Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Quick Synopsis: In an autobiographical graphic novel, Jarrett J. Krosoczka tells the story of his family and his childhood. His mother, suffering from a drug addiction, is in and out of halfway houses and prison. His father is completely absent for the first part of his life simply because Jarrett doesn’t even know who his father is. Raised by his grandparents, Jarrett learns hard lessons early in life and becomes introspective and finds a safe haven in comic books and learning to draw comics. Eventually he grows more confident and takes the risk to search for his father. In doing so, Jarrett finds a part of his life that he never imagined.

Why Students Like It: For starters, it’s a graphic novel. Graphic novels have a pull that other novels may not. However, this novel also delves into some very common topics that many students don’t have the words to discuss. Parental drug addiction, absent parents, and being raised by grandparents are all common occurrences in young peoples’ lives. This book doesn’t shy away from any of the emotions that go with those problems, and it gives students a starting place for processing these complicated issues. The grandmother also cusses quite a bit, and I’m sure students find that both humorous and realistic.

Why Adults Might Like It: It’s a quick read; my mom and I each found it easy to read in under an hour. It’s also a very relevant topic for today. Drug addiction and the absence of one or more parents is so common, but it’s often a hidden problem. Families often refuse to talk openly about problems such as these and in turn, children become silent, too. Books such as Hey, Kiddo give adults and young people a common ground to have conversations. If you are interested in understanding the impact adult drug addiction or absent parents can have on young people’s lives, you might start here.