Tagging Freedom

by Rhonda Roumani (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

Out of the revolutions across the Arab world comes this inspirational story of hope, freedom, and belonging, perfect for fans of Other Words for Home and A Good Kind of Trouble.

Kareem Haddad of Damascus, Syria, never dreamed of becoming a graffiti artist. But when a group of boys from another town tag subversive slogans outside their school, and another boy is killed while in custody, Kareem and his friends are inspired to start secretly tag messages of freedom around their city.

Meanwhile, in the United States, his cousin, Samira, has been trying to make her own mark. Anxious to fit in at school, she joins the Spirit Squad where her natural artistic ability attracts the attention of the popular leader. Then Kareem is sent to live with Sam's family, and their worlds collide. As graffitied messages appear around town and all eyes turn to Kareem, Sam must make a choice: does she shy away to protect her new social status, or does she stand with her cousin?

Informed by her time as a journalist, author Rhonda Roumani's Tagging Freedom is a thoughtful look at the intersection between art and activism, infused with rich details and a realistic portrayal of how war affects and inspires children, similar to middle grade books for middle schoolers by Aisha Saeed, The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandi, or Refugee by Alan Gratz.

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Kirkus

A well-characterized novel offering insight into Syrian perspectives.

ALA/Booklist

This is a must-read for those looking for more Arab and Muslim representation in middle-grade titles.

Publishers Weekly

Kareem--a Syrian Muslim 13-year-old--and his friends tag buildings to protest government oppression in Damascus, Syria. Kareem's seventh grade cousin Samira, meanwhile, paints the banners that accompany her Allansdale, Mass., school's Spirit Squad performances. Though Sam's friends Layla, with whom she takes Arabic lessons at the Islamic Center, and schoolmate Ellie remind Sam that Spirit Squad leader and mean girl Cat "ruined your life in fourth grade," Sam often abandons them both to hang out with the cool kids. When peaceful protests turn violent in Syria, Kareem's parents send him to live with Sam's family in the U.S. Sam and Kareem have always bonded over their love of graffiti, but at school, Kareem clashes with Cat's brother Dylan, whom Sam has a crush on; xenophobic comments from Dylan about Syria, and Sam's complicit silence, enrage Kareem. Soon, however, the cousins must come together to counter racism in Allansdale. High-stakes conflicts in the form of Kareem's fears for those he left behind play powerfully against adolescent challenges, such as Sam's emotionally vulnerable angst about fitting in, delivering a strongly paced tale. An author's note concludes. Secondary characters read as white. Ages 8-12. (Nov.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

Gr 4-7--In a book written in alternating voices, the two characters--Kareem, who lives in Damascus, Syria, and Samira (Sam), who lives in Allansdale, MA--are cousins with more in common than they realize. Kareem and his closest friends have been spray-painting graffiti speaking out against how the corrupt Syrian government is treating its people. They know they must graffiti quickly and quietly to avoid being caught and becoming one of the "disappeared" or worse, killed. In an effort to protect their son, Kareem's parents send him to live with his aunt and uncle in the United States. Sam is anxious to join Spirit Squad, but struggles because the leader is a bully and her best friend Ellie refuses to join her. Despite this, Sam is determined to incite school spirit through her artistic talents in writing and drawing. Disappointed that her best friend Sam has joined the Spirit Squad, Ellie becomes close to Kareem when the two embark on their own form of raising awareness through tagging with graffiti. Graffiti in Allansdale brings out two opposing sides throughout social media. Thought-provoking and heartfelt, this novel parallels the struggles teens feel with loss and bullying situations to the oppression that citizens often feel when the government is deceitful. Preteens and teens will find this book relatable and real. VERDICT An outstanding novel that hits its mark, demonstrating that young teens grapple with a gamut of emotions and situations yet are resilient enough to work through them and achieve success. Highly recommended.--Tracy Cronce

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 

"High-stakes conflicts in the form of Kareem's fears for those he left behind play powerfully against adolescent challenges, such as Sam's emotionally vulnerable angst about fitting in, delivering a strongly paced tale."—Publishers Weekly

 

"Thought-provoking and heartfelt, this novel parallels the struggles teens feel with loss and bullying situations to the oppression that citizens often feel when the government is deceitful. Preteens and teens will find this book relatable and real. An outstanding novel that hits its mark, demonstrating that young teens grapple with a gamut of emotions and situations yet are resilient enough to work through them and achieve success. Highly recommended." —School Library Journal STARRED Review

 

"Roumani skillfully weaves together two different points of view to create a powerful story of activism that captures the importance of standing up for yourself and advocating for others." —Booklist

Rhonda Roumani
Rhonda Roumani is a Syrian-American journalist who has written about Islam, the Arab world and Muslim-American issues for more than two decades. She is the author of the middle grade novel Tagging Freedom and picture book Umm Kulthum: Star of the East. Visit her at www.rhondaroumani.com.

Nadia Roumani is a social entrepreneur, coach, consultant, and co-founder of the University of Southern California's American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute and Stanford University's Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative. She is also a Senior Designer with Stanford University's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design.

Olivia Aserr is the half Egyptian, half Irish American illustrator of A Mermaid Girl by Sana Rafi and Mama in Congress: Rashida Tlaib's Journey to Washington by Rashida Tlaib and Miranda Paul. She works as a background painter at Disney Television Animation, and enjoys swing dance and costume making in her free time. Olivia lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Bonnibel. Visit her at www.oliviaaserr.com
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9781454950721
Lexile Measure
610
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Union Square Kids
Publication date
November 07, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV003000 - Juvenile Fiction | Art & Architecture
JUV030130 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - Middle Eastern & Arab American
JUV039290 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Activism & Social Justice
Library of Congress categories
History
JUVENILE FICTION / People & Places / United S
Massachusetts
Cousins
Graffiti
Syria
Civil War, 2011-
Syrian Americans
Syrians
JUVENILE FICTION / Art

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