“It is said that books save lives, but I also say that empty sketchbooks save lives too. I filled up many, and there is no doubt they saved mine.”

I only realized I have read this author before (five times, actually) when I read the author’s note and realized that he’s the creator of Lunch Lady.

No wonder I didn’t figure it out. This is not humorous, or light, or action-packed like Lunch Lady is.

Because this is a memoir—the author’s. And a very honest one at that. It’s never easy to share your truth with the world, because what if your words are not well-received, what if you’re judged, what if you didn’t carry your message across?

But it’s still important you try. I’m glad this author tried, despite his initial reluctance. He mentioned becoming motivated to create this graphic novel after giving a TED talk and receiving an overwhelmingly positive response, and I’m so glad he did.

In this book, we follow Jarrett from childhood to adolescence to graduating high school. We see him interact with his mother, who was a heroin addict, his grandparents, who raised him after witnesses their daughter’s decline into darkness, and later on his father.

It’s not an easy story to read, definitely darker than most YA graphic memoirs that get published. Actually, graphic memoirs to begin with aren’t very popular, but those that I have read were nothing like this.

I’m not trying to say it’s a depressive story. On the contrary, it is hopeful, family-focused, and will motivate you to do everything possible to accomplish your own dreams. But the child neglect, of course, affected me.

The author wrote this book in hope that readers will be able to understand and perhaps connect. I say he has achieved his goal. I can’t wait for this book to come out and see it skyrocket to NYT bestselling status.

By Cristina Monica

After two hours of alternate crying and laugh-out-loud, here I am sitting up to write a short review about this book.

I picked up the book without knowing anything about it.

It turned out to be a memoir! A heartbreaking yet an uplifting one!

Jarrett did everything himself regarding this book because (Surprise! Surprise! To me at least) it is a memoir of an artist and well, a graphic memoir with the author doing all the illustration and the art work.

It starts with the story of his maternal grandparents as they were the ones who basically brought him up in spite of having a mother(who he sees rarely) and a father(who he has never known exists).

In spite of having a big family with many to feed and take care of, his grandparents supported him in taking up art in every way possible.

This memoir is so worth reading in the sense that this proves that 'art speaks more than words can do' kind of way.

The writing style as well as the art were so moving.

I realized it was a memoir straightaway (high time I have some idea before picking up a book)

And at the end of the first chapter, I was in tears.

I so wanted to hug the little Jarrett, be there for him when he felt so low.

But his life with his grandparents were the best part. The way they taught him about the realities of life without saying much was worth reading.

The highlights of this memoir include the flawless art, the significant memories so crisply depicted in the form of real pictures (yes, at the beginning of each chapter, real pictures and related items to the ongoing chapters marks the beginning of each)

The teachers who influence him in taking a different turn from the rest, the support of his uncles and aunts, specially his dear aunt, Holly; his childhood best friend, Pat; his first and only pet, the Hamster; the heartbreak after breaking up with his first girlfriend; getting the first letter a little too late from his real father; the journey of his mother who was a heroin addict all her life; the struggle through it all and facing bullying - everything made me clutch my heart.

Everything about this memoir is so damn endearing.

I loved how the last few chapters ended the most.

There were tears of all kinds : sadness, happiness, grief, relief, acceptance, rejection, abandonment, hope, love, death, new life and most of all, gratefulness.

This is easily one of my favorite reads of 2019.

I am so glad I read this at the beginning of the year.

So worth it!

By Tam