Visitations is a tough read but an important one. Difficult topics are presented with honesty, intention and care. Though I am not a person of faith, I felt very strongly about Egbert’s portrayal of his own experiences with religion, and the nuances of belief and trust. There is room for different perspectives in this narrative as Egbert moves towards making space for his own feelings. While this is a tense and emotional story, I can also see it being very important for young people on their own journey with faith and family, figuring out who they are and what is important to them. The surreal aspect in the later half of the story at first felt a little confusing, but I thought it ended very beautifully and ended up working well with the rest of the story. The art style is clear and expressive, with the soft blues and oranges of the cover illustration present throughout the book.

Visitations was an intriguing and honest look at growing up with a mentally ill parent. I like the visual representations of Corey’s shame and fears throughout the book, and there’s a good opportunity there to talk about those topics with young readers. I loved the art in the book and felt it transported me to Corey’s experiences.

4. This is a simple read that deals with complex issues. I wish there were more books like this. Although this focuses a lot with Mormonism and religious abuse, I think there are so many children with parents who have a mental illness that students will be interested. There’s not enough resources for them, especially teens, who have to face everything high school entails on top of having a parent who doesn’t have a grasp on reality. The art is great, I really enjoy how it strengthens and builds the narrative. My heart aches for Corey and Sarah- there are so many children in similar circumstances. Will definitely be a book that students read, and it may lead to some very important discussions,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc. This was such an emotional read. As sad as it was, I really enjoyed it. The art style was really beautiful.

It might feel odd to describe Visitations as a “great” graphic novel, given the heavy subject matter, but it’s true. Corey Egbert’s art is both captivating and deeply personal, drawing readers into a story filled with vulnerability, compassion, and raw honesty. Egbert not only opens a window into his own life, but he also tenderly portrays his mother’s struggle with mental illness—a journey that shaped his childhood in ways few can imagine.

As I read, I found myself reflecting on Egbert’s experiences with religion, feeling a mix of empathy and discomfort at the moments where he was left vulnerable. Yet, there’s also something profoundly uplifting as Egbert grows, learning to differentiate his own beliefs from those of his mother. This journey of self-discovery, told through such poignant visuals, makes the novel stand out.

If you enjoyed Hey, Kiddo or are drawn to stories that offer an intimate, sometimes painful, yet ultimately hopeful glimpse into childhood shaped by mental illness and strict religious rules, Visitations is a must-read.

Thanks to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for a copy via NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to review!

From the cover and title, I was expecting ghosts. Lots of ghosts! From the description (always read those beforehand haha) it is much more focused on religion (Mormonism!), family, and mental health. While the art is lovely, the topic and story weren't really for me. (But there was a ghost!!!!)

i didn't realize how religion-focused this would be -- thought it was a cute book about supernatural stuff. very emotional and compelling & the art made me want to keep reading. really beautiful.

i have complex feelings about this book because on one hand it was well written with beautiful art and a compelling story and on the other hand, it shows mormonism in a positive light and the author is a practicing mormon

Visitations by Corey Egbert is a moving graphic memoir that explores faith, family, and mental health. Inspired by Egbert's real-life experiences, the story follows Corey, a boy whose life changes drastically after his parents' divorce. As his mom starts making wild claims—like saying his dad is the devil and that Corey has a divine mission to protect his sister—things spiral out of control. They end up on the run, living out of their car in the Nevada desert, trying to stay one step ahead of the police.

The muted tones and pale pink splashes in the art add to the haunting, yet hopeful, feel of the story. Graphic memoirs like this one make heavy topics easier to connect with, and Visitations does just that. It’s honest, emotional, and perfect for anyone looking to understand more about family struggles and personal challenges.

If you like books like Hey, Kiddo, this is definitely a great pick!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and preview this book.

This will be a great complement to Hey, Kiddo, which is popular in our library due to our Battle of the Books program. We will be purchasing this for our library collection.

Corey Egbert's deeply personal graphic novel is a beautiful and chilling look at a family. This story is based on author and artist Corey Egbert's own childhood and it is at times heartbreaking. The reader meets Corey's family when he is very young-it is clear to the reader, though not to the young protagonists, that the mother is overbearing and dealing with trauma in a deeply disturbing way. Corey and his sister are made to believe that their father is an evil man and it shapes much of their childhood. This is a moving story about resiliance, mental health, religion, and family.

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for the eGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free digital ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group via NetGalley. This YA graphic novel is a memoir based on true events. Corey is raised in a strict Mormon household, with a mother who is devote. Corey has been named by his mother as his little sister’s protector. Their parents are divorced and Corey's mother doesn’t trust their fathers intentions during Sunday visitations. Corey’s mom’s reactions are starting to get more complex than Corey and his sister can handle.
This is a complex story of religion, mental health, family dynamics, love and trust. It reads quick, but the content is heavy. This is better for older teens who will understand the battle unfolding within the relationship of Corey and his mother.

Powerful Graphic novels are my jam, and this one does not disappoint! This non-fiction graphic novel and mental illness is powerful and everyone should read this!

Gut wrenching and painful to read. I felt the fear and anxiety of the children viscerally as their mother took them further and further away from security. The art style was evocative and immersive. Beautiful

I somehow wasn’t aware of how, uh, religious this book was going to be? This is very much a me thing but I really don’t like organized religion and find it very oppressive - particularly when it’s not weaponized exactly but used to exert a negative influence (like in this story). In a lot of stories that deal with religious trauma (or in this case the use of religion to perpetuate trauma), I expect a distance from or renouncement of the religion and we didn’t get that. It’s also a memoir so it’s not my place to judge the author’s relationship with his religion.

However, the emotional core of the story, Corey’s interiority and doubt of the world his mother painted for him, made for a very compelling story.

Beautifully painful. I cried a lot and liked it. Damn you for making me feel my feelings. This book HURT but in a good way.

This was a fantastic graphic novel! The art is beautiful and enhances the story of this time in the author’s life. The format is a very good way to express difficult topics and I am glad to have read it. My heart aches for the time the author lost with his grandparents and his mom and dad. I will recommend this to be added to our library. I found the conflict of Corey trying to be good and avoiding what he perceived as bad quite relatable.

This mix of memoir and fiction does a great job of describing the emotional turmoil teenagers can have when realizing their parents are individuals who are not perfect. Corey starts to learn who he is in this book without his mother's input or emotional constrictions. The reader watches Corey realize he has to figure out the world for himself.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting area 51 and ghosts and instead I got a heart wrenching biography that looks overzealous religious belief ones parents foster upon their kids. This is the true story of Corey, his parents’ divorce, and the weeks of living in a car after being kidnapped by his mother. His mom told the kids all their life that their dad was bad and he did bad things and so they shouldn’t talk to him because that is what God wanted. His mom had mental health issues and he had to deal with the consequences to him and his sister. This book was incredibly well done. It’s a read with illustrations that make one feel like they’re with the author during the event. This is a book I would read multiple times, but it is books that will have readers that need it. Readers that need guidance dealing with their own mental health, or readers that need guidance, to see someone who was raised with religious beliefs that seem to differ from what they feel inside. This book has a place and should be on Library shelves.

This graphic novel made me wish that it was already published, and that there were at least one or two continuations. I feel as though there is so much about his religion, family, and relationships that Corey could explore. I felt like I was watching a movie reading this. In my head, it seemed to last far longer than it actually did. It was beautiful and extremely touching