Aniana del Mar Jumps In
Written by Jasmine Mendez
Published by Penguin Young Readers Group
Aniana del Mar belongs in the water like a dolphin belongs to the sea. But she and Papi keep her swim practices and meets hidden from Mami, who has never recovered from losing someone she loves to the water years ago. That is, until the day Ani’s stiffness and swollen joints mean she can no longer get out of bed, and Ani is forced to reveal just how important swimming is to her. Mami forbids her from returning to the water but Ani and her doctor believe that swimming along with medication will help Ani manage her disease. What follows is the journey of a girl who must grieve who she once was in order to rise like the tide and become the young woman she is meant to be. Aniana Del Mar Jumps In is a poignant story about chronic illness and disability, the secrets between mothers and daughters, the harm we do to the ones we love the most—and all the triumphs, big and small, that keep us afloat.
Primary ISBN: 9780593531815
Publication Date: March 2023
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Middle Grade , Age 08 or older
Community Represented: Dominican/Dominican American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Diverse Abilities: Physical, Family Relationship: Parents, Format: Audiobook, Format: Novel In Verse, Generational Differences, Identity: Multilingual, Mental Health, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Sports, Trauma & Healing, Trauma & Healing: Death of Family or Friend
Setting: United States
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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