The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award.

"A story that will slam the power of poetry and love back into your heart." --Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak and Chains

The Poet X is the astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.

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.

"Crackles with energy and snaps with authenticity and voice." --Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation

"An incredibly potent debut." --Jason Reynolds, author of the National Book Award Finalist Ghost

"Acevedo has amplified the voices of girls en el barrio who are equal parts goddess, saint, warrior, and hero." --Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street

Elizabeth Acevedo graduated from The George Washington University with a BA in Performing Arts and a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. She is a Cave Canem Fellow, CantoMundo Fellow, and Callaloo Writer's Workshop participant, as well as a National Poetry Slam Champion. Her writing has been or will appear in the Notre Dame Review, Callaloo, Puerto Del Sol, Poet Lore, and Beltway Quarterly, among other publications. BEASTGIRLS & OTHER ORIGIN MYTHS, a finalist for the YesYes Books Vinyl 45 Contest, was released in October 2016, while Medusa Reads La Negra's Palm, the winner of the 2016 Berkshire Award, will be published by Tupelo Press. She currently resides in Washington, DC.