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Jack Wells

Mrs. Cramer

College Comp Pd. 5

4 December 2020

Rainstorms Sun Shines

In the world, it is not always clear blue skies. It must rain sometimes and eventually the

sun will start to shine again. The good always does not come without the bad. Staying positive is

what is needed to become brought to happiness again. In the book read, Hey, Kiddo, Jarrett is the

main character and the author of the book. It is a graphic novel with all the drawings that he

drew. Jarrett had a rough life as his mother was taken away from him due to her being addicted

to drugs. She had given custody of Jarrett to his grandparents and he had lived with them since.

He was an extremely depressed kid that had coped with his sadness by drawing. Jarrett had

thought that he was a reject and a nothing. The book, Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka is a

relatable book to children because of the authors life experiences and the themes that are learned,

such as being able to overcome anything in life.

First, Jarrett had a super bad recurring nightmare. The nightmare was about these

monsters who were creepily following him and getting closer to him at night. The only way that

Jarrett could get them to stop was when he stared into their eyes, but every time he did that one

would come behind him and eventually there was an unreal amount that he was surrounded. He

failed to stop them, and he thought he was not worth it. After the nightmares, he would try to go

into his parents’ room and his mother would yell at him and tell him to get out. She says “I told

you not to barge in here! Get back into your room and stay in there!” (Krosoczka 50) This is an
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example because this happens to a decent number of children that are neglected. They need

someone but that someone is not always there for them when they are needed the most. Comfort

is one of the things that is needed most during times when you are younger and without that you

are extremely sad and upset.

In addition to, Jarrett says “But now that I am in my teens, I fill sketchbooks just to deal

with life. To survive” (Krosoczka 216). This is a problem because if he was not neglected and

was loved when he needed in the most, he would not be feeling the way that he is. It is a positive

aspect that Jarrett has something to do to make him happy, such as drawing. But he should never

feel as in drawing is the only way to keep him alive. Unfortunately, kids in this world deal with

the same problems and relate to Jarrett for other reasons. It is unacceptable for children to feel

like this. Although, kids have something to get their mind off their problems like the same reason

Jarrett draws and draws over and over.

Although, the sun is now starting to shine. Jarrett loves drawing and he again uses in to

cope with his sadness and depression. He is finally now achieving what he wants to. For the

longest time he just wanted to get recognized for his sketches and drawings. It is now what is

occurring. His art was now put into the paper and it was a comedy sketch. His aunt had called

him to explain that she was proud of him and that it was super funny. (Krosoczka 202) Jarrett felt

like a million dollars. He was now getting recognized for his accomplishments that he had been

working for. His drawing was now everywhere, and everyone had seen it. Then it had soon got

put into the school paper and he was getting the attention that he had worked for and deserved.

This is an example of the rain that is pouring but the sun had started to peak in front of the

clouds. It proves that he is happy now for his accomplishments and what he has worked for. He

went from being upset to being happy now.

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Jarret was finally given the opportunity to meet his dad now. His mother had to be taken

away from him, but his father just had never been there. It was time to give him and his siblings

a chance as he has never met them. He now was finally not alone. He had clicked with his

siblings and his father had apologized for not being there and telling him that he could not give

him what he needed. Thankfully, he is here now when Jarrett needs some support the most. He is

proud of his artwork and is glad that he is going to school for it. He says that he has his mother’s

talent, but Jarrett says that he is actually going somewhere with it. (Krosoczka 290)

In conclusion, the graphic novel read, Hey, Kiddo is a greatly relatable book to children

for several reasons and some that were proven were that everyone copes with depression

differently and several kids can relate to parents with drug problems and not having their parents.

This story also shows that bad times also bring out the best times. Anyone can do it, but hope is

needed for it to be done.

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Work Cited

Krosoczka, Jarrett. Hey, Kiddo. Broadway: Scholastic, 2018. Print.