Comments on: Top Teen Titles #35-39 http://blogs.slj.com/practicallyparadise/2010/12/12/top-teen-titles-35-39/ A School Library Journal Blog Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:58:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: susan norwood http://blogs.slj.com/practicallyparadise/2010/12/12/top-teen-titles-35-39/#comment-11928 susan norwood Wed, 15 Dec 2010 02:51:50 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/practicallyparadise/?p=1402#comment-11928 Yes Diane, I buy more copies of A Child Called It than any other book in my classroom library. Students keep it out for a long time and only bring it back if I nag them into it. Frequently, they say that their parents or a sibling is reading the book. What makes it so powerful is that Dave Pelzer endured unbelievable abuse. I tell students, "If you think you have it bad, read this." They are surprised to find out that it is a true story, and that Dave went on to be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey. A student from several years ago gave me the videotape of the interview. Just this week, one of my boys just finished The Lost Boy, and said that if I bought the next book he would "be good and read it." He is a first generation American of Arabic descent. I mention his background just to demonstrate that the book speaks to all kinds of people. If this boy isn't reading, chances are good that he's not using his time wisely. I just bought every book in the series and am now reading the book A Brother's Journey, written by Dave's brother. I will have to finish it quickly, because as soon as a student sees it, I will have to give it up. There are few other books on the subject of abuse that compare to Child Called It. Yes Diane, I buy more copies of A Child Called It than any other book in my classroom library. Students keep it out for a long time and only bring it back if I nag them into it. Frequently, they say that their parents or a sibling is reading the book. What makes it so powerful is that Dave Pelzer endured unbelievable abuse. I tell students, “If you think you have it bad, read this.” They are surprised to find out that it is a true story, and that Dave went on to be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey. A student from several years ago gave me the videotape of the interview.

Just this week, one of my boys just finished The Lost Boy, and said that if I bought the next book he would “be good and read it.” He is a first generation American of Arabic descent. I mention his background just to demonstrate that the book speaks to all kinds of people. If this boy isn’t reading, chances are good that he’s not using his time wisely.

I just bought every book in the series and am now reading the book A Brother’s Journey, written by Dave’s brother. I will have to finish it quickly, because as soon as a student sees it, I will have to give it up. There are few other books on the subject of abuse that compare to Child Called It.

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