Into the Dangerous World

At a family meeting, Ror declared her purpose: I am an artist. But she doesn’t really know what that means. Raised on a commune, she’s never attended a day of school, and has seen little of the outside world. What she knows best is drawing. To her, it’s like breathing; it’s how she makes sense of the world. When her father torches the commune—and himself—Ror’s life changes. She, her mother and sister end up in a homeless residence in Manhattan, where she runs into trouble—and love—with Trey, the leader of Noise Ink, a graffiti crew. On the city’s streets, and in its museums and galleries, Ror finds herself pulled in different directions. Her father wanted her to make classic art. Noise Ink insists she stay within their lines. Her art teacher urges her to go to college. What does she want? What kind of artist am I? Ror’s soul-searching—expressed in remarkable pictures and sharp-edged prose, set in the gritty Manhattan of 1984—is cinematic in its scope, and its seamless blend of text and art makes Into the Dangerous World a groundbreaking event in fiction. “This story of a young artist’s struggle to find her voice against all odds shimmers with authenticity. Julie Chibbaro understands the actual dynamics of what it’s like to be a teenager facing both the volatile world of street art and the insular nature of high art. Every character feels like someone I’ve known, debating how art fits into their life. I think I’ve found my new favorite author!”—Ron English, acclaimed street artist, culture jammer, and designer of Popaganda.