Dear Dad: Growing Up with a Parent in Prison—and How We Stayed Connected
by Jay Jay Patton with Kiara Valdez; illus. by Markia Jenai
Intermediate    Graphix/Scholastic    128 pp.
9/24    9781546128373    $24.99
Paper ed.  9781338893205    $14.99
e-book ed.  9781546109952    $14.99

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.

From the ">November/December 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.