Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Prologue-Chapter 2

Reading Check

1. What is Jarrett practicing with Grandpa Joe in the graveyard?

2. Where did Joe and Shirley meet?

3. Where did Grandpa Joe serve during World War II?

4. Which of the grandparents broke off their relationship during the war?

5. What did the couple do when they reunited after the war?

6. What did Joe sell illegally?

7. Where did Joe’s parents meet?

8. Who bought the house for Jarrett and his mother?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Joe complain when he visits the gravesite of his parents?

2. Why did Jarrett’s father refuse to acknowledge his son?

3. What is unusual about Jarrett’s homelife with his mother?

4. How was Leslie irresponsible as a mother?

5. What changes are made to Jarrett’s life after he moves in with his grandparents?

Paired Resource

“Art for Self-Care and Mental Health”

• This article describes the benefits of art.
• What are the psychological benefits of art? How does art affect cortisol? Does someone have to be a talented artist to reap the benefits? What are the ways in which someone can practice artistic pursuits? How is this article related to the novel’s themes of Comics and Art-making and Parenthood and Family?

Stability for Children

• This article describes the importance of stable home lives for children and the impact of instability.
• How does instability affect children? What is the impact of cortisol on children’s brains? How is instability connected to poor performance in a variety of situations? How is this article related to the novel’s themes of Growing Up and Parenthood and Family?

Chapters 3-5

Reading Check

1. What addiction do Jarrett’s grandparents suffer from?

2. Where do Jarrett’s grandparents take him to visit his mother?

3. What did Jarrett name the teddy bear his mother gave him?

4. Where did Jarrett go to elementary school?

5. Other than the letters themselves, what did Leslie include in her letter to Jarrett?

6. Which of Jarrett’s aunts had a baby while still in high school?

7. Which of Jarrett’s neighbors does he consider to be his best friend?

8. What does Jarrett learn his mother is suffering from?

9. Where does Jarrett take classes?

10. What comic series does Mark introduce Jarrett to?

11. What is Leslie’s job after leaving the halfway house?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Jarrett do when his teacher asks him to draw his parents?

2. How does Jarrett describe his grandparents’ relationship?

3. Why do Jarrett’s grandparents want to prevent Jarrett from developing a relationship with his mother after she leaves the halfway house? Are they justified in their fears?

4. Why does Jarrett discourage his grandparents from attending his eighth-grade graduation?

Paired Resource

Substance Abuse and Treatment

• This 4-minute video describes the various methods used to treat substance abuse.
• What is substance use disorder? How can medical intervention be used in substance use disorders? What methods are used by rehab centers to help those who struggle with substance abuse? What methods does Leslie use to overcome her drug use? How is this video related to the novel’s theme of Parenthood and Family and Growing Up?

Chapters 6-8

Reading Check

1. What is the name of Jarrett’s Wayne’s World parody?

2. Where does Jarrett go to school while his friends attend public school?

3. Who inspires Jarrett at his new school?

4. Who is Leslie’s boyfriend when Jarrett is in high school?

5. What is Jarrett’s father’s last name?

6. Why does Leslie become upset with Jarrett on Mother’s Day?

7. What was the one thing Jarrett tells his mother he never had growing up?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What are Jarrett’s artistic accomplishments in his new high school?

2. How did Jarrett’s grandparents inspire a good work ethic in him?

3. Why is Joe relieved when his grandfather tells him he doesn’t want him to feel pressured to join the family business?

4. After receiving a painted portrait as a 45th anniversary gift from Jarret, what does Shirley say to him and why?

5. Why does Jarrett decide to answer the unexpected letter he received from his father?

6. What is surprising to Jarrett when he receives a photo of his half-siblings and father?

7. What does Jarrett finally conclude a real family is made of?

Paired Resource

The Importance of Empathy

• This 4-minute video describes what empathy is and why it is important.
• What is empathy and why is it an important social skill? How can empathy be developed? How does Jarrett extend empathy and compassion to his family members? How does Jarret show compassion for himself? How are the ideas shared in this video related to the themes of Parenthood and Family and Growing Up?

Recommended Next Reads 

Stitches by David Small

• This memoir is coming of age novel about a young boy who is diagnosed with cancer amidst abusive family dynamics.
• Shared topics include art as therapy, trauma, and abusive families.
• Shared themes include Parenthood and Family, Comics and Art-making, and Growing Up.
• Stitches on SuperSummary

New Kid by Jerry Craft

• This novel is about a student who confronts racial bias and socioeconomic differences at a prestigious school.
• Shared topics include fitting in, coming of age, and art as therapy.
• Shared themes include Parenthood and Family, Comics and Art-making, and Growing Up.
• New Kid on SuperSummary