Whitney Gardner

When Julia gets kicked out of the Kingston School for the Deaf for putting up an illegal mural, she is moved to a mainstream school in the suburbs where she starts putting up more art, but she soon finds that someone is showing off their skills by adding to her tags.

You're Welcome, Universe

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

Nabila Azahra

A solid 3 stars!

I like the diversity in this book. Julia is a deaf American-Indian and has 2 moms. Julia is rude, yes. But she's also very fierce, loyal and passionate for art. She stood up for herself and proud of what she is. Which what I love most about her. I kinda wanna know more abbout YP. I feel like she has an interesting back story. And as for the storyline, it is pretty weak and generic like other contemporaries. And my biggest problem with this book is the writing style. I don't feel connected with the story and some parts of it was boring.

Logan Dittbrenner

I really enjoyed this book! The drawings were fantastic and it was very diverse. The story is just beautiful and the fact that you don't really see deaf main characters.

Becky

Wow, this book. It was the perfect YA book which championed friends and basically being a good person when you get out of your own way anyway.

i have a whole lot of thoughts on this one and will allow then to stew so I can write a coherent review. There's a lot to love i will tell you that.

Sophia De La Garza

DNFd at 50 pages. I just didn't like the writing style at all, despite the awesome concept. But yeah I'm not gonna suffer for the possibility of a good plot. Sorry :/

Chrissy

3.5-4 stars
Diversity:
* Deaf main character 
* Lesbian deaf parents
* Half indian main character (right?? idr)

 Julia is a teenage street artist living in New York. She decides to use her skill to cover up a nasty slur about her friend on school property. Unfortunately she gets caught and is forced to attend a new school that isn't catered to the deaf/hard of hearing. While she's there she tags up some street art around town and notices that someone keeps adding to her tags and it starts off a street art war, to Julia anyway. 

This book gave such a great insight to what life is like for someone who is hard of hearing/deaf. I enjoyed reading how annoyed Julia would get at "hearies" for the uneducated choices we make when we come across a deaf person. I loved Julia's character, she was sassy and smart and creative (artistic). Some of these things I had learned already but to read the situations and read what Julia was feeling was insightful. I think many of us who can hear see a person who is deaf as disabled but they don't feel that way. I just had so much fun reading a book about a street artist in New York who just so happens to be deaf. It was an important element to the story but also wasn't the focus, art was. I loved that about it. Julia's interpreter, although seemed flat to me at first, she stood up for Julia, or more like deaf people in general and I was just applauding her. The author didn't stray away from situations I'm sure a deaf person goes through if they attend a school not catered to the deaf. There were so many moments where teachers were not being teachers and handling things in such a ridiculous way and it made me so mad but it was so important to this story.
I think this book also shows young readers how to decipher what a real friend is. Julia has a friend that in time she starts to reanalyze their friendship and has to make a choice.

I have always found sign language intriguing since I was 10. I taught myself the alphabet and taught the kids in my class so that during lunch we would have conversations spelling out everything. I then bought a sigh language dictionary from a book fair. So I'm sure its no surprise that I watch Switched at Birth.

Jelke Lenaerts

This book is so GOOD !!!!! Oh my god, I love it so much. It's so diverse (but in a casual way). Of course, I can't talk about any of the representations but it feels well done to me. I also just loved the art included in it. I would HIGHLY recommend it. Definetly one of my favourite 2017 releases.

full review: https://jelkelenaerts.blogspot.be/201...

Leelynn Brady

Disclaimer: I legit cried multiple times reading this novel and I was just so happy with how it turned out in the end.

Read my full review on my blog Sometimes Leelynn Reads

Abbey

"I’m not better than friends, I want better friends. I want friends who are all in, all the time. It can’t just be all on your terms. You have to care, care about more than just yourself."

••••

You're Welcome Universe by Whitney Gardner follows Julia, a Deaf Indian street artist trying to show the world that she is HERE. If you want a unique contemporary read that's focused on art and friendship, this is the book for you. Not only was it an incredible story, but the author put a lot of work into making sure that d/Deaf culture was accurately represented. From name signs to the community to the capital "D". Also, the fact that she is a POC, Deaf, and has two moms isn't something that the story is actually "about". They add to her character and gives context to her experience.

Macy Johnson

oberon vortigern

Connor 

Hayzey

Treslyn Welters

Told with wit and grit by debut author Gardner, who also provides gorgeous interior illustrations of deaf high-school student Julia's graffiti tags, this novel introduces a one-of-a-kind protagonist who is unabashedly herself no matter what life throws in her way.

You're Welcome, Universe

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