by Jay Jay Patton with Kiara Valdez
Illustrated by Markia Jenai
2.5 stars
I was really excited to read this one, but it left me feeling a bit disappointed.
A quick read that shares some important events in Patton’s childhood including her father getting out prison, moving to Florida, starting a new school, learning to code, and developing the app, Photo Patch.
I really liked the idea of this and it touches on some great themes. But it doesn’t dive very deep into Patton’s experiences and the writing wasn’t very engaging. The story felt rushed and though it tackles quite a lot, it’s very short and there isn’t much development.
Nice full-color illustrations. The facial expressions were spot on. Includes a collection of photos at the end along with more information and stats about parents who are incarcerated and their children.
Love the idea of Photo Patch and the representation of children with parents in prison. It’s a step in the right direction, but as a book it was too rushed.
The abrupt resolution, underdeveloped characters, and quick pacing left me wanting more.
Definitely want to see more on this topic in children’s books though.