Dave Pelzer's bestseller The Lost Boy is the sequel to his novel
A Child called 'It', also a bestseller.
The time is about 1970: in his childhood Dave experienced a truly extraordinary life. He endured the horrors of
child abuse which included physical torture, mental cruelty and near starvation, particularly by his
mother. Upon Dave's rescue, he was identified as one of the most severely abused children in
California's history. At age 12, Dave's teachers notified the authorities and saved his life. After his
removal from his parents (both alcoholics) Dave was made a ward of the court and placed in five different
foster homes with always different foster parents until he enlisted in the US Air Forces at the age of 18.
Dave's journey through the foster homes is also accompanied by social institutions, including social workers,
educators, psychologists and counselors, all of which he calls The System. The foster care system and
the social services succeed in moulding him into a valuable member of society. Although he is convinced
that without them he wouldn't have become what he is, he still loves his parents in spite of all the pain
they have inflicted upon him.
The language and the topic of this novel is suitable for reading the story in 'Klasse 10 or 11' already.
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