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A review by labunnywtf
You're Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner
3.0
I want to make art that makes my heart race. Art that demands to be felt, even if that feeling is terror.
First of all, the illustrations in this book deserve 5 stars all by themselves. I would read a book written by Whitney Gardner entirely in illustrations. The style is incredible, and the way she incorporates them into each chapter is so brilliant.
I never really got over my love for books with pictures in them, what can I say?
This book overfloweth with representation, and I'm living for it. Julia is Indian, with two moms, and she's Deaf. None of these things are the catalyst for the events of the book, which is really and truly my favorite form of representation. We get a few touches, such as when her teacher Mom is told she should be more understanding about parents requesting a 100% gluten free classroom because she "lives an alternative lifestyle". I laughed pretty hard at that one.
But this isn't a book about how Julia has to overcome her disability, or how art takes her away from a world where she can't hear. This is the story of literally any other 17-year old girl, hearing or not. She's kind of an asshole teenager, she has all the angst and attitude, it's just that when conversations are happening, her hands are moving instead of her mouth.
What Julia has, other than an enormous chip on her shoulder, is an amazing talent for art. She's a graffiti artist, and she's passionate, and good. And when her best friend's reputation is besmirched on the walls of her school, she defends her honor and covers it up. Said good best friend turns out to be a raging bitch and turns her in. She's expelled, and sent to a "normal" school, where she has to have an interpreter and deal with people who YELL REAL LOUD BECAUSE MAYBE THEN YOU CAN HEAR ME.
Julia is angry, but I don't think Julia is unlikeable. I read her as just another 17-year old brat. The reason I enjoyed this book so much is the story of the art. This isn't an overcoming adversity story, this is a Healing Through Art story. And it's really simple, and really lovely.
Do I believe Julia actually met Banksy? Ennh. But the idea of it is kind of awesome, and I'll shrug and say maybe.
I am not deaf, nor do I have anyone in my life who is. I was in...1st grade? With a deaf student, and his mother taught us finger spelling and maybe a few other things, but that's long gone from my brain. So, I can't comment on accuracy, other than if Whitney Gardner is taking the time to draw out signs in the pages, I'm guessing she did her research thoroughly.
I did mimick all of the ASL descriptions in the book. I probably failed a lot.
But there are a lot of little things in here that made me smile, and made me think. Julia has to be sneaky, because graffiti is still illegal. And she knows to keep her keys tucked into her shoe so they don't rattle. She learned this from the closed captioning on television programs. That's such a miniscule detail, but again, it's what makes diversity and representation reads for me.
I really, really enjoyed this. A fast read, nothing too deep, but solid, solid YA.
First of all, the illustrations in this book deserve 5 stars all by themselves. I would read a book written by Whitney Gardner entirely in illustrations. The style is incredible, and the way she incorporates them into each chapter is so brilliant.
I never really got over my love for books with pictures in them, what can I say?
This book overfloweth with representation, and I'm living for it. Julia is Indian, with two moms, and she's Deaf. None of these things are the catalyst for the events of the book, which is really and truly my favorite form of representation. We get a few touches, such as when her teacher Mom is told she should be more understanding about parents requesting a 100% gluten free classroom because she "lives an alternative lifestyle". I laughed pretty hard at that one.
But this isn't a book about how Julia has to overcome her disability, or how art takes her away from a world where she can't hear. This is the story of literally any other 17-year old girl, hearing or not. She's kind of an asshole teenager, she has all the angst and attitude, it's just that when conversations are happening, her hands are moving instead of her mouth.
What Julia has, other than an enormous chip on her shoulder, is an amazing talent for art. She's a graffiti artist, and she's passionate, and good. And when her best friend's reputation is besmirched on the walls of her school, she defends her honor and covers it up. Said good best friend turns out to be a raging bitch and turns her in. She's expelled, and sent to a "normal" school, where she has to have an interpreter and deal with people who YELL REAL LOUD BECAUSE MAYBE THEN YOU CAN HEAR ME.
Julia is angry, but I don't think Julia is unlikeable. I read her as just another 17-year old brat. The reason I enjoyed this book so much is the story of the art. This isn't an overcoming adversity story, this is a Healing Through Art story. And it's really simple, and really lovely.
Do I believe Julia actually met Banksy? Ennh. But the idea of it is kind of awesome, and I'll shrug and say maybe.
I am not deaf, nor do I have anyone in my life who is. I was in...1st grade? With a deaf student, and his mother taught us finger spelling and maybe a few other things, but that's long gone from my brain. So, I can't comment on accuracy, other than if Whitney Gardner is taking the time to draw out signs in the pages, I'm guessing she did her research thoroughly.
I did mimick all of the ASL descriptions in the book. I probably failed a lot.
But there are a lot of little things in here that made me smile, and made me think. Julia has to be sneaky, because graffiti is still illegal. And she knows to keep her keys tucked into her shoe so they don't rattle. She learned this from the closed captioning on television programs. That's such a miniscule detail, but again, it's what makes diversity and representation reads for me.
I really, really enjoyed this. A fast read, nothing too deep, but solid, solid YA.