“Stories keep memories alive and people real to us" (Krosoczka).
A few more books down this week! I read a few Judy Moody and Goosebump type books, just for fun. I loved these kinds of books growing up, so it was good to go back to my childhood a little. One book I read was Hey, Kiddo. This graphic novel sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions I definitely was not prepared for.
Growing up, Jarrett had anything but a normal, happy childhood. Early on in his life, his mother kept getting into trouble, whether it was for shoplifting or with bad guys. His father was not in the picture at all, either. Because of this, Jarrett goes to live with his grandparents. His mother is in and out of his life, and Jarrett grows unattached to her. He finds out that she is a drug addict and has landed herself in jail. All while this is happening, Jarrett begins to love drawing and comics. His grandparents are dealing with their own issues as well, such as drinking and gambling. As the story goes on, readers can see Jarrett grow from a child to a teen with a passion who is graduating high school. There are so many twists and details I don't want to give away, so I'll stop there.
This book deals with tough issues, such as addiction, growing up, and absent parents. Every reader can find something they relate to within this book, whether it be a character, emotion, or situation. Introducing this book to students of older age, such as high schoolers, could truly impact their lives. You can never truly know what is going on in a student's life, so this book could act as a lifeline to students. It shows that they are not alone, and other people go through the same trauma as they do. The ending of the book, for me, was the most emotional. As Jarrett is graduating, he comes to realize that family is who you make it. He expresses his love and gratitude for his grandparents, who have always been there for him. He finds his dad and his half-siblings and develops a relationship with them. it just shows that no matter what you go through, you will always have people who love you.
Well, that's it for this week! I can almost see the finish line of books! Tune in next week to see what I read next!
Kaylee,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this book! It was so raw and real, the pictures really made it come to life for me. I was so upset while I was reading it because I know that this could be the story of some students I have in my future classroom. I think that this book is important for older students to read. It could spark conversations, or open up students eyes who have been fortunate enough to not deal with situations like these. I think that this book is a must read for teachers as well, we need to realize that not all of our students have great home lives and we should be mindful of that.