Tagging Freedom

De: Rhonda Roumani

Narrado por: Farrah Haidar

Kareem Haddad of Damascus, Syria, never dreamed of becoming a graffiti artist.

But when a group of boys from another town tag subversive slogans outside their school, and another boy is killed while in custody, Kareem and his friends are inspired and start secretly tagging messages of freedom around their city.

Meanwhile, in the United States, his cousin, Samira, has been trying to make her own mark. Anxious to fit in at school, she joins the Spirit Squad where her natural artistic ability attracts the attention of the popular squad leader. Then Kareem is sent to live with Sam’s family, and their worlds collide. As graffitied messages appear around town and all eyes turn to Kareem, Sam must make a choice: does she shy away to protect her new social status, or does she stand with Kareem?

Exploring the intersection of art, activism, and social justice, Rhonda Roumani’s stunning debut introduces two unforgettable characters who use their voices and creativity to change their lives … and the world.

©2023 Rhonda Roumani (P)2023 Recorded Books

Highly recommended YA

I read *Tagging Freedom* to determine if it would be a good book for my preteen daughter to connect with her culture and learn about the events of 2011 in Syria. And what her parents experienced during that time. The book was a profound, beautiful, and authentic portrayal in an age appropriate way making it an excellent choice for young readers.
The author masterfully captures the emotions of fear, hope, resilience and worries about loved ones back home and attempts to find meaning in the face of helplessness that many of us went through, multiple times I found myself crying while reading this children’s book as it brought me back to that year and a lot of the complicated feelings it brought up.
For parents and educators, *Tagging Freedom* offers a valuable tool to introduce young readers to a significant chapter in recent history. It provides a nuanced perspective that fosters empathy and awareness, all while maintaining an engaging and age-appropriate narrative. Rather then focusing on some of the more terrible later happenings it captures the early day spirit of hope and fear which is such an important aspect to frame what happened later.
This book is not only an educational resource but also a touching story of friendship, courage, and the enduring human spirit.
P.s: the narrators is simply perfect, both in English’s and in Arabic she was great and a pleasure to listen to- give her all the books with Arabic phrases!!!