DECEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Raquel Merediz shines with warmth and compassion in this moving performance. Middle school student Iveliz is severely depressed; she has PTSD because she saw her father die in an accident. Her grandmother, Mimi, comes to live with her and her mother, which adds to Iveliz’s stress because Mimi has Alzheimer's. Iveliz is also struggling with school and friendships. She is wary of medication and therapy, and her grandmother’s negative views about psychology are not helping. Learning how to cope with her anger and sadness is ongoing. Merediz compassionately voices all the characters in an emotionally demanding performance. She jumps from English to Puerto-Rican Spanish seamlessly. Her vocal range is very impressive, and she successfully portrays characters of a variety of ages and genders. A.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
★ 10/03/2022
Things are meant to be looking up for biracial Latina Iveliz Margarita Snow Medina after “everything that happened.” The 12-year-old poet is attempting to manage her medication and no longer in active therapy, she’s close with her Afghan friend Amir Nishat, and her beloved abuelita Mimi has just come from Puerto Rico to stay with her and her mother. That Mimi has Alzheimer’s and that Iveliz’s medication isn’t working are things Iveliz doesn’t want to think about, let alone discuss with others, especially her mother, who feels increasingly distant following Iveliz’s original crisis. As her mental health deteriorates and school relationships become more difficult, Iveliz begins both lashing out and turning inward. But to end her isolation and begin healing, she must confront the origins of her depression: her father, and the role he plays in her life. Arango (Westwood Monster Patrol) features frank discussions of racism and xenophobia as well as underdiscussed and seldom-represented manifestations of childhood grief and trauma, including self-harm and suicidal ideation. It’s a candid narrative told in quick-moving, rapport-like verse, made accessible by Iveliz’s sarcastically funny, authentically tween voice. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10–14. Author’s agent: Rebecca Eskildsen, Writers House. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
SCBWI Golden Kite Honor Award Winner
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
Children's Book Council Best of Book of the Year
Association for Library Service Notable Children's Book
"A lyrical, vital, and spunky debut about mental health, grief, and the healing power of self-love. A must read.” —Mariama J. Lockington, Stonewall Honor-winning author of For Black Girls Like Me
★ "Superbly woven; a bold, deep portrayal of a young voice who needs to be heard.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "A compassionate, stirring story that readers will not forget." —School Library Journal, starred review
★ "A candid narrative told in quick-moving, rapport-like verse, made accessible by Iveliz’s sarcastically funny, authentically tween voice." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A great reminder that no one is truly alone." —Booklist
"Relatable and powerful. . . . Iveliz’s first-person account amplifies the need for finding one’s voice and asking for help at any age." —The Horn Book
"Deeply moving and honest." —CCBC Choices
School Library Journal
★ 10/07/2022
Gr 6–10—Arango's novel in verse captures all the angst and awkwardness of being a middle school student and intersects that with tremendous grief, trauma, and the realities of living with with mental health issues. Iveliz is struggling with the loss of her father, her Puerto Rican grandmother's worsening Alzheimer's, and friendship issues. She explores these worries through her poetry journal with honesty and vulnerability. Iveliz has a very clear sense of right and wrong, but often wrestles with how to speak up about the wrongs that she experiences from bullies and within her family. Readers take this journey with Iveliz, learning positive coping strategies to deal with explosive anger, forgiveness of one's self and of others, bullying, and toxic family dynamics. This powerful, realistic novel also unravels the cultural tensions that sometimes exist between the elder and younger generations. Iveliz is empowered and moves towards healing with a combination of mental health services and medication, even though her grandmother minimizes the genuine need for both. Arango does not leave this cultural stone unturned, but drives the characters to confront this generational rift. By doing so, she makes Iveliz's journey towards healing vibrate with heroism. The protagonist opens herself up to the help she needs and forges healthy boundaries with friends and family. VERDICT In this poignant debut novel in verse, Arango offers a character with heart, whom readers will be rooting for and whose story will resonate with them. A compassionate, stirring story that readers will not forget.—Stephanie Creamer
DECEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Raquel Merediz shines with warmth and compassion in this moving performance. Middle school student Iveliz is severely depressed; she has PTSD because she saw her father die in an accident. Her grandmother, Mimi, comes to live with her and her mother, which adds to Iveliz’s stress because Mimi has Alzheimer's. Iveliz is also struggling with school and friendships. She is wary of medication and therapy, and her grandmother’s negative views about psychology are not helping. Learning how to cope with her anger and sadness is ongoing. Merediz compassionately voices all the characters in an emotionally demanding performance. She jumps from English to Puerto-Rican Spanish seamlessly. Her vocal range is very impressive, and she successfully portrays characters of a variety of ages and genders. A.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2022-06-22
To navigate her school and home lives through depression and PTSD, a 12-year-old Latina girl retreats into her poetry and journal.
Seventh grader Iveliz plans to make this a great year despite recent trauma. Her abuela Mimi’s arrival from Puerto Rico means a chance to feel like a family again, filling in the space left by her father’s absence. But Mimi’s Alzheimer’s has progressed since the last time Iveliz saw her, and Iveliz’s fraught relationship with her distant, always working Mami doesn’t help to keep the peace either. Meanwhile, her friendship with Amir, a boy from Afghanistan, seems to be on the rocks, and Iveliz keeps getting in trouble at school thanks to bullies, an ill-conceived revenge plot, and awkward attempts to forge a new friendship. Going to therapy and managing her medication also eat away at Iveliz even as she tries to find solace in visions of her dad. Full of heartbreak and compassion, Arango’s debut crackles with refreshing frankness and wit. The author excels at building Iveliz’s voice through each poem, leading to a tale that’s quick to read yet hard to put down. The creative use of varied poetic forms supports moments of levity and catharsis. Final art not seen.
Superbly woven; a bold, deep portrayal of a young voice who needs to be heard. (author’s note, resources) (Verse novel. 10-14)
