
Visitations | Review

Visitations
By Corey Egbert
Farrar Straus and Giroux, November 2024, $17.99
Grades 8 and up
When I read praise for a book in a publisher’s description, I usually pooh-pooh it. How accurate can it be? They’re just trying to sell some books. But after reading Visitations by Corey Egbert, I thought the publisher’s comparison to Hey Kiddo was spot on. The story will appeal, not only because of the similarities in overcoming difficult childhoods, but the because of the similar somber and solemn tone of the narration.
In Visitation, Corey’s parents divorce and his mother is insistent that his father has done terrible things to his younger sister. Since the courts did not find her accusations valid, the siblings have weekly visitations with their father. And as per their mother’s instructions, they do not talk to him.
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The one day, Corey’s mother decides the danger is too great and before a scheduled visitation, she grabs Corey and his sister and they run away, living in their car for over a month until they are discovered.
During the month, Corey and his sister barely bathe. They don’t have regular meals or a place to sleep. Times are difficult and Corey starts to wonder and doubt. He dreams as if he has a visitation with G-d and discusses his mother and whether she is truly all knowing.
This is a heart-wrenching story about a young man who puts his mother on a pedestal only to realize she is only human. It is a story of mental illness and its gut-wrenching effect on children. It is a story of resilience and hope.
The very limited color palette of orange, pinks, and blues gives the story a melancholy feel. At times, Egbert elongates the narrations with pictures only, but in the later scenes with visitation, the dialogue and narration run long and heavy.
Ultimately, this story looks at a child’s experience living with a parent who has mental illness. It evokes strong emotions that will resonate with those who have lived similar experiences or just have readers gaining a deeper understanding at what might be like for those in that situation. A worthy read.
Filed under: Graphic Novels, Young Adult

About Esther Keller
Esther Keller is the librarian at William E. Grady CTE HS in Brooklyn, NY. In addition, she curates the Graphic Novel collection for the NYC DOE Citywide Digital Library. She started her career at the Brooklyn Public Library and later jumped ship to the school system so she could have summer vacation and a job that would align with a growing family's schedule. On the side, she is a mother of 4 and regularly reviews for SLJ. In her past life, she served on the Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee, where she solidified her love and dedication to comics.
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