“Hazelnut Days is going to find a home with the kids that like to think a lot about the world in which they live. It’s going to appeal to educators and teachers. Librarians and other gatekeepers will approve its artistry, even as the occasional bold 12-year-old sneaks a peek at it on the sly… those that read it will find it hard to forget. A book for our times, whether we want to admit that to ourselves or not… Hazelnut Days is less interested in the process of a kid going to jail (as in Visiting Day) or thinking deeply about what it means to grow to be a man without a father (as in Knock Knock) than it is in examining the day-to-day realities of missing your father, hating your father, loving your father, blaming your father, forgiving your father, and above all wanting to be your father… a whipsmart approximation of all the conflicted feelings a child is privy to when they visit a beloved parent behind bars. A book that works beyond its surface message… I can see teachers and educators using this book in children’s English classes to highlight how much a story can change when you’re given all the information, rather than just bits and pieces. It’s a book that certainly rewards multiple readings.”—Elizabeth Bird, blogs.slj.com
“[The] graphics depict the characters as racially ambiguous in highly charged emotional scenes that perfectly match the text. Youngsters who might be in similar situations will find comfort, or at least recognition. An empathetic and powerful evocation of a rarely examined family dynamic.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Zaü’s smudgy, sepia-toned charcoal sketches are striking for their emotional frankness and accessibility.”—Publishers Weekly
“A Must Read Spring 2018 Picture Book. A worthy addition to school libraries because it addresses important subjects that aren’t often discussed.”—Mellissa Taylor, imaginationsoup.net
“This poetic picture book explores the all-too-hidden world of having a parent in prison and about the power of love to bridge the wall that divides us.”—Angela Bauer, www.myjournalcourier.com
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