Original Fake
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- £5.49
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- £5.49
Publisher Description
In this Banksy-inspired illustrated novel, the outcast of the family finally gets his chance to show off his artistic talents . . . until things start to spin out of control.
“A refreshing matter-of-fact acceptance for unconventional choices.”—Booklist
“Grounded and trippy, thoughtful and tense, personal and epic.”—Geoff Herbach, author of the award-winning Stupid Fast series
Frankie Neumann’s always felt like the black sheep of his family. Compared to his tutu-wearing nightmare of a sister and his parents, Bridget and Brett—Frank Sinatra and Dr. Frank-N-Furter impersonators, respectively—he’s the odd man out in a family of performers; he’s the introvert nobody ever sees. But Frankie’s got his own secret artistic aspirations, and they’re about to get him swept up in the art adventure of a lifetime. When Frankie’s approached by David and Rory, cousins and errand runners for the notorious and anonymous street artist Uncle Epic, they make him the offer of his dreams.
They want him to join their crew, and Frankie can hardly believe his luck. Not only is Uncle Epic his absolute idol, but Rory’s the hottest girl in school. Their renegade-art capers allow Frankie’s talents to flourish and even give him the chance for revenge against his insufferable sister—payback for years of torture. But soon, the lines between art and real life start to blur, and Frankie has to find a way to rein in the chaos before things spiral out of control.
Told partly through graphic panels, this is a tale for anyone who ever felt invisible.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Cronn-Mills (Beautiful Music for Ugly Children) tackles guerilla art, gender norms, and sibling rivalry in a whirlwind of a novel, aided by comics panels from Johnson (The Outliers). Seventeen-year-old Frankie Neumann doesn't feel like he belongs in his theatrical family, with a mother and father who impersonate Frank Sinatra and Frank N. Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, respectively, and a hellion of a younger sister, Lou, who alternates between theater practice and co-opting Frankie's belongings for herself. When Frankie is asked by his crush, Rory, and her skirt-wearing cousin David to help street artist Uncle Epic with his installations, he says yes, despite the late nights and resultant irritated parents. Just when Frankie finds confidence in his own art, Lou begins to unravel, threatened by her friends over a prank gone viral. Johnson's bold black and orange illustrations spotlight key plot points and emotions, emphasizing Frankie's view of the world and his budding affections for David. Cronn-Mills's consideration of the intersections between art and family is striking and heartfelt. Ages 12 up.
