Hey, Kiddo

Another graphic novel memoir. This one very sobering. The author grew up in his grandparents’ home, because his mother was in and out of rehab (and jail) due to a heroin addiction. How different he felt at school, because of his unconventional family structure. His grandparents themselves were rough around the edges, but loved him and did their best to care for him. They had little appreciation for art, but still encouraged his interests, getting him into art classes at a local museum when funding for art programs was cut at his school. With their support, and that of a neighborhood friend, he made it through a tough childhood, not understanding or knowing what was going on with his mother until he was much older (she did encourage him from afar, sending letters asking for his drawings, etc). Never meeting his father until he was seventeen. At the very end of the book finding recognition for his art- getting cartoons published in the local newspaper and the school one. Then meeting half-siblings he hadn’t known he had, and starting his own life. The afterword by the author fills in some details and tells how he found the courage to tell the story of his family’s struggles with addiction, after doing a TED talk about it. It was heartwarming in the end, to see how he built a relationship with his half-siblings, made peace with his father, and a successful career out of his passion- but the novel doesn’t at all shy away from showing the troublesome and difficult things he faced while growing up. So just fair warning that there’s content depicting drug and alcohol use, other illicit activities, violence. I am sure this book is invaluable for teenagers and other family members going through similar things. To know they’re not alone, and that you can make something new and positive for yourself, no matter what your past holds. I won’t easily forget this one.

Borrowed from the public library.