Hey Kiddo

An important graphic novel memoir that was a US NationalBook Award Finalist.In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka's teacher asks him to drawhis family, with a mommy and a daddy.But Jarrett's family is much more complicatedthan that.His mom is an addict, in and out of rehab, andin and out of Jarrett's life.His father is a mystery - Jarrett doesn't knowwhere to find him, or even what his name is.Jarrett lives with his grandparents - two veryloud, very loving, very opinionated people who had thought theywere through with raising children until Jarrett came along.Jarrett goes through his childhood trying to make his non-normallife as normal as possible, finding a way to express himself throughdrawing even as so little is being said to him about what'sgoing on.Only as a teenager can Jarrett begin to piece togetherthe truth of his family, reckoning with his mother andtracking down his father. Hey, Kiddo is a profoundly important memoirabout growing up in a family grappling with addiction, andfinding the art that helps you survive.Jarrett's TEDTalk about growing up and becominga children's book illustrator, How A Boy Becamean Artist, has over a million views