Meet Theodore Taylor III, an artist living in Richmond, Virginia and also a self-proclaimed pizza connoisseur. In this month’s author spotlight, preview Teddy’s upcoming book Off the Wall, publishing on October 11, 2022.
Where did the idea for Sam and her story come from?
Teddy: I can trace my interest in graffiti to a video game called Jet Grind Radio. I grew up in a smaller city so I didn’t have that much exposure to graffiti. That game was sort of an introduction to street art and hip-hop culture for me. Around that time I had also taken a trip to New York City with my photography class and took a lot of photos of the graffiti there. From that point I dove deep into urban culture and my artwork reflected that. So when Roaring Brook asked me to write a book, a story about graffiti felt like the most natural choice, especially after When The Beat Was Born. That was around the time when a lot of mural festivals were happening where I live, so I wanted to create a book that celebrated that. The story itself came from moving back to my college town and reconnecting with my art community, in a similar way to how Sam moves to a new town and finds a community of her own.
How do you hope this book will be used in classrooms and libraries?
Teddy: I hope it will be used to inspire kids to go out and explore where they live. Maybe grab a camera and document their surroundings. A lot of people have been stuck indoors for the past few years and I think it’s a great time for kids to get out and rediscover their communities.
Tell us about a librarian or educator who made an impact on you.
Teddy: My high school art teacher Fletcher Nichols was a big inspiration. Without him pushing me to go to art school this book probably wouldn’t exist. He also fought really hard for art courses in our school that were at risk of being dropped. I appreciated that.
Do you have a favorite spread in the book?
Teddy: I have a few favorites, but the spread of Sam remembering her hometown sticks out. It’s inspired by Brazilian favelas. I had done a few drawings in a similar style before so it was fun to create something like that for the book as well. It also took a lot of work!
What was your favorite book when you were a young reader?
Teddy: My boring answer is Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are. It’s a perfect book. I lost my childhood copy and I’m still sad about that. My more obscure choice is Gregory, The Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat. I remember being fascinated by the idea of eating a barber pole for some reason.
What advice would you give to young writers?
Teddy: Write what you know.
If there was one thing you wanted your readers to know about graffiti art, what would it be?
Teddy: I’d like people to understand that graffiti has existed in some form for nearly all of human history, ever since people were drawing on cave walls. I think it’s a natural urge for people to draw on surfaces and communicate in that way. A lot of graffiti is illegal, but perhaps this book will help people keep a more open mind to it. And hopefully that could lead to more legal walls and mural opportunities for artists who want to express themselves on a larger scale.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Theodore Taylor III is a children’s book author and illustrator living in Richmond, Virginia with his wife Sarah and son Theo. He is the illustrator of Woke, Woke Baby, and the New York Times bestselling C is for Country by Lil Was X. He also received the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award for his work on When The Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop. He is also the illustrator behind Shaquille O’Neal’s Little Shaq Series. During the day he also works as a front-end web developer. His work is inspired by his love of music, comics, animation, video games, street art, and more. He is also a self-proclaimed pizza connoisseur.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Off the Wall
By Theodore Taylor III
On Sale 10/11/2022
From New York Times bestselling illustrator Theodore Taylor III comes a vibrant ode to street art, a picture book about a child discovering all of the beauty—and art—her new neighborhood has to offer.
Shapes moving in every direction,
letters weaving in and out,
bright colors jumping off of the wall.
It was like a language from another
planet that only I could understand.
Graffiti.
In this bright, colorful, and movement-filled picture book Off the Wall, a young girl moves with her family from the big city to a small town. She feels odd and out of place until a stroll down the street hits her with echoes from home: vibrant graffiti splashed against the wall. But when it’s painted over that sense of belonging is lost, until an afternoon’s adventure shows her that street art can be found everywhere—as well as a sense of home.
In his exceptional author-illustrated debut, Theodore Taylor III has crafted an ode to street art, a stunning celebration of a much-maligned art form and all the beauty it brings to a neighborhood.
PRAISE FOR Off the Wall:
“Taylor’s vibrant, explosive illustrations vividly capture street art’s dynamism in a palette with purple and gold highlights. Celebrating kids, art, and supportive communities, this gem deserves a wide audience.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
