The Making of Yolanda la Bruja
Written by Lorraine Avila
Published by Levine Querido
Yolanda Alvarez is having a good year. She’s starting to feel at home Julia De Burgos High, her school in the Bronx. She has her best friend Victory, and maybe something with José, a senior boy she’s getting to know. She’s confident her initiation into her family’s bruja tradition will happen soon.
But then a white boy, the son of a politician, appears at Julia De Burgos High, and his vibes are off. And Yolanda’s initiation begins with a series of troubling visions of the violence this boy threatens. How can Yolanda protect her community, in a world that doesn’t listen? Only with the wisdom and love of her family, friends, and community – and the Brujas Diosas, her ancestors and guides.
Look for the Spanish version, La Formación de Yolanda la Bruja.
Primary ISBN: 9781646142439
Publication Date: April 2023
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older
Community Represented: Dominican/Dominican American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Cross-Group Dating, Cross-Group Friendship, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Discrimination: Racial, Diverse Abilities: Physical, Format: Audiobook, Generation: 1st, Genre: Fantasy & Folklore, IYNB Recommends: ASCA School Counselors 2026, IYNB Recommends: Community Rallying Against Hate, LGBTQIA+, Own Voices/Lived Experience
Setting: United States (The Bronx NY)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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