You’re Welcome, Universe
You’re Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner is an illustrated young adult fiction novel published by Random House Children’s Books on March 6, 2018. This 320-page book follows Julia, a deaf teenager who expresses herself through graffiti art. After facing expulsion from her school for covering up a slur against her best friend, Julia is transferred to a mainstream school where she struggles to fit in as the only deaf student. Her passion for art becomes her refuge as she navigates the challenges of her new environment.
In this vibrant narrative, readers will find Julia’s journey filled with social themes and family dynamics, particularly focusing on her experiences as part of an alternative family. As she paints her way through suburban life, Julia discovers a rival graffiti artist who challenges her creativity and pushes her to assert her identity. The book features Gardner’s own illustrations, enhancing the story’s visual appeal and providing a unique perspective on Julia’s artistic expression. You’re Welcome, Universe presents a compelling exploration of self-identity and resilience in the face of adversity.
Official synopsis Publisher
A vibrant, edgy, fresh new YA voice for fans of More Happy Than Not and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, packed with interior graffiti.
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award!
When Julia finds a slur about her best friend scrawled across the back of the Kingston School for the Deaf, she covers it up with a beautiful (albeit illegal) graffiti mural.
Her supposed best friend snitches, the principal expels her, and her two mothers set Julia up with a one-way ticket to a “mainstream” school in the suburbs, where she’s treated like an outcast as the only deaf student. The last thing she has left is her art, and not even Banksy himself could convince her to give that up.
Out in the ’burbs, Julia paints anywhere she can, eager to claim some turf of her own. But Julia soon learns that she might not be the only vandal in town. Someone is adding to her tags, making them better, showing off—and showing Julia up in the process. She expected her art might get painted over by cops. But she never imagined getting dragged into a full-blown graffiti war.
Told with wit and grit by debut author Whitney Gardner, who also provides gorgeous interior illustrations of Julia’s graffiti tags, You’re Welcome, Universe introduces audiences to a one-of-a-kind protagonist who is unabashedly herself no matter what life throws in her way.
“[A] spectacular debut…a moving, beautifully written contemporary novel full of quirky art and complicated friendships…this book is a gift to be thankful for.”—BookRiot
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