" When I was a kid, I'd draw to get attention from my family. In Junior high, I drew to impress my friends. But now I am in my teens, I fill sketchbooks just to deal with life. To survive......" - Jarrett
Grab your tissues... this one is a tear jerker. The harsh realities of the life of a young man born to a troubled mother, an addict, are detailed in this award winning autobiographical graphic novel. Jarrett, the main character of this book, who is also the author and illustrator, tells the accounts of his trauma filled childhood. Born to a young heroin addicted mother and a father whom he never meets, Jarrett lives with his mother who gets involved with men of less than stellar characters and parties while partaking in drugs and alcohol. His mother relinquishes her rights, and he moves in with his grandmother and grandfather. His grandparents have their own troubles and often fight in front of Jarrett, but they genuinely love him. When his grandparents drink, just a little warning, their language is as colorful as a rainbow.
Due to his traumatic experiences as a child, Jarrett often suffers from nightmares. Monsters chase him down the street while he sees the decapitated heads of his grandparents. This nightmare continues to visit him throughout his childhood and young adolescence.
Throughout the book, he refers to his mother as "Leslie". He yearns for his mother and often questions why she doesn't come around or visit him. As she finds her way in and out of rehab and half way houses, Jarrett finds stability living with his grandparents. One day, they finally reveal to Jarrett that his mother is a drug addict and the reason she has not been around is due to her being in jail and her drug abuse. Jarrett is able to use his experiences and pain to inspire his art. His grandparents encourage his talents along with teachers and mentors. This graphic novel shares his experiences through moving words as well as descriptive pictures. If you look closely, the pictures tell more of his story that words cannot necessarily describe. As a mother of a foster child who's background is eerily similar to Jarrett's, it was easy to feel connected to this story and understand the pain and trauma the author felt. It was also reassuring to see how Jarrett was able to have a stable and successful life even though he was not dealt the best hand in life. This novel can be a beacon of light for students who may have experienced similar situations or are currently experiencing something similar.
This book would be most suitable for high school students due to the language and subject matter. This may be a trigger for some students, but also an excellent opportunity to discuss the reality of substance abuse and the impact it has on children and families. Because of the possible triggers it may cause some students, it would be best to teach this book in small groups first. This would allow for intimate discussions with smaller groups of students. Through troubles, Jarrett was able to focus his pain in the form of art by creating comics. Students can write a graphic novel about an incident in their life. This activity could be done individually or as a group.
BOOKRAGS also has several more wonderful suggestions for lessons, activities, quizzes, and more to do with your students. Click on the link to access all these wonderful ideas
http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/hey-kiddo/funactivities.html#gsc.tab=0
Check out this video for a read aloud of Chapter 1
https://heykiddobook.com/
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