Tagged

by Diane C. Mullen

Liam is a fourteen-year-old graffiti artist living in project housing in Minneapolis with his single mother and three 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.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Contemporary

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2015

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing imagery. Felt like I could easily understand the storyline. Felt connected to the characters the entire time. Very good read!

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was actually really good with it’s use of adjectives they always described whatever it Is the author was trying to make come across her writing and our imagination.she wrote a story about a boy and how he overcame his struggles to become a better person she made the story relatable tying it in with events that would be a so called problem for teens in the city and how gangs can also affect teens without parents unwillingness to listen this story is your average everyday melodrama but one where you can still find enjoyment because of how good it is if your a fan of artists and litteral random quotes than this is the book for you.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminded me of _The Cholo Tree_ and probably many others that follow the arc of a young, well-intentioned urban kid, making questionable decisions, exposed to questionable characters, struggling to stay true to a burgeoning sense of self but torn by struggles of family and neighborhood strife. The sentence structure bugged me so much with this one. Didn't buy the shortness, even in thoughts. Couldn't believe the abruptness was real. Hurried to finish it just to be done.

[Derick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very soul touching book,couldn’t stop reading it👍👍👍👍

[Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book!

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did you like about the book? 14 year old Liam O'Malley from the Minneapolis projects wants to be a grafitti writer and recognized for an amazing masterwork piece some day. But when his older brother gets him to spray a gang tag over a rival gang's wall (when Liam wants nothing to do with banging) things go downhill and Liam is sent off to spend the summer with his mom's friend in the idyllic Lakeshore village. This is a story about finding your muse, finding a way to (legally) express your art and determining what means most: family or self-opportunity. There's a tiny summer romance, some gang violence, and a lot of artistic soul-searching through the eyes of a 14 year old boy trying to find his place in the world.

Anything you didn’t like about it? Only Liam is a really developed character, which is fine for this story about him but means there is not much depth behind any other players in the story and many side-points which could have been developed more were instead left as small hints. Could lead to good book discussions though due to this.

To whom would you recommend this book? For the younger YA crowd or reluctant readers. The story style is part diary-esque and very short sections/chapters so good for reluctant readers who might find a kindred spirit in the Grafitti artist's story.

FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Spoilers **

setting: Minneapolis, MN
Liam dreams of becoming a graffiti artist/painting artist
4 sibilings, oldest brother in gang (gun and arrested) and not spending much time with family
older brother gets him in trouble with rival gang
mom sends him to Michigan for the summer
meets a girl
prosecuted for graffiti in Michigan
attends 2 week art camp
wants to create a huge mural for town as restitution
accepted to art boarding school in Michigan
turns down art school in MI because younger brother's seen running drugs for gang
returns home
mom shows him Minneapolis art school
book ends without resolution
Like the base story but moves too slow- will lose some kids with all the words
huge connection with art and Catholic Church
more religion included than most books - St. Bernard, prayers
Nice short chapters

Minneapolis
Teen uses graffiti
Lives in projects
Like base story but too slow moving. Will lose some kids with all the words
Compare beach life in small town MI to projects in MN
Huge connection to art
Brother has gun and arrested
Strong catholic connection
Nice short chapters

first line: I'm getting my tag up.

notes: gangs, guns, violence, projects, poverty, single mom, abusive dad left them, art, religion, Catholic Church

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liam lives with his mom and siblings in the projects of Minneapolis. Liam wants to be a graffiti writer and is working on his own personal tag. His older brother is a member of one of the gangs and gets Liam to spray paint a gang sign on a wall that is known to belong to a rival gang. As one can imagine, things go rapidly downhill and Liam is sent to stay with an artist and family friend in Michigan. Although Liam enjoys the increased access to art supplies, classes, and the like, graffiti is still his artistic preference plus he worries about his family and the gang problems.
This debut novel clearly portrays Liam's hopes, fears, worries, and dreams. It also does an excellent job of depicting graffiti writing as an artistic style rather than viewing it as the ugly work of punk street kids. The resolution is a bit pat, but does not detract from the novel overall.
Some violence, references to gangs, occasional swears.

[kerrycat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very engaging story and Liam's development as a character, as a person, is a pleasure to watch unfold. However, there are two misrepresentations that stuck out and really bothered me, and these are what led me to give this three stars instead of four. First, Catholic priests do not live in large houses and drive Cadillacs. They don't make that sort of money, and it's pretty far-fetched to represent them that way. Second, private high schools are not allowed to recruit public school athletes. Period. Not to say that this sort of thing doesn't happen on the down low, but in this story, Liam is openly recruited for his baseball skills and is offered a full scholarship to the Catholic high school. Yes, I am Catholic and sensitive to misrepresentations of the church and its members, and while a negative portrayal of either is fine if that is the author or characters' opinions, factual misrepresentations are a problem and get in the way of good storytelling.

[Glenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book about street artists and other artists. Some of them I knew, but there several I researched because of this book. Growing up in Minneapolis, one of five children and a single mom, Liam feels the pressures of the gangs, helping his family, and wanting to be his own person. When he has a chance to spend the summer with his mom's friend in Lakeshore, it gives him the chance to reflect on who he is and what he wants out of life. He has some hard choices to make. I really liked that Mullen let us see what he was thinking as well as what he says, because like many of us, he doesn't say what he is really thinking and it gives the reader a better understanding of him.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good writing and storytelling and I enjoyed the main character's development. It is a compelling read that moves you along, but certain aspects of the story felt caricaturish to me (modern-day Irish teen gang in Minneapolis? Hippie artist family friend?). Still, I learned to think and see tagging differently (which I think is a very important aspect of this book), and I think this would be a great read for pre-teens to explore, through Liam's story, the very real struggle for many teens between what's inside, who you really are, versus what's outside, not within your control, and consciously deciding which will define you.
I'm interested to see how this author evolves as writer.

[Melissa Artman · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book, I was afraid that it would give students ideas about "tagging". We don't need anymore of that! I liked that the main character was able to see how his tagging (and actions in general) affected others in the long-run and how he was able to use his art for good. The ending surprised me. It wasn't necessarily the ending that I wanted, but I think it was the ending that was right for the novel. I will definitely recommend this book to reluctant readers...or any reader. =)

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 1 out of 5]

"None of the 529 tags on campus or in the Southeast Como, Marcy-Holmes and Prospect Park neighborhoods were gang-related from February 2014 to February 2015, according to city data". - See more at: http://www.mndailyprojects.com/graffi...

So yes, tagging exists there but it's not tied to the Irish Mafia.


http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comm...

[Jennifer Fountain · Rating 4 out of 5]

The choppiness of the writing lent well to the feeling of being IN the character's thoughts throughout the story. I can't wait to get student reactions to this, as I believe I have several students who will relate either to the art side of the story or the family side of the story.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The choppy text made it difficult for me to get into, but I can see how this would appeal to a middle or high school student. It has a good message about reinventing yourself, and it could be a good addition to a classroom library.

[Jill CD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting concept that gives insight to graffiti art. I enjoyed the book and it gave me a new perspective on this type of art.

[Jeremiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the most amazing book for people who love art. I loved it