Who Is Tanksy?

For Tanya Kofsky, being 13 is proving to be tougher than she could ever imagine. At home, she has to witness her overworked mother try to make it work with a close-minded grandfather who doesn’t treat her as she deserves. In a new school, she fluctuates between being ignored and being teased both by her fellow students and the faculty. But Tanya soon finds a weapon she can use to change the way things are done: her art and the secret persona of Tanksy.

In Who is Tanksy?, author Bev Katz Rosenbaum has painted a picture of a changing world played inside the confines of a high school. Tanya, a progressive and engaged main character, sees in her classmates, faculty members and even her own family signs that the social justice she thought of as commonplace in the twenty first century is not as common as it should be. Tanya’s shock at every intolerant and ignorant comment she hears in the halls of the school is reflected on the readers who soon find themselves cheering for the revolution Tanya begins by splashing her art on the school walls.

The themes and visual appeal of the art make readers wish they could see it for themselves. The use of intelligent taglines and the vivid descriptions of Tanya’s protest pieces help paint the scene for the change we all wish we could be in the world. Especially for teens, seeing Tanya take charge of this revolution in her school is cathartic, but, more than that, it is exciting seeing her take charge of her own voice and give a platform to those who don’t feel heard. The writing doesn’t feel forced for a young audience, but instead it is very much in touch with current events, pop culture and with some jabs here and there at the state of affairs in politics, an important tool to get teens to think about what role they want to play in the future that is looming over us all.

Modern, politically engaged and fun, Who is Tanksy?, a great read with potential to light that spark in the leaders and activists of tomorrow, carries the powerful message that change can truly come from anywhere.