Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
This graphic novel tells the real-life story of Jarrett J. Krosoczka, an author/illustrator who is known for his creative characters and recognizable style. Hey, Kiddo is a graphic memoir about how Krosoczka was raised by his grandparents, Joe and Shirley. The author’s mother was a heroin addict. He did not meet his father until he was a teenager. This honest retelling of the events that shaped Krosoczka as an individual describes his family members with unashamed details, such as how much his grandmother swears and how often his grandparents smoke. The author’s early life was spent in a little house with his mother. Strangers were coming and going at all times. As a toddler, Krosoczka moved in with Joe and Shirley. Leslie, the author’s mother, signed parental rights over to her father because she was battling an addiction to heroin.
Throughout the book, Jarrett describes significant moments in his life, including how an author told him he drew a “nice cat” during a visit to his Jarrett’s school (Krosoczka, 2018, n.p.). After that moment, Jarrett knew that he wanted to tell stories through his cartoons. A sincere love for the author’s grandparents illuminates the graphic novel, even when the family experiences conflict. My favorite part of this book is how Jarrett shows gratitude for the people who raised him. He implores that we sometimes have to find support in unconventional ways.
This is a conversation I was just having today with someone close to me. He does not receive conventional support and faces struggles that are similar to those in the book. I have already recommended this book to him because I think it might be cathartic for him to read about the author’s life. Sometimes illness, whether it is addiction or mental illness, can change the people we love. It can make them less capable of taking care of us, even if they want to. That is why books such as Hey, Kiddo are so important. Young adults need to see that they can succeed even if they have faced some of life’s ugliest experiences.
Reference
Krosoczka, J. J. (2018) Hey, Kiddo. New York, NY: Graphix.