Hi Kim,

Dear Dad by Jay Jay Patton is a graphic memoir for grades 5 and up.

School Library Journal (September 1, 2024)
Gr 5 Up-Keeping in communication with an incarcerated parent is tough. Jay Jay's mom knew it was important, so as the girl grew, Jay Jay stayed connected with her dad. Upon his release from prison, where he earned a computer degree, father and daughter teamed up to create an app to keep families in touch. Her work and their life are documented in this graphic novel memoir, penned by daughter and dad, along with the help of others. As a title aimed at younger readers, the sparse text is traded for panels that feature the emotional side of reuniting as a family and moving from New York to Florida for a fresh start. Jay Jay's age plays a role since she has to leave her friends and school behind to bond with a father she only knew through pictures and letters. But the lack of text leads to gaps in understanding the totality of his absence. Scenes of Jay Jay in school making new friends or adjusting to her father's presence again at home feel disjointed at times, reading like a series of vignettes. Unanswered questions cast a shadow on the complexity of their relationship and how they collaborated on the app that would eventually be used for other families to stay connected during incarceration. VERDICT For visibility, the book's purpose is clear, and the emotion is palpable, but the issues with narrative clarity keep it just shy of stellar.-Alicia Abdul © Copyright 2024. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

On Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 9:46 AM Tracy Earnshaw <tearnshaw@rsd13.org> wrote:
Just Mercy!
From Amazon, "acclaimed lawyer and social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson offers a glimpse into the lives of the wrongfully imprisoned and his efforts to fight for their freedom."
My daughter's class read it!


Tracy Earnshaw

Teacher Librarian

Frank Ward Strong Middle School

Regional School District 13

191 Main Street | Durham, CT 06422

O: 860.349.7222 | tearnshaw@rsd13.org

Visit us at: http://strong.rsd13ct.org

"Books may well be the only true magic." --Alice Hoffman

Coginchaug Regional High School

135 Pickett Lane | P. O. Box 280 | Durham, CT 06422

O: 860.349.7215 | tearnshaw@rsd13.org

Visit us at: http://crhs.rsd13ct.org

"Books may well be the only true magic." --Alice Hoffman


On Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 8:55 AM Burdacki, Sarah <sburdacki@ellingtonschools.net> wrote:
Kim,

Here are two I love. Both have controversial issues, fyi.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers
The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

Sarah

On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 1:25 PM Musket, Kimberly <kmusket@wallingfordschools.org> wrote:
Hello All,
Can anyone suggest a book, appropriate for eighth grade, that includes court cases or the justice system? 

Thank you!
Kim


Kim Musket
School Librarian
James H. Moran, Sr. Middle School
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