[1] A sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-nominated A Child Called It, in 2002 The New York Times Magazine reported that The Lost Boy had spent 160 weeks on its bestseller list for non-fiction paperbacks.

The Lost Boy is included as the second book in Dave Pelzer's compilation My Story.

[3] A 1997 review in Library Journal recommending The Lost Boy said that Pelzer's "honest, sometimes rambling" account was "never bitter" and sure to "find many sympathetic readers".

[1] A 2002 article in The New York Times Magazine suggested that Pelzer had "devoted significant space in The Lost Boy to rehashing abuse incidents from his earlier book" because his experiences in foster homes were "dull in comparison".

He ends up in a bar, getting caught by a staff member named Mark for stealing a quarter.

He then decides that he is more interested in earning money than school because he will be out of foster care in less than a year.

The story ends with him beginning his career in the Air Force so he can learn how to treat others.