Perhaps the first wish of every child in an unstable home is to disappear. To be anywhere but where the family is coming unraveled. The second wish, probably the fiercer of the two, is to be seen. To be understood and to make others understand what's going on. In his inspiring graphic memoir, Hey, Kiddo, Jarrett J. Krosoczka makes visible—and poignant and funny—what is most important about that experience: Somehow, you can still love your imperfect family and survive with your spirit unbroken…Rendered in shades of gray with touches of burnt orange, the drawings are not lovely, but they are perfect. Their hectic lines convey the chaos and complexity of a life where addiction is a backdrop. The crowded panels portray the constant drama. And the characters' facial expressions communicate a world of confusion, anger, shame and, ultimately, resignation. They are eloquent in a way that mere words are not. That's not to say that the words in this book fall short. The language is understated, wry and knowing.
A popular subset of audiobooks is full cast editions, which are productions that involve multiple narrators. Just like in a film or television series, when an ensemble cast really clicks, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The B&N Audiobooks team listened to dozens of full cast books to pull together this […]
It’s the first week of May which means it’s time to celebrate! Not only is school about to be out for the summer, but it’s also Children’s Book Week — one of the longest-running national literacy initiatives in the country. This year, Every Child a Reader has chosen the theme “Read Books. Spark Change” — […]