When I first saw Hand-Me-Down, I expected a story about growing up poor and relying on secondhand clothes. While that’s certainly part of Damian Alexander’s memoir, it’s really about something much deeper. It’s about grief, family, and how the experiences of one generation shape the next. I really liked how Alexander tells three stories at once: his own childhood, his mother’s, and his grandmother’s. It could have easily become confusing, but the artwork and color choices make each timeline easy to follow. Watching the similarities between their lives slowly come together gave the memoir a lot of emotional power.

The relationship between Damian and his grandmother is the heart of the book. She isn’t perfect, but it’s obvious how much she loves her grandsons and how much she wants to give them a better life than she had. Some of the quietest moments ended up being the most powerful, especially as Damian tries to understand the mother he never knew while slowly realizing that the person who raised him has constantly been the one directing him through life.

I also appreciated that this is a quieter coming-of-age story. There’s no huge twist or dramatic climax. Instead, it’s a series of memories and ideas that come across as genuine and honest. That approach won’t work for every reader, and there were a few places where the pacing appeared a little repetitive, but I never lost interest because the emotions were always sincere. The artwork fits the story well. It’s expressive without being detailed, and the changing color palettes between time periods add a further layer to the storytelling. I also loved the family photographs included at the end—they made the memoir feel even more personal.

Overall, Hand-Me-Down is a touching graphic memoir about loss, growing up, and finding connection with the people who came before us. It’s the kind of book that quietly stays with you after you finish it. I think it will especially hit home with certain middle-grade readers, but not all, who have experienced grief or are trying to figure out where they fit in.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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