‘My Dad’s Gone Away’ covers a difficult topic—incarceration of a parent and its impact on their children. The story’s preface points out that the story is designed for children of incarcerated parents to enable families to talk about their concerns with trusted others. Andrew Krahouer, Australian Rules Footballer, and author, speaks from personal experience. He served time in gaol as did his father.
This is a story with a purpose. The goal is to enable a nonjudgmental conversation about family members who are incarcerated. Children are encouraged to discuss what happens when family members are in gaol and how they might feel about this situation. Another goal is to encourage empathy and understanding of others who may be experiencing a similar situation or know someone who has this experience.
Paul Seden’s illustrations reflect the sadness, confusion and sometimes anger experienced by a child wondering about the absence of a parent. The illustrations are a lightly textured, soft grey with pastels which feel sombre in keeping with the emotional tone of the story. Illustrations often feature a white double page background, perhaps as a resting point for readers and viewers. The soft, grey, and minimal pastel colours reflect the story’s tone, provoking a comforting space for discussion. Discussions will undoubtedly include difficult questions and arouse deep emotions. Young Tarah, our central character, appears in contrasting soft colours. On the way to visit her dad, Mum explains what to expect. The car trip to the prison is a soft, sombre grey. What will the visit be like? Mum does prepare Tarah, but apprehension is unavoidable.
Tarah initially appears forlorn, but she has an empathetic dog at her feet. When Tara questions Dad’s absence, Mum is frank. On their way to visit Dad, Mum and Tara have further conversations about what to expect on the visit.
At the prison, Tarah meets a young boy whose father is also in gaol. They find comfort in each other’s similar situation. Magabala publisher, Rachel Bin Salleh, asks, ‘’How do you begin a conversation with a child of an incarcerated parent, without the legacy of shame that children inherit?’ Jacqueline Dinan, co-author, brings her experience as a foster carer of incarcerated children to this story. When she heard the author Andrew Krakouer speak of his prison experience to a school group, she asked whether he might work with her in creating a story to open conversations with children experiencing family incarcerations. Now such a story exists, one told truthfully with a soft touch.
We remember the gentle comfort given by Tara’s dog, in contrast to the prison dogs, which are there to detect forbidden objects. There is a big hug when dad appears who then explains his daily routine to Tarah. When Mum and Dad talk, Tarah spies young, sad Johnny, whose dad is also in prison. The two children cheer each other up ‘a little’ and agree to meet up again on their next visit to see their dads.
The final illustration shows Tarah and her dog down by the creek. The soft colours and the quiet, peaceful setting exude a sense of warmth and comfort. At the back of the book, there are facts for the reader about numbers of incarcerated parents. The Teaching Resources provide a wealth of background information about parental incarceration.
Andrew Krakouer is a Minang (Nyoongar) and Inggarda (Yamatji) man. His career as a famous Australian Rules Footballer ended when he was sent to prison. He speaks regularly in prisons and at events about his prison experience. Jacqueline Dinan is a former accredited foster carer who has provided comfort to many children experiencing incarcerated parents.