Who's Jerry?

by T M Jackson, Darwin Marfil (Illustrator)

Overview

Why is Mommy ignoring me? Why does Jerry lie about me? What did I do?

Imani's mommy is acting strange.

She doesn't talk to Imani much anymore.

She doesn't care that Imani got an A on her math test.

Sometimes she doesn't get out of bed before Imani leaves for school.

Strangest of all, Mommy has an imaginary friend called Jerry, who seems to think Imani is a very bad little girl...

Imani tries hard to focus and do her best at school, but it's difficult when her classmates laugh at her for having a strange mommy and uncombed hair.

Her teacher, Mr. Jackson, notices that Imani is sad and distracted in class, but he doesn't know what's wrong. Even Imani's daddy doesn't know what's going on!

Will Mommy ever get better? And who is Jerry?

In this educational picture book, a little girl discovers her mommy has schizophrenia and needs to get help before she can function normally again. Told with warmth and understanding and beautifully illustrated on every page, Who's Jerry? will help caregivers and children connect with one another and explain a sometimes difficult to understand subject.

An excellent resource for facilitating conversation with children about mental health and wellbeing, especially if someone they know has experienced a similar diagnosis to Imani's mom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781736128213
Publisher:	Scrubs Like Us for Us
Publication date:	11/09/2020
Series:	The Seen and Not Heard
Pages:	38
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

Editorial Reviews

"Who's Jerry?" by T.M. Jackson is a profound children's book on how families persevere through challenges when a parent lives with schizophrenia. It is an excellent children's book that is filled with love, resources, and empathy for families affected by this health challenge. I highly recommend this book for individuals to use as a tool to educate children about schizophrenia."

-Ashley Smith, Author, Blogger, and Mental Health Advocate

"Who's Jerry?" written by T. M. Jackson handles the subject of mental illness with tact, frankness and empathy. It's the first time I've read a children's book tackle such a very difficult subject and I'm happy to say that it has handled it well...Parents, guardians, family members and teachers who are related to someone suffering from a mental illness can benefit much from this book. They would have a tool that could assist them in informing children about the sensitive topic of mental illness.

-Jocelyn Soriano, Reedsy Review

"Who's Jerry?" is well written so even young children can understand what is happening in the story. And those who have a mom likeImani's will quickly identify with Imani and learn how to cope with a mother who suffers from schizophrenia and what Mom needs to do to stay well. I can see T.M. Jackson's Who's Jerry? becoming a bestseller children's book assisting schools, hospitals, therapists, libraries, and the homes of children with schizophrenic moms.

- Geree McDermott for Readers' Favorite

"Who's Jerry?" takes a look at the impact a parent's mental illness can have on their child. It also demonstrates how medical care and medication can help relieve unsettling manifestations, such as Imani's mom's imaginary friend. This is an important issue as mental health is often overlooked or stigmatized. Jackson's book shows how a family can come together to work through a parent's mental illness and highlights how Imani's mom never stopped loving her, not for one moment. An excellent choice for storytime, Who's Jerry? is also written at a level suitable for new readers to try on their own. Who's Jerry? is most highly recommended.

- Jack Magnus for Readers Favorite

From the Publisher