Review by Booklist Review
Sam has just moved from the city to a small town and she feels lost. It's too quiet and she's the only person with brown skin in her class. Then Sam spots something that reminds her of home: graffiti. When cousin Lincoln visits, they go to see the art--but it's been painted over. Lincoln reassures Sam, telling her that street art is everywhere; you just need to know where to look. Sam and Lincoln wander through town, finding tags, stickers, stencils, murals, throw-ups, and eventually an abandoned factory full of artists at work. A young girl explains that the town has given them the building to turn into a community gallery. Sam joins in and realizes she's found her people and her new home. This picture book celebration of street art effortlessly blends in dynamic depictions of different styles of graffiti, creating an arresting background that propels the action. Sam's first-person narration creates empathy, and readers will share her relatable emotions and appreciate her creative art. An author's note provides further information and inspiration.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
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.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Part fish-out-of-water story, part ode to street art, this vibrant offering will grab readers' attention. Narrator Sam is unhappy about a family move that has traded their "fast, busy city life for a small, quiet one far away." Sam, apparently the only Black child in their new classroom, feels out of place and misses the sights and sounds of the city. Then one day Sam spies a graffitied building and is captivated: "It reminded me of home -- loud and energetic." Taylor's bold comics-style illustrations provide readers with ample visuals to explore, aligning them with Sam as they take in the graffiti's images and lettering. Upon returning to see the art, however, Sam is crestfallen to discover it's been painted over. Happily, an older cousin shares other places where they can see street art: "tags in the alley, stickers on street signs, stencils on the corner, throw-ups on moving vans, murals in parking lots." They end up at an abandoned factory the town has permitted people to paint as they wish, with the eventual goal of transforming it into a community center. Another child invites Sam to join in, her welcome finally making Sam feel at home. Heartfelt back matter reveals the roots of Taylor's own fascination with street art. Megan Dowd Lambert November/December 2022 p.76(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Award-winning illustrator Taylor honors artistic expression and community support for street art in his authorial debut. Narrator Sam moves cross-country with Mom and Dad, trading their beloved, pulsing city for a small, quiet town. Sam feels like an outsider "from another planet" at school, "ready to take the first spacecraft home." A downtown encounter with gorgeous graffiti on a wall that spells out "EXPAND!!!" wows Sam, evoking the vibrancy of the city. But when Sam and older cousin Lincoln return, they find the wall painted over. Lincoln knows that street art hides all over town, though: "tags in the alley, stickers on street signs, stencils on the corner," and more. "You just have to know where to look!" The pair then discover something extraordinary: an abandoned factory, alive with diverse graffiti artists transforming its interior walls. Sam, approaching a busy mother-daughter team, learns that the town has sanctioned the venue for rehabilitation as a community art space. Invited, Sam dons a respirator and gets to work. Final pages reveal the protagonist's giant self-portrait as an astronaut against the word HOME, extending the theme of artistic and personal expansion. Taylor's vibrant, explosive illustrations vividly capture street art's dynamism in a palette with purple and gold highlights. He encodes messages of positivity into the graffiti--"XPLORE," "HOPE"--as well as names and personal references. Sam, Lincoln, and Sam's parents are Black; the mother and daughter Sam meets are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Celebrating kids, art, and supportive communities, this gem deserves a wide audience. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
