With the highest incarceration rate in the world, the United States has approximately 3 million children with at least one parent doing time. A sudden parental departure commonly leads to separation anxiety, anger, sadness, and feelings of loneliness and abandonment amongst young children.
Children and families with a loved one in prison are also “doing time” for their loved one’s mistake. There is a stigma that is commonly associated with families with a loved one in prison. Because of this, children are more at risk for emotional, social, and classroom problems. Depending on their age, they are also more susceptible to engaging in substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, and gang activity.
By opening a dialogue not only between children and adults but also children with other children, these problems can be alleviated through understanding and support. Prison Fellowship hopes to follow our mission of restoring not only the child but also the entire family by providing a list of books for children with an incarcerated parent. For more resources of support for families of the incarcerated, please visit and learn more about Prison Fellowship’s Angel Treeprogram.
Books that Deal with Incarceration
ANDY: ANOTHER NEW DAD-LESS YEAR
by Amanda Florence-Houk
This book is designed to be a self-help book for families experiencing parental incarceration. The content of the book is based upon current literature regarding paternal incarceration. This book can also be used as a tool to make others more considerate of the trials faced by children of incarcerated dads.
DOOGIE’S DAD
by Richard Dyches
This story is about Doogie, a young boy, and his sister whose father is sent to prison. It explores their feelins of loss, fear and frustration at not being told what’s going on until their mother finally takes them to visit their dad in prison.
FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT: WHEN KIDS CAN’T LIVE WITH THEIR PARENTS
by Janice Levy
KOFI’S MOM
by Richard Dyches
Kofi’s Mom is a story about Kofi whose mother is sent to prison. It explores his feelings of loss and confusion. Through friends at school, Kofi begins to talk about his mom and to look forward to her return.
MAMA LOVES ME FROM AWAY
by Laurie Caple
The relationship between a mother and daughter is pushed to its limits when Mama is incarcerated. Sugar clings to the memory of her mother’s stories and lives for her weekly visits to the prison when her grandmother is feeling up to the bus ride. On their shared birthday, Mama gives Sugar a special gift and a special way to feel close to her.
MISSING DADDY
by Akilah Butler
Regardless of the reason for the absence of a father – divorce, military service, imprisonment, or death – it can be a challenge to know the right words for the tough questions that children will ask.
MURPHY’S THREE HOMES: A STORY FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE
by Jan Levinson
PLEASE DON’T TAKE MY DADDY!
by Loretta Acosta
Ricardo is a young child who is trying to cope with his dad being handcuffed and dragged away to jail. Ricardo’s mom explains to him why his dad was taken away, explaining how they can keep in touch and how they can help him after he is released.
THE INVISIBLE STRING
by Patrick Karst
Specifically written to address children’s fear of being apart from the ones they love, The Invisible String delivers a particularly compelling message – that love is the unending connection that binds us all.
THE KISSING HAND
by Audrey Penn
The Kissing Hand is just the right book for any child who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones. The rough but endearing raccoon illustrations are as satisfying and soothing for anxious children as the simple story.
THE NIGHT DAD WENT TO JAIL
by Melissa Higgins
VISITING DAY
by Jacqueline Woodson
A young girl and her grandmother prepare for a very special day – the one day a month they get to visit the girl’s father in prison. As the little girl and her grandmother get ready, her father is getting ready, too.
WHAT IS JAIL, MOMMY?
by Jackie A. Stanglin
When the truth is withheld from children they tend to blame themselves for other’s mistakes and short-comings. What Is Jail, Mommy? not only explains why the parent is incarcerated but what his/her life is like as a prisoner.
WHEN DAD WAS AWAY
by Karen Littlewood
When Mum tells Milly that Dad has been sent to prison, Milly feels angry and confused. She can’t believe her dad won’t be at home to read her stories and make her laugh.
WHEN I FEEL ANGRY
by Cornelia Spelman
Anger is a scary emotion for young children, their parents, and caregivers. As this little bunny experiences the things that make her angry, she also learns ways to deal with her anger – ways that won’t hurt others.
WHEN I FEEL SAD
by Cornelia Spelman
Readers will recognize similar experiences in their own lives as this little guinea pig describes feeling sad when someone is cross or when something bad happens. Eventually our heroine realizes that feeling sad doesn’t last forever.
WHEN I FEEL SCARED
by Cornelia Spelman
Children often feel afraid. This book, with its comforting words and illustrations, will help children address those fears and learn some new ways to cope with being afraid.
WHEN I MISS YOU
by Cornelia Spelman
WHEN I VISIT MY DADDY WE DANCE
by Ramona Lofton Wright, Josiah Jonathan-Howell Webber, and John Howard Webber III
The whole world may seem dysfunctional at times, so don’t be surprised if it knocks at your door one day. Be prepared to endure and look to the future with hope, patience and love. You may even want to do a happy dance, every time you overcome an obstacle or receive an unexpected blessing.
A VISIT TO THE BIG HOUSE
by Oliver Butterworth
AMBER WAS BRAVE, ESSIE WAS SMART
by Vera B. Williams
Essie is smart. She can read hard library books and make cocoa. Amber is brave. She isn’t afraid of the rat in the wall or of climbing up in high places. Amber and Essie are sisters and best friends. Together, they can do anything.
DAD’S IN PRISON
by Sandra Cain and Margaret Speed
DADDY’S BIG HOUSE
by Corey Beauford and Marilyn Garin
Little Jo Jo is your typical, fun-loving kid. He loves basketball, earns good grades and has plenty of friends in his Washington, D.C. neighborhood. Little Jo Jo’s life, however, has changed tremendously since his father, Big Jo, moved away. To make matters worse, Little Jo Jo has no clue about his father’s whereabouts.
EMPOWERING CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS
by Stacey Burgess
HARRY SUE
by Sue Stauffacher
Harry Sue Clotkin is tough. Her mom’s in the slammer and she wants to get there too, as fast as possible, so they can be together. But it’s not so easy to become a juvenile delinquent when you’ve got a tender heart.
HELP FOR KIDS! UNDERSTANDING YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT HAVING A PARENT IN PRISON OR JAIL
by Carol Gesme
JAKEMAN
by Deborah Ellis
Jake and his sister Shoshona have been under foster care since their single mother was arrested for possession and trafficking three years before. Jake, a budding comic book artist, has created an alter ego named Jakeman.
KENNEDY’S BIG VISIT
by Daphone Brooks
Little Kennedy is so excited to visit her father again. After she tries on her princess dress and a tutu, Kennedy’s mother finds something pretty for her to wear. Finally, they are ready to take the long car ride to visit her daddy!
KNOCK KNOCK: MY DAD’S DREAM FOR ME
by Daniel Beaty
What happens when, the “knock knock” on your bedroom door doesn’t come? This powerful and inspiring book shows the love that an absent parent can leave behind, and the strength that children find in themselves as they grow up and follow their dreams.
LET’S TALK ABOUT FOSTER HOMES
by Elizabeth Weitzman
Explains why one goes to a foster home, who foster parents are, what to do if things don’t work out, and other matters regarding foster care.
LET’S TALK ABOUT WHEN YOUR PARENT IS IN JAIL
by Maureen K. Witthold
Discusses why jails exist, why people go to jail, and how to deal with having a parent in prison.
MY DAD IS IN JAIL … I WON’T FAIL
by M.A. Rodriguez
This book has been a dream which has been in the works for two years. It was written to help my grandchild and other children who have parents who are in prison. In the future I hope to write more books to help children faced with problems.
NINE CANDLES
by Maria Testa
OUR MOMS (LIVING WITH INCARCERATED PARENTS)
by Q. Futrell
ROCKY’S ROAD: A COLORING BOOK FOR CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS
by Dr. Janice M. Beal
RUBY ON THE OUTSIDE
by Nora Raleigh Baskin
TELL ME ABOUT WHEN MOMS AND DADS COME HOME FROM JAIL
by Judi Goozh and Sue Jeweler
An invaluable companion for the whole family, this book helps children to adjust when a parent comes home from jail. It shows children how their parent’s homecoming might affect everyone in the family, and provides tips and activities to help them build new family bonds.
Nonfiction. Ideal for use with children aged 6-11.
TELL ME ABOUT WHEN MOMS AND DADS GO TO JAIL
by Judi Goozh and Sue Jeweler
When a parent is in jail, children need extra support to ensure positive emotional well-being and social and academic development. This reassuring book provides tips and activities for helping children understand what is happening to their parent, feel safe and loved, and manage their feelings.
Nonfiction. Ideal for use with children aged 6-11.
THE SAME STUFF AS STARS
by Catherine Paterson
Angel Morgan needs help. Daddy is in jail, and Mama has abandoned her and her little brother, leaving them with their great-grandmother. The only bright spot is the mysterious stranger who appears on clear nights and teaches her all about the stars, planets, and constellations.
THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY
by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Kathryn Fitzmaurice’s tender debut novel about food, family, friendship, and forgiveness is as full of promise as the swallows that return home to San Juan Capistrano every spring.
WELCOME HOME: MOMMY GETS OUT TODAY
by Jamantha Williams Watson
When Bernice and her favorite cousin, Malaika meet Mother Olivia – Bernice’s mother – for the first time; the girls share similar emotions while forcing themselves to understand society, familial and gender issues.
WHAT DO I SAY ABOUT THAT
by Julia Cook, MS
This book takes a unique look at the internal struggles with which a child of an incarcerated parent is faced and creatively explores and validates the roller coaster journey of emotions that children of incarcerated parents endure.
WHEN ANDY’S FATHER WENT TO PRISON
by Martha W. Hickman
WHEN DAD WAS AWAY
by Karen Littlewood
When Mum tells Milly that Dad has been sent to prison, Milly feels angry and confused. She can’t believe her dad won’t be at home to read her stories and make her laugh.
ZACHARY’S NEW HOME: A STORY FOR FOSTER AND ADOPTED CHILDREN
by Geraldine M. Blomquist
AN INMATE’S DAUGHTER
by Jan Walker
An Inmate’s Daughter is a fictional account of the reality faced by over 2 million American children with a parent in prison or jail. The children are doing time too.
BREAKING OUT
by Barthe DeClements
As thirteen-year-old Jerry enters junior high school, he continues to adjust to the fact that his father is in prison for theft.
GROWING UP ON 21ST STREET, NORTHEAST WASHINGTON, DC: A MEMOIR
by Bryant Mayo
This book tells the life story of Bryant Mayo, a young man growing up in Northeast Washington DC. It is an autobiography that describes his teen years. It is about growing up without a father. The book tells an honest story about his family, his friends, and his challenges.
INCARCERATION: BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER (A JOURNEY OF CHANGE)
by J. M. Benjamin
Incarceration is a redemptive story about the power of change and how an ex-offender refused to become another statistic once he had paid his debt to society. Now a poster child for change, the author conveys a powerful message to all that it’s never too late!
JAKEMAN
by Deborah Ellis
Jake and his sister Shoshona have been under foster care since their single mother was arrested for possession and trafficking three years before. Jake, a budding comic book artist, has created an alter ego named Jakeman.
Robbie Jones is a quiet boy – something of a loner. But when he shoots an elderly Korean shopkeeper, the people in his life struggle to explain what has happened.
QUEENIE PEAVY
by Robert Burch
The biggest troublemaker at school and the best shot in Georgia, Queenie Peavey feels she has a right to be angry when her father is thrown in jail. But what would happen if Queenie tried to behave for just one day?
ROMAR JONES TAKES A HIKE
by Jan Walker
When 15-year-old Romar Jones grandmother dies, he leaves his home in Oregon, embarking on a journey to find his mother, who is incarcerated in Washington.
THE SAME STUFF AS STARS
by Catherine Paterson
Angel Morgan needs help. Daddy is in jail, and Mama has abandoned her and her little brother, leaving them with their great-grandmother. The only bright spot is the mysterious stranger who appears on clear nights and teaches her all about the stars, planets, and constellations.
WISH YOU WERE HERE: TEENS WRITE ABOUT PARENTS IN PRISON
by Autmn Spanne, Nora McCarthy, and Laura Longhine
Additional Resources
LITTLE CHILDREN, BIG CHALLENGES: INCARCERATION (SESAME STREET TOOLKIT)
The incarceration of a loved one can be very overwhelming for both children and caregivers. It can bring about big changes and transitions. In simple everyday ways, you can comfort your child and guide her through these tough moments. With your love and support she can get through anything that comes her way. Here are some tools to help you with the changes your child is going through.
SESAME STREET IN COMMUNITIES: INCARERATION (YOUTUBE)
Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration, a bilingual (English/Spanish) multimedia initiative, provides much-needed resources to support and comfort young children throughout their parents’ incarceration.
SESAME STREET: INCARCERATION APP FOR ANDROID
The Sesame Street: Incarceration app provides parents and caregivers with tools to help children ages 3-8 cope with the many transitions related to a parent’s incarceration.
SESAME STREET: INCARCERATION APP FOR IPHONE/IPAD
The Sesame Street: Incarceration app provides parents and caregivers with tools to help children ages 3-8 cope with the many transitions related to a parent’s incarceration.