Dear Dad

June 17, 2024
In this joyful graphic novel memoir with a mission, debut author Patton and Valdez (We Are Groot) give voice to the experience of a child with an incarcerated parent. Without sacrificing her personal portrayal of the difficulties of having an incarcerated parent and how that can negatively affect parent-child relationships (“Do I have a dad?” a five-year-old Patton asks her mother), the author highlights solutions that helped facilitate bonding during her father’s imprisonment. She asserts that “it’s not a privilege for a kid to talk to their parents. It’s a right,” and details the many letters she sent and received over the years leading up to her father’s release when she is 10. Easy-to-follow, realistically wrought comics
panels rendered in saturated jewel tones by Jenai (Prudence Under Suspicion) chronicle the tween’s growth, including her aptitude in academics, which she shares with her father, who earned a degree in computer science while he was “locked up.” Following his release, the father-daughter duo develops an app that simplifies communication between kids and incarcerated
parents. By showcasing the challenges of daily life for a family learning to live together again while making up for lost time, the creators present an uplifting memoir that works to destigmatize incarceration. Ages 8–12.

October 15, 2024
Father-daughter pair Jay Jay and Antoine Patton draw from real life for this work of graphic nonfiction that grapples with the toll incarceration takes on families. Jay Jay, who presents Black, is 5 years old when she learns that her father's been incarcerated for the past two years. Writing letters and making phone calls aren't enough to maintain the sort of connection Jay Jay needs (the art obscures her father's face in many of her memories). While in prison, her father develops his skills as a computer programmer, ultimately earning his degree. He's released when Jay Jay is 10, and he sets out to pursue a career in tech, but it comes at a cost; the whole family--Jay Jay, her parents, and her younger brother--must relocate from Buffalo to Florida. After they adjust to their new life, Jay Jay's dad, inspired by his own experiences, starts developing Photo Patch, an app that helps children share photos and letters with incarcerated parents. It isn't easy, but with help from Jay Jay, a budding programmer herself, the two are ultimately successful. Some of the dialogue feels forced, and the cartoon art is a bit static. Still, the journey is a satisfying one that exudes feelings of love and empathy, and it illuminates a challenge that affects many families but isn't often addressed in literature. Offers many young people much-needed inspiration and solace. (author's note)(Graphic nonfiction. 8-12)

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November 1, 2024
In this graphic memoir, brilliant Jay Jay enjoys solving the puzzles and equations her incarcerated father, Antoine, sends her in handwritten letters -- though they take a long time to arrive. Jay Jay is elated when her father is released from prison, but the joy is short lived when she discovers the family will have to move from their beloved Buffalo, New York, to Florida. Life away from friends and extended family is rough, and Jay Jay is unsure how much she can trust her new classmates with information about her father. The adjustment to their new life brings new challenges for both Jay Jay and Antoine, but their shared love of mathematics allows them to find logical solutions to their relationship issues, and more. While in prison, Antoine earned a degree in computer programming; as he teaches her how to code, they work together to develop the Photo Patch app when Jay Jay is just twelve years old. The app will allow families to more easily communicate with their loved ones in prison. Now twenty, Patton recounts her journey with equal parts directness and humor. Panels vary in size and color to create movement, with some illustrations utilizing the entire page and breaking through margins. Interspersed boxes in a standout gold express the author's memories and thoughts. Back matter (some pages unseen) includes information regarding parents in the penal system and about Photo Patch. Eboni Njoku

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
In this graphic memoir, brilliant Jay Jay enjoys solving the puzzles and equations her incarcerated father, Antoine, sends her in handwritten letters -- though they take a long time to arrive. Jay Jay is elated when her father is released from prison, but the joy is short lived when she discovers the family will have to move from their beloved Buffalo, New York, to Florida. Life away from friends and extended family is rough, and Jay Jay is unsure how much she can trust her new classmates with information about her father. The adjustment to their new life brings new challenges for both Jay Jay and Antoine, but their shared love of mathematics allows them to find logical solutions to their relationship issues, and more. While in prison, Antoine earned a degree in computer programming; as he teaches her how to code, they work together to develop the Photo Patch app when Jay Jay is just twelve years old. The app will allow families to more easily communicate with their loved ones in prison. Now twenty, Patton recounts her journey with equal parts directness and humor. Panels vary in size and color to create movement, with some illustrations utilizing the entire page and breaking through margins. Interspersed boxes in a standout gold express the author's memories and thoughts. Back matter (some pages unseen) includes information regarding parents in the penal system and about Photo Patch.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)