Children's Book
A book for children with parents who are incarcerated.
My Daddy is in Prison so we need - Extra Love
-Written & Illustrated by Ruth Mercy
A ground-breaking book that helps children cope with having an incarcerated parent, Extra Love brings hope and understanding to the complicated relationship between a child and their incarcerated parent. With its artistic, hand-drawn illustrations and therapeutic poetry style, this book helps kids process what happened and gives them support to not only heal, while having a parent in prison but to become a catalyst that brings their family together with ‘Extra Love’.
About
Extra Love is a beautiful and heart-warming story of a little boy whose daddy is in prison. Told in first-person perspective, the reader follows along as the boy learns to deal with the situation, to forgive, and to think of creative ways to give extra love to his dad in prison, as well as to his mom and little sister struggling at home. He comes to understand that we all make mistakes and that no matter what our situation, God is a good Father who can help us make it through.
There are over 5 million children, of all ages, in the U.S. who have a parent in prison. They deal with a wide range of emotional and mental issues, including grief, confusion, anger, guilt, helplessness, and self-blame. Most, unable to adequately communicate what they’re going through, hide their feelings and withdraw; leading to even deeper hurt, isolation, and future mental, emotional, and, even, physical issues. During this difficult situation, it is crucially important to help every child understand that we all make mistakes and deserve forgiveness; that what happened is not their fault, their parent still loves them and that they can find creative ways to show love back.
Across the country, correctional facilities and non-profits that work with families facing incarceration are using the book, Extra Love as a way to begin to restore the parent-child relationship, while the parent is still behind bars. Visiting rooms in correctional facilities across the US have copies for the incarcerated parent to share with their child during visits. And many programs are taping the parent reading Extra Love while in prison, for their child to then listen to and follow along with their own copy, during bedtime at home. Extra Love will be released soon with characters from different ethnic backgrounds, as well as in Spanish and Portuguese.
There are over 2 million people behind bars in the U.S. alone, many whom were incarcerated as children themselves at 15 or 16. A large number of these men and women were falsely accused and are innocent, while many more have been reformed long ago, but continue to remain locked up. The justice system is broken and we must show compassion, help where we can, and always “Remember those in prison.” Heb.13:3.
Get The Book
We are still working out the sales & distribution channels for the book. Until then, drop us a line and we'll be in touch as to how you can get one, or more copies.