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

Father-daughter pair Jay Jay and Antoine Patton draw from real life for this work of graphic nonfiction that grapples with the toll incarceration takes on familiesJay Jay, who presents Black, is 5 years old when she learns that her father's been incarcerated for the past two years. Writing letters and making phone calls aren't enough to maintain the sort of connection Jay Jay needs (the art obscures her father's face in many of her memories). While in prison, her father develops his skills as a computer programmer, ultimately earning his degree. He's released when Jay Jay is 10, and he sets out to pursue a career in tech, but it comes at a cost; the whole family-Jay Jay, her parents, and her younger brother-must relocate from Buffalo to Florida. After they adjust to their new life, Jay Jay's dad, inspired by his own experiences, starts developing Photo Patch, an app that helps children share photos and letters with incarcerated parents. It isn't easy, but with help from Jay Jay, a budding programmer herself, the two are ultimately successful. Some of the dialogue feels forced, and the cartoon art is a bit static. Still, the journey is a satisfying one that exudes feelings of love and empathy, and it illuminates a challenge that affects many families but isn't often addressed in literature.Offers many young people much-needed inspiration and solace. (author's note)(Graphic nonfiction. 8-12)