Off the Wall
by Theodore Taylor (Author)
From New York Times bestselling illustrator Theodore Taylor III comes a vibrant ode to street art, a picture book about a child discovering all of the beauty--and art--her new neighborhood has to offer.
Shapes moving in every direction,
letters weaving in and out,
bright colors jumping off of the wall.
It was like a language from another
planet that only I could understand.
Graffiti.
In this bright, colorful, and movement-filled picture book Off the Wall, a young girl moves with her family from the big city to a small town. She feels odd and out of place until a stroll down the street hits her with echoes from home: vibrant graffiti splashed against the wall. But when it's painted over that sense of belonging is lost, until an afternoon's adventure shows her that street art can be found everywhere--as well as a sense of home.
In his exceptional author-illustrated debut, Theodore Taylor III has crafted an ode to street art, a stunning celebration of a much-maligned art form and all the beauty it brings to a neighborhood.
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Publishers Weekly
In thin-lined art that juxtaposes drab and electric hues, Taylor features a child who follows street art to a place that feels like home. When narrator Sam's parents trade their "fast, busy city life for a small, quiet one far away," the protagonist feels "like I was from another planet." Portrayed with brown skin and purple hair as the only nonwhite kid in class, Sam's "ready to take the first spacecraft home" until a bright purple wall of graffiti suggests an element of their previous metropolitan residence ("The city itself was a work of art, always ready to show me something new"). Following a night of graffiti-filled dreams that feel "as if someone in town was trying to send me a message," Sam and local cousin Lincoln set out to find the artist behind the local art--and locate a bustling community space where Sam fits right it, underscoring themes of expansion, belonging, and found family in this solo debut. An author's note discusses the story's roots and examines graffiti as an art form. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Hornbook
Review quotes
JUV039090 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | New Experience
JUV003000 - Juvenile Fiction | Art & Architecture
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
City and town life
Graffiti
Street art
Belonging (Social psychology)
Belonging
