"Sparky, poignant novel-in-verse in which an unforgettable Latino teenager finds the freedom of “learning to believe in the power of my own words”. "
Winner for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019 | Highly Commended in the UKLA Book Awards 2019 | Winner of the 2018 National Book Award
Xiomara Batista is a Harlem teenager whose parents moved to the US from the Dominican Republic. She has plenty of thoughts, plenty to say, but she’s been rendered voiceless by her domineering mother, by religion, and by the boys and men who objectify her body. She gets “all this attention from guys/but it’s like a sancocho of emotions… partly flattered they think I’m attractive, partly scared they’re only interested in my ass and boobs”. Such is the experience of many young women, but for Xiomara this is exacerbated by racism and her judgmental religious community, and powerfully expressed in her inimitable narrative voice.
Talking of which, through the sexual insults, and despite her mother’s meting of cruel punishments, Xiomara does find her voice. She keeps a secret notebook of poems, and dreams of joining a slam poetry club. And she finds love too, with Trinidad-born Aman, a compassionate young man with family heartache of his own. Xiomara’s descriptions of their burgeoning relationship are stunning, evoking first love and passion in all its visceral beauty. Somehow, Xiomara pulls herself free from a mire of obstacles. She stands tall, she burns bright - a wondrously authentic character who finds her own faith through writing poetry. Highly recommended for fans of Nicola Yoon, Angie Thomas and Sarah Crossan, this is a dazzlingly affecting feat.
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Xiomara has always kept her words to herself. When it comes to standing her ground in her Harlem neighbourhood, she lets her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But X has secrets - her feelings for a boy in her bio class, and the notebook full of poems that she keeps under her bed. And a slam poetry club that will pull those secrets into the spotlight. Because in spite of a world that might not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to stay silent. A novel about finding your voice and standing up for what you believe in, no matter how hard it is to say. Brave, bold and beautifully written - dealing with issues of race, feminism and faith - this is perfect for fans of Orangeboy, Nicola Yoon's Everything Everything and Zoella Book Club choice Moxie.
The Poet X - a stunning New York Times bestseller with a powerful and unforgettable YA voice. Perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi's The Children of Blood and Bone, Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and Sarah Crossan's One.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Poet X and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
The Poet X features in the following genres: Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Recommendations, Gritty Reads, Stories in Verse, PSHE: Multiculturalism, Diversity and Inclusion, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Featured Books for Young Adults
The Poet X is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Poet X was written by Elizabeth Acevedo and published by Electric Monkey an imprint of Egmont UK Ltd
The Poet X has 361 pages
£8.99
