Walters, Eric. Tagged.

Walters, Eric.  Tagged.  Orca  2013  136p  ISBN 978-1-4598-0168-4  ms/hs  Paperback E-BN  Realistic fiction

The mayor of the city has declared war on graffiti artists, painting over their art as soon as new works are discovered.  Oswald and his friends especially admire the work of “The Wiz.”  They visit new sites and even find pirate art in the art gallery.  When Oswald reveals to his friend, the narrator of the story, that he is “The Wiz,” the trouble starts.  It appears that he has been caught.  The mayor comes to school to personally see Oswald be arrested because of the paint stains on Oswald’s hands.  As other friends hear that Oswald is “The Wiz” and is about to be arrested, they come to his rescue.  They all appear before the mayor with paint on their hands.  The mayor is not pleased.

The writing is spot-on in tone, vocabulary, and topic.  A refreshing Orca title that does not deal with gangs.  Urban readers will fully understand the mystique of graffiti artists who tag their works.  Middle-school and high-school readers looking for an urban quick read will not be disappointed.

Summary: Oswald, a graffiti artist, is rebelling against the establishment by continuing to paint public buildings.  When his identity is about to be discovered, his friends find a unique way to save him.  Middle to high school.       

Graffiti-Fiction                                                  --Joan Theal