Student Publishes Children's Book About Having a Parent in Prison

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The idea was to take something so complex, so life-altering, and put it in a way a child could understand it.

The book is titled "Does He Still Love Me," and it's about a young boy whose father is in prison. The author is Rebecca Smith, a La Salle University student who got the idea after visiting death row and having a conversation with the inmates.

"You really don't get to see your children, your nieces, your nephews all that often. I wonder how those children are dealing with the fact that you're incarcerated for the rest of your life," said Smith.

Smith said after the conversation, she knew she needed to talk to someone who went through having an incarcerated parent growing up. She found some students on campus who were in the situation. They all asked to remain anonymous, however, she says the all said the same thing.

"In this book, I made sure that the kids who are reading it don't feel like they're the reason their parent is in jail, they don't feel like their parents don't love them anymore because their parents are simply incarcerated," said Smith.

Smith says the book will go on sale on Amazon sometime in the next few weeks.