Visitations

Gr 9 Up–With a few narrative changes, Egbert depicts his childhood as a devout Mormon and recounts his parents’ divorce, when his mother accused his father of sexually abusing their daughter. While Egbert is a loving son to his mother, he begins to question his mother’s statements about his father, as his sister denies any abuse and his mother’s behavior and accusations grow progressively erratic and intwined with their religious faith. When his mother’s increased paranoia leads to her stealing him and his sister away on a long road trip to avoid the children having further visits with their father, Egbert suffers a faith crisis, but a visitation by a ghostly being in the remote desert helps him better understand himself, as authorities close in on the desperate family. While trigger warnings will be required, this graphic novel provides an empathic, nuanced look at difficult family dynamics and mental illness that YA readers will connect with. Egbert’s strong artwork and pacing make this a quick read. The palette is minimal, with muted reds and blues dominating the simple but authentic renditions of his family life. An author’s note at the end rounds out the details of the story and provides readers with a glimpse into his life after the book’s events.