About Graffiti Knight
2014 Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People Winner
2014 Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award Winner
2015 USBBY Outstanding International Books List: Grades 6–8 selection
2014 R. Ross Annett Literary Award Winner
2014 CAA Exporting Alberta Award Winner
2016 Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award shortlist
2015 B.C. Teen Readers' Choice Stellar Awards shortlist
2015 Bank Street Best Book selection
2014 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens Starred Selection
2014 Ontario Library Association Best Bets selection
2013 Resource Links "The Year's Best" selection
"[A] gripping page-turner...The authentic setting, compelling characters and taut, suspenseful plot claim attention throughout. Bass refuses to oversimplify human beings...A different kind of war story, highly recommended."—Kirkus Reviews
"The last quarter of the book is nonstop action...Wilm is a flawed but engaging protagonist, prone to headstrong actions, and he matures believably over the course of the story."—School Library Journal
"Graffiti Knight shines a light on an experience about which there is little information....a good addition to any library."—VOYA
"[I]t has more drama than The Hunger Games."—Resource Links
"Bass has artfully recreated an historical time and place peopled by realistic, three-dimensional characters grappling with their own emotions and global forces they can only barely understand."—Quill & Quire
"[I]ncredibly gripping and informative. As young adult war-related historical fiction goes, this book is second to none...Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine
"An action-packed emotional story filled with foolishness, friendship and courage."—Calgary Herald
"[A] riveting page-turner that readers will find impossible to put down."—Canadian Children's Book News
"Award-winning author Karen Bass brings readers a fast-paced story about a boy fighting for self-expression in an era of censorship and struggle."—Oak Bay News
. . . incredibly gripping and informative. As young adult war-related historical fiction goes, this book is second to none . . . **Highly Recommended.**
. . . it has more drama than the Hunger Games.
An action-packed emotional story filled with foolishness, friendship and courage.
Bass has artfully recreated an historical time and place peopled by realistic, three-dimensional characters grappling with their own emotions and global forces they can only barely understand.
A riveting page-turner that readers will find impossible to put down.
Canadian Children's Book News
05/01/2014 Gr 9 Up—It is 1947, and life is hard for 16-year-old Wilm and his family. The city of Leipzig, in southeast Germany, is controlled by the Soviets, who are brutal masters. The Germans are constantly hungry because the Soviets have significantly reduced their food rations. Even worse, the German police, Schupos, are puppets of the Soviets. Wilm and his friends like to skulk around and pretend to battle the enemy, but the war becomes real when he experiences just how powerless his community really is against them. After witnessing Schupos beat and taunt his crippled father, the teen discovers the reason that his sister's boyfriend doesn't come around anymore: Ernst, a Schupo himself, came upon four Soviets raping her and now considers Anneliese damaged goods. Wilm is determined to fight back, and starts committing small acts of sabotage against the police. Finally, an attempt to leave his mark on the Soviet compound goes awry, and he and his friends are forced to flee. The last quarter of the book is nonstop action as the group travels for days, attempting to avoid pursuers to make it to Bavaria and the American Zone. Wilm is a flawed but engaging protagonist, prone to headstrong actions, and he matures believably over the course of the story. While over-expository conversations between characters lead to moments of stilted and unnatural dialogue, Bass does a fine job of opening readers' eyes to the harsh realities that so many German civilians faced after their country's defeat, regardless of whether they had supported the Nazi regime.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
2013-12-11 This gripping page-turner set in 1947 East Germany explores the aftereffects of war and occupation. World War II is over and Germany partitioned among the victors. For most in the Soviet-occupied zone, life is grim and anything but peaceful. Hunger's a constant companion, trust in short supply. Most despise their Russian masters and even more, the German police--Schupos--who do their bidding. With their elders embittered and broken, friendship sustains 16-year-old narrator Wilm and his friends, Karl and Georg. Pretending to spy on the Schupos blows off steam, but after the Schupos beat up Wilm's amputee father and Wilm learns of the brutal sexual assault on his sister, Anneliese, the game turns real. Supported by Karl and Georg, Wilm starts by scrawling graffiti calling the Schupos "puppets" and vandalizing police vehicles. Risk-taking proves energizing and deeply satisfying--also addictive and eventually desensitizing. It's at odds with his growing interest in building bridges. The engineer who mentors him lends him books and encourages his interest, but their connection weakens as Wilm's acts of sabotage escalate. The authentic setting, compelling characters, and taut, suspenseful plot claim attention throughout. Bass refuses to oversimplify human beings. When motivations are tangled and complex, actions, even the best-intended, have unforeseen consequences. A different kind of war story, highly recommended. (historical note) (Historical fiction. 12 & up)