The Poet X

 Acevedo, Elizabeth. 2018. THE POET X. New York: Harper Teen. ISBN 9780062662811

Plot Summary: Xiomara is a strong-willed, Afro-Latina who just wants to be heard.  She is also a twin; her brother is smart and is not constantly watched like she is by Mami. For the past two years, Xiomara has been able to avoid taking confirmation classes: the first time because they are full; and the second time because her best friend is spending en extended in the Dominican Republic. However, as she gets ready to start her tenth grade year in high school; Mami has completed the forms to enroll Xiomara in confirmation classes.  Xiomara is not thrilled about having to take the classes because she believes that God is real but she no longer needs to think about him 24/7. As Xiomara goes through her confirmation classes; she finds herself being drawn to indulge in the typical teenage acts: expressing her feelings for a boy, wanting to hang out with kids from her school, and try to maintain a good relationship with her brother. Only being on good terms with her brother is what Mami will allow because the other two are considered to be sins. Then Xiomara begins to hide her feelings in her writing and her English teacher encourages her to join the poetry club. This is just one more thing that Mami will not approve of. Xiomara is torn and soon finds herself going against all the good intentions that Mami has planned for Xiomara's life.

Critical Analysis: In Elizabeth Acevedo's debut novel about a young Afro-Latina girl who is on the brink of testing the waters of being a teenager in her sophomore year of high school, the reader is immediately swept into the thoughts of "what if this were me"? Ms. Acevedo writes in verse capturing the details of Xiomara's life: her strong personality, the meaning of her name, her relationship with her twin brother, the relationship with her parents; particularly her mother, and so many other details.  For teenagers reading this story, they are reading about a fictional character well-written but seems so realistic. With the smatterings of Spanish words placed throughout the story, Ms. Acevedo does an excellent job of showing the relationship between Xiomara and her mother as well as the Latino community that she lives in. Ms. Acevedo touches on the subjects of faith, family, growing up and discovering what the meaning of life is (as an Afro-Latina teen), and taking a stand against the cultural and family traditions that are around you everyday. I found The Poet X to be a relatable story because some of the expectations that Xiomara is held to: faith, high academic achievements, and family comes first; were some of the expectations that my friends and I were raised to believe in and follow.

Review Excerpt(s): 

Kirkus Review- "Themes as diverse as growing up first-generation American, Latinx culture, sizeism, music, burgeoning sexuality, and the power of the written and spoken word are all explored with nuance."

Entertainment Weekly-"While struggles with faith, family, and self-acceptance are not unique teenage experiences, it is their presentation through the lens of Xiomara’s Afro-Latina heritage that makes her story a startling standout. The balance of humor and emotion with which her thoughts are expressed is charming and engaging. " (Freeman, Luria. 2018, March 14. ew.com. )

Connections:

Hold a discussion with students asking if they know what it means to call an individual Hispanic, Latin/a/o, Afro-Latina/Latino. Talk about what these different words mean and how they apply to people.

This book can be read during Hispanic Heritage Month: analyzing and discussing the themes of being Afro-Latina; faith and family; becoming a young woman in a culture that often marries off girls at a young age; being a first-generation American.

When discussing literary elements and writing styles, have students analyze stories written in verse: looking at how the author makes the words stand out and draw on the reader's imagination. Pointing out what they consider to be strong details.