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Hey, Kiddo is the graphic memoir of author-illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Raised by his colorful grandparents, who adopted him because his mother was an incarcerated heroin addict, Krosoczka didn't know his father's name until he saw his birth certificate when registering for a school ski trip. Hey, Kiddo traces Krosoczka's search for his father, his difficult interactions with his mother, his day-to-day life with his grandparents, and his path to becoming an artist.
Review:
I have seen this graphic novel, Hey Kiddo, by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, around for several months. But I always thought, "I'm too old to be reading this kind of book". Not that I thought it was meant for young kids (it isn't). It's just that I felt too set in my ways to try graphic novels, as a whole. Well, low and behold, my book club picked this book and I thought I would give it a go. I'm so glad I did. This book is a powerful story of the effects of drug addiction on several generations of a family. The characters are compelling, as was the story. And the art work has a beautiful style that befits a memoir. I was very moved by this book.
What I Liked:
Characters:
The novel succinctly establishes the many characters in Jarrett's life. There's his quiet, supportive grandfather, his obnoxious, racist grandmother, and his very troubled mom who is addicted to heroin. I was in awe that so much can be conveyed so few words.
Jarrett, himself, feels loved by his grandparents, but bitter about how his mother is never around. She is in and out of prison, and is inconsistent with her attentions. But I loved Jarrett's resilience in the face of such a tumultuous childhood.
Themes:
I think the theme of this book is that there are many types of families. Multi-generational households, grandparents raising children, they are all strong families. The challenges when a person has an addiction are to help the person without enabling them, to love them despite getting nothing in return, to not hate what they have become because of addiction. These are such powerful notions, but readers will see a full picture of the lives of these families. I hope when people read this that it puts a face to this issue that so many are dealing with.
Art:
The artwork, with its limited palette, is joyous. As this is a story told as a recollection, I loved that the art had flash-back quality. There are also many small details that are straight out of the author's life. Sketches from his early childhood peek out of the pages, as do other mementos such as ticket stubs, and even the wallpaper from his grandparents home. These are delightful and bring an authenticity to the book. The reader knows this is drama from a real life. A comic book, this is not. Rather, this is a powerful look at a problem that is urgent right now.
Rating:
Release Date: September 25th, 2018
Author: Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Publisher: Graphix
Genre: YA Graphic Novel Memoir
Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover Book
Recommendation: A moving novel that will get a reader excited about graphic novels (if they aren't already). A tear-jerker!
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