Tagged
-
- $15.99
-
- $15.99
Publisher Description
Liam is a fourteen-year-old graffiti artist living in project housing in Minneapolis with his single mother and two younger siblings. When Liam’s estranged older brother coerces him to tag a graffiti symbol for a rival gang, Liam’s life is threatened. Due to his apathetic attitude in the classroom and on the baseball field, Liam’s private-school scholarship is also threatened. His mother decides to send him to Lake Michigan for the summer to live with her best friend, Kat, a sculptor and art teacher, Liam soon delves into the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pablo Picasso, and his own personal aesthetics. He’s encouraged to consider his art seriously and how it might contribute to a greater community. Having to decide between staying with Kat and returning home to his siblings who need him, Liam’s story inspires him to reinvent himself for the better.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this sensitive portrayal of a budding artist from newcomer Mullen, 14-year-old Liam O'Malley is consumed by the idea of becoming a graffiti writer. After Liam gets embroiled in a rivalry between local gangs and his grades slip, his mother sends him away from their home in the projects of Minneapolis to spend the summer with her friend Kat in tiny Lakeshore, Mich. Kat, a sculptor, provides a calm and supportive temporary home for Liam, who becomes inspired by the tranquil landscape, researches a variety of artists including Basquiat and Picasso, and begins to let go of his resentment surrounding his upbringing. Soon Liam has to decide between returning home to serve as a role model for his siblings or pursuing his dreams independently. Short chapters and clipped phrases give Liam's narrative the punchy impact of graffiti: "No sirens in two weeks. No black-and-whites driving around, either. No cops standing in stores. None walking the streets. Nothing, Liam reflects on his new environment. A powerful story about the positive effects of change. Ages 12 up.
