Poet X
(Book)

Translated from the English.

Copyright ©2017 by Elizabeth Acevedo.

Novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo, about Afro-Latina Xiomara Batista who turns to journalling poetry.

Xiomara Batista se siente ignorada e incapaz de ocultarse en Harlem. Desde que su cuerpo se volvió curvilíneo, aprendió a dejar que sus puños y su fiereza hablaran por ella. Pero X tiene mucho para decir, por eso descarga su frustración en las páginas de un cuaderno y recita las palabras para sí misma como si fueran plegarias, especialmente después de verse invadida por fuertes sentimientos hacia un chico de la clase de biología. Ante la determinacín de mami de forzarla a obedecer las leyes de la Iglesia, Xiomara comprende que es mejor guardarse sus pensamientos. Cuando la invitan a unirse al club de poesía slam de su escuela, sabe que no podrá asistir a menos que logre sortear las reglas de mami y mucho menos decir sus palabras en voz alta. Pero aún así no puede dejar de pensar en interpretar sus poemas frente a un público. En alzar su voz. Porque, a pesar de que el mundo no quiere escucharla, Xiomara se niega a permanecer en silencio.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours her frustration onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers - especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class. With Mami's determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. When she is invited to join her school's slam poetry club, she knows that she could never get around Mami's rules to attend, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can't stop thinking about performing her poems. Because in spite of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent. -- From book jacket.

Accelerated Reader,UG,5.2,5.0.

ALSC Notable Children's Book, 2019

Amelia Bloomer Top Ten, 2019

Américas Award, 2019

Boston Globe-Horn Book Fiction and Poetry Award, 2018

Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction, 2018

CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominee, 2019

CSMCL Best Books, 2018

Horn Book Fanfare List, 2018

Kirkus Prize Finalist for Young Readers' Literature, 2018

Lambda Literary Award Nominee for LGBTQ Children's/Young Adult, 2019

Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Nominee, 2020

Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature Winner, 2018

Michael L. Printz Award, 2019

National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature, 2018

New York Public Library Best Books for Teens, 2018

New York Public Library Best Books for Teens: Top Ten, 2018

New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Books: Young Adult, 2018

NPR Best Books, 2018

Publisher's Weekly Best Young Adult Book, 2018

Pura Belpré Author Award, 2019

School Library Journal's Best Books, 2018

Walter Award, Teen Category, 2019

Waterstones Children's Book Prize, Older Fiction Shortlist, 2019

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2019

YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2019