The Call of the Wild is a novel by Jack London about Buck, a St. Bernard-Scotch Collie who, after being stolen and mistreated by numerous owners, ends up in a dog-sled team in Canada. After fighting and killing the lead dog, Spitz, Buck becomes the leader. Buck is traded amongst various outdoorsmen until finally being rescued by John Thornton, who recognizes his exceptionality. After Yeehat natives kill Thornton, Buck avenges his death and enters the wild to live with a timber wolf. Loyalty, cruelty and nature are themes throughout.
A Child Called It is Dave Pelzer's heartbreaking account of the child abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his alcoholic mother. From ages 4-12, Dave was stabbed, burned, and starved, among a series of many other equally horrific incidents of abuse. His memoir, a remarkable record of the human spirit's ability to survive, goes on to tell of how he was eventually taken in by a foster family, and of his journey to a happy adulthood.