 3rd one, because I was pretty satisfied that David Pelzer was okay after the second book... but Pelzer had sucked me in with his incredible life story and I just had to know how everything turned out. I honestly recommend all three books to anyone and everyone.

It truly broke my heart to read these books, but I feel like a better (more enlightened) person for knowing about David Pelzer and his tragic childhood which turned into an incredible, amazing life. I'm sure you will too!

gerald beverly
Ithought that the book was really sad. this book tells what life is like for some kids. alot of people out there are really doing this to their kids. some times for no apparent reason. In the book it says that, I dont give a damn about the kid. I dont give a damn about the The Boy. if that was you would you want to live? If your mom really said that to you what would you do? You would probally just roll up into a ball and start crying. I am just saying that there are some kids out there that is happning to them right now.

Another great book, which comes as no surprise. The first book ends with him being removed from his home, permanently, due to his mother's abuses. This book gives us an insider's look at the foster home system, flaws and all, which rings quite true. I spent a week there myself, and have some delinquent cousins with a bit more experience. I suppose it'd shock a lot of readers, however. Meanwhile, what shocked me was that his mother was still part of his life. Grr! Great book. It's brilliant as well, and naturally I expect the same of the third part in this trilogy.

This book was excellent and easy reading. My 12 year old granddaughter, her mothe , my father and I read all of Dave Pelzer's series of 3 books. We also read his brother's story.

The book "The Lost Boy" is an autobiography about a little boy named Dave whose family, in particular his mother, abuses and neglects him. Throughout the book, He goes through many rough times in his life, dealing with the harsh punishments such as getting beaten, doing chores and hunger. He was treated like he was never part of the family. But until he finally rescued himself from all the pain and started a whole new life by going though many foster homes and becoming a foster kid where he was treated much better than he was by his family. The book is influential because it influences you to take action on saving kids who are getting abused or foster kids that are trying to find a loving family. In the beginning of the book, i really disliked how Dave was getting abused and how his parents didn't care for him one bit. But at the end, i liked how Dave found a loving family, was treated the way he was suppose to be and finally was able to be on his own, into the real world. The book tells me how all people do need a family that cares and loves for one another. I learned from this book that all a kid every needs is a loving family that cares. The style of this book was very unique. There were many dialogues. The length of the paragraphs were average, it wasn't short but wasn't long. And the lengths of the chapters were about 1-40 pages.

this is the sequel to a child called it and i think that it is just as good. one of my old teachers told me to read this and im glad she did because it had just as much emotion as the firat book did. this book is a lot more serious than the first one because dave is kind of in his recovery stage since he is now living in an orfanage. he faces many challenges including going to court, trying to forgive his mom and dealing with new siblings. this is a very interesting book and i think that anybody that likes a heartwarming sotry should read this.

"The Lost Boy" is a magnificant and captivating novel. When I first picked up this book I would not let go of it. When I first started reading it I did not want to let go of it. I started reading this in the evening did not put it down for 1 second until it was past my bedtime. It is a story about David and his life. He went through a lot in life and tries to search for a place he can call home...his permanent home. He goes to many foster homes being happy at all of them. He encounters his mother and who he loves after what all she did to him. Deep in her heart he finds something in her that tells him that she loves him.

Book Reviewer: Little Boy from Kentucky

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who wants to read this book. I support this book because it is a story of believing and helping people in need. The Lost Boy, I couldn't put down because every chapter something good or bad would happen to Dave and I would have to keep reading on. The surprises in the story were when Dave had seen his younger brother Russell, with bruises and marks on his arms and legs. This made me very sad because his mother had started abusing Russell. The people that would enjoy reading The Lost Boy are people who need a little hope or faith in their lives, or anybody who like a good story.

The Lost Boy

The lost Boy was an autobiography, written by Dave Pelzer. As a child, Dave experienced child abuse. He never had a real home. He had an alcoholic father who was irresponsible of the family and a mother who treated him like an "it", giving him barely any rights and freedom. Despite harsh punishments such as beatings, chores, hunger and physiological tortures, Dave was not a part of the family. He thought that he would feel the same way for the rest of his life because he believed there was no escape from his mother. But a chance came that changed Dave life. He rescued himself from all the abuses and started a new life as a foster child.
As a foster child, Dave later finds meaning in life by searching for the love of a real family. He had been through five different foster families during his adolescent years, but he is still determined to find the love of a family. Since he was not loved by his parents in his childhood, he is desperate for family love. Although he was discouraged by idea of family life, he was still determined to seek for a place he really fit in.
From the eyes of a child, the author wanted to tell us how devastating child abuses could be and how the author struggled to survive in this world with the memories of child abuses and discriminations as a foster child. If the author didn't make the choice to leave his mother, he might face more abuses which could lead to more serious consequences of child abuse. He knew that family love was the one thing that meant to him most; therefore, he tried very hard to learn the meaning of life by seeking a real home. Although he had gone through so much in his life, he managed to write a great novel! I LOVE THIS BOOK!
The Lost boy is the best novel ever! It let you know so much more about child abuse and its consequences. Despite that, after reading this book, you will realize how lucky you are living in this world and the importance of treasuring everything you have including family love.

"David, you're free. Your mother is never going to hurt you again." David, a nine year old abused boy, lived in fear of his mother since he was six years old. He then got the chance to finally get away. He became a foster child. The Lost Boy, a sequel from A Child Called "It", is a life changing, heart breaking experience. During his battle to find a place to call a home, he moves in and out of five different foster homes. By only living out of a paper bag and the ripped clothes on his back, he learns what it means to feel otherness or to be alone. From an abused boy, to a foster child, and now to a grown man, Dave Pelzer is a walking testament of what it means to live out of the ordinary. For ages 13 and up, learn about the struggles and pain a boy had to go through to find love.

The Lost Boy

If there was only one book you had to read before you had to die, it should be this The Lost Boy. It has everything you want in a book like drama, tension, a lot of surprises, and it is also a true story. The title and the chapter names of the whole book tie in with the whole story. This book is good for ages 13 and up.
When I picked up the book and started reading it I couldn't seem to put the book down until the very end. The book is mostly on David Pelzer trying to find a family to stay with while moving from foster home to foster home.
David Pelzer had a great memory when writing about all his good times and all of his bad times as well. I don't really like reading, but this book was so good that I couldn't stop reading. So, if you don't like reading much I guarantee you would love to read this book. If you like reading this book and want some more you can read The Child Called It or A Man Named Dave.

This book was a really good book. what made me not really like it was david's mom.. i dont know what she was thinking when she started that "game" with him.
David's
Mom physically abused him a lot and the thing I don't understand is why
His mom treated him that way and she took better care of his other brothers?
I think David did the right thing by getting out of his house... I say he did
The right thing because I don't think I would be able to live with a person
Like his mom under the same roof like he did, and also the way that he
Had to do everything at home and he didn't even eat in days...
I recommend this book to kids who are very strong readers and who think
They can handle reading this book because it is a great book but it is strong.
Also to all those teens who have gone through this I think that if they read
This book they are going to see that they are not the only ones to go through and it will let them know that they are not a lone that there is help around us.

Reading Dave Pelzer's story of his troubled youth as contained in "The Lost Boy," I constantly found myself troubled by the author's point of view. It is essentially the point of view of an adult attempting to mimic the point of view of a teenager. One gets the impression that the author laid down in print stories he had refined through repeated telling to audiences on the lecture circuit. I also found troubling the detailed recollection of conversations many years after the fact. Again, the recollections (to the extent not wholly manufactured) are heavily tinged with the attitude of an adult, not that of an adolescent.

Dave Pelzer was a very unfortunate boy, but lucky to survive when he was growing up. He is put through over 5 foster homes and still cannot find a family he can stay with. As Dave grows up he gets himself in more and more trouble, but when he moves into he Nulles foster home he finds two friends who change his life completely around. Dave finds a passion of reading and he learns a lot about airplanes. He gets two jobs at the age of 17 and decides to drop out of high school. With his G.E.D in hand he decides to join the Air Force. Dave Pelzer is a very strong-hearted person and should be loved by everyone because of the life he went through as a child.

My thoughts of the book The Lost Boy were, it was a very good book! It was never boring at any time in the book. Dave Pelzer is a strong guy going through what he did as a child. My favorite part is when Dave, and his two other friends are making stunts for their video. Dave Pelzer captured my attention when he was put through all the bad beatings, and losing family after family with foster homes. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to see a child pull him self together, and make it on with his life successfully. Those are my thoughts on the book The Lost Boy.

I felt Pelzer was able to portray his life in a way that was descriptive and real, but in a way that was interesting and at times humorous. I enjoyed Pelzer's writing style, and found myself unable to put his books down at times (I have also read "A Child Called 'It'"). After reading this, I have nothing bu respect for Pelzer. Kudos for him!

The Lost Boy a sequel from A Child Called It is a very touching book. David a boy who was harshly abused by his mom finally got help and now is in a foster home where he is safe. He is searching for love and is confused because of the sudden tragedy. This book is definitly one to read. If you read the first book you have to read this one or else you just get left wondering.

This book was the best book ever.If you were ever beat in your life by your parent/parents this book is the best one for you!The auther Dave Pelzer wrote this book about his life.If you think your life is so bad read about his.It's mostly how Dave survived his life of getting beat.I have no clue how this boy survied but he did.My favorite part was when his mom took his hands and but them on the hot stove and his mom wouldn't let go of his hands.Then his mom tried to have him lay on the stove but he would't and and he was about to but his little brother walk in and his mom dosen't beat him in front of someone.If you get a chance you should read this book it's the best!!!!!