Hey, Kiddo

Reach for this book when your teen is navigating the complexities of a non-traditional family structure or the heavy shadow of a loved one's addiction. This graphic memoir follows Jarrett as he grows up in the care of his loud, loving, and blunt grandparents while his mother cycles through incarceration and rehab and his father remains an enigma. It is a story about the silence that often surrounds family secrets and how finding a creative outlet can provide a lifeline when words feel impossible. While it addresses raw themes like drug use and abandonment, it does so with profound empathy and resilience. It is an essential choice for teens who feel 'different' because of their home life, offering them a mirror for their own experiences and a roadmap for processing complicated grief through art.