New Arrival/New American Books

Written by Elizabeth Acevedo
Published by Quill Tree Books

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 all her frustration and passion 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 named Aman, who her family can never know about. 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. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems. Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

Primary ISBN: 9780062662804

Available As: Hardcover, Paperback
Young Adult, Age 12 or older

Community Represented: Dominican/Dominican American, Trinidadian/Trinidadian American

Themes: Bilingual Character, Family Relationship: Parents, Multiracial Identity, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Religious Background: Christian, The Arts

Setting: United States (New York)

Character’s New Arrival/New American Status: Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

Click here for details about how we define our titles.

Engagement Projects & Resources:

Share your favorite resources for this book with info@imyourneighborbooks.org.