Hey, Kiddo: A Graphic Novel

by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Overview

The powerful, unforgettable graphic memoir from Jarrett Krosoczka, about growing up with a drug-addicted mother, a missing father, and two unforgettably opinionated grandparents.

In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka's teacher asks him to draw his family, with a mommy and a daddy. But Jarrett's family is much more complicated than that. His mom is an addict, in and out of rehab, and in and out of Jarrett's life. His father is a mystery — Jarrett doesn't know where to find him, or even what his name is. Jarrett lives with his grandparents — two very loud, very loving, very opinionated people who had thought they were through with raising children until Jarrett came along.Jarrett goes through his childhood trying to make his non-normal life as normal as possible, finding a way to express himself through drawing even as so little is being said to him about what's going on. Only as a teenager can Jarrett begin to piece together the truth of his family, reckoning with his mother and tracking down his father. Hey, Kiddo is a profoundly important memoir about growing up in a family grappling with addiction, and finding the art that helps you survive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545902489
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	10/09/2018
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	8,962
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Jarrett J. Krosoczka is a New York Times bestselling author, a two-time winner of the Children's Choice Book Award for the Third to Fourth Grade Book of the Year, an Eisner award nominee, and the author and/or illustrator of more than 30 books for young readers. His critically acclaimed graphic novel memoir Hey, Kiddo was a National Book Award Finalist. His work includes several picture books, select volumes of Star Wars: Jedi Academy, the Lunch Lady graphic novels, and the Platypus Police Squad novel series. Jarrett has given two TED Talks, both of which have been curated to the main page of TED.com and have collectively accrued more than two million views online. He is also the host of The Book Report with JJK on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live, a weekly segment celebrating books, authors, and reading. Jarrett lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and children, and their pugs, Ralph and Frank.

Editorial Reviews

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.

The New York Times Book Review - Patricia McCormick

★ 07/30/2018
Jarrett’s mother, Leslie, is a heroin addict—though he doesn’t know it until later in his childhood—so Jarrett’s grandparents, Joe and Shirl, step in to raise him. Evoking a great sense of people and place, Krosoczka (the Jedi Academy series) conveys the joys and complications of his young life in Worcester, Mass.—his childhood nightmares, his relationship with his mother through letters and sporadic visits, his grandparents’ tense relationships with one another and their children, and their great care in fostering Jarrett’s talent for art. Krosoczka portrays his mother empathically, showing her affection for him even as she struggles to be a reliable presence (in one scene, she takes him and his friends to celebrate a missed birthday). His father is absent, until, at 17, Krosoczka writes him to ask about possible half-siblings, and a relationship develops. Photographed family artifacts appear throughout the grayscale-and-burnt-orange panels, marking moments significant and everyday: his early art (all saved by his grandparents), letters from his mother, a comics class taken at the Worcester Art Museum. This nuanced graphic memoir portrays a whole family and tells a story of finding identity among a life’s complications. Ages 12–up. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Hey, Kiddo:

A National Book Award Finalist

Denver Public Library's Best & Brightest Books of 2019Booklist Editors' Choice - YouthCBC/ TeenReads.com Teen Choice AwardsALSC Notable Children's BooksIn the Margins *Recommended Nonfiction Book List and a Top Ten TitleAction Book Club SelectionsTLA Texas Topaz Reading List for NonfictionPA Young Reader's Choice MasterlistChildren's and Young Adult Bloggers Literacy Awards (The Cybils) - WinnerIndies Choice Best Young Adult FinalistEBSCO SEE-IT Award (Finalist)Ann Arbor Kids Read Comics Awards NomineeMaryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Master List)Oklahoma Sequoyah Masterlist"The story is a true reflection of the seesaw of life: There are moments of hardship and conflict, but also scenes of joy."— The New York Times"A candid, emotional graphic memoir about life with a heroin-addicted mother and rough but loving grandparents." — New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice"Inspiring...poignant and funny...A testament to the power of art and creativity — and a chain-smoking grandfather — to save your life." — New York Times Book Review"Powerful...Krosoczka movingly reveals the complicated origins of his humor and art." — Washington Post"Deeply heartfelt...Sure to have a profound impact on those who pick it up." — Paste Magazine* "Honest, important, and timely." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "A must-have, this book will empower readers." — School Library Journal, starred review* "This nuanced graphic memoir . . . tells a story of finding identity." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Krosoczka has meticulously crafted a severely honest portrayal of addiction, resilient familial love, and the healing power of art..." — The Horn Book, starred review* "Deeply vulnerable, moving." — Booklist, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 08/01/2018
Gr 7 Up—In this intimate graphic memoir, Krosoczka looks back on his childhood and adolescence. His mother was a heroin addict, who was incarcerated or in rehab for much of his young life, and his father wasn't around—until Krosoczka was in the sixth grade, he didn't even know the man's first name. The author/illustrator was raised by his loving but often amusingly coarse maternal grandparents, who were well past their child-rearing days. Though growing up without his biological parents was painful, Krosoczka had a supportive network of extended family and friends, and his art became both his passion and his salvation. The visuals beautifully re-create his early memories, with fluid lines depicting the figures and hand-painted washes of gray with burnt orange highlights in the backgrounds. Borderless panels and word balloons deftly draw readers into the action. Artifacts from the Krosoczka family's past are inserted into the story, such as artwork and letters, and even the pineapple wallpaper from his grandparents' home is included between chapters. VERDICT A compelling, sometimes raw look at how addiction can affect families. A must-have, this book will empower readers, especially those who feel alone in difficult situations.—Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

School Library Journal

★ 2018-06-24
A childhood beset by generations of family addiction is revealed in this raw graphic-novel memoir from a well-known children's author and illustrator. Though he doesn't realize it until later, Krosoczka's (The Principal Strikes Back, 2018, etc.) mother suffers from addiction, which brings turmoil into their family's life. Basic needs go unmet, promises are routinely broken, and the stability and safety most take for granted are never guaranteed. Krosoczka is raised by his grandparents when his mom can no longer care for him. The contradictions prevalent in his childhood will resonate with readers who have experienced addiction and educate those who have not. Yes, there is chaos, but there is also warmth, seen, for example, when Krosoczka's mom fakes his birthday for an impromptu party at a fast-food chain, or in the way his grandfather never misses an opportunity to tell him he is loved. Krosoczka learns self-reliance as a survival strategy. He also learns to express himself through art. The palette, awash in gray and earth tones, invokes the feeling of hazy memories. Interspersed are tender and at times heartbreaking images of real drawings and letters from the author and several family members. Krosoczka as an author generously and lovingly shows his flawed family members striving to do the best they can even as Krosoczka the character clearly aches for more. Honest, important, and timely. (author's note, note on the art) (Graphic novel memoir. 14-adult)

Kirkus Reviews