Intended for reading by children ages 7-12 whose families are interacting with the child welfare system, this graphic novel tells the story of what happens to a young girl named Isabella after a child welfare caseworker visits her home.
This story portrays common occurrences in child welfare cases. Isabella meets a child welfare caseworker, talks with a counselor at school, goes to court and meets her advocate, and develops a network of support that helps her understand and cope constructively with what she is experiencing. An introduction to the child reader states “This is Isabella’s story. Her experience might be different than what you’re going through, but it might help you understand what’s going on. No matter what happens, you should know that you’re not alone. These kinds of things happen to other kids, too.” The story of Isabella is presented with colored drawings in which the characters’ spoken conversations with others and unspoken personal feelings are depicted.