The Poet X

The Poet X
Elizabeth Acevedo
HarperTeen, 2018 368 pages
Grades 9-Up
Narrative Poetry

Xiomara feels as if her body has betrayed her. Ever since she has grown curves, she feels as if she is constantly protecting herself from unwanted advances and attention in her Harlem neighborhood and school. Her religious mother behaves as if it is all her fault and thinks that if Xio prays enough, the attention will go away. Xio does not find comfort in God though; she finds it in writing poetry in her journal. When a teacher invites her to join the poetry club at school, Xio is torn. She would like to, but it conflicts with confirmation class and besides, sharing her poetry is like exposing her soul, which is very scary. Tired of constantly fighting and feeling as if her twin brother and new love interest, Aman, do little to help her defend against sexual taunts, Xio gets angrier, finally agreeing to share her poetry out loud and join the club. She attends her first poetry slam and discovers release and freedom in the experience. Through the power of words and finding likeminded friends, Xio is finally feeling comfortable in her place in the world: until one forgetful action brings it all crashing down around her feet. How can Xio connect with her very different and suborn mother and express herself when everything that matters is taken away?

The Poet X is, so far, my favorite teen book of the year. It is a National Book Award Finalist, and for good reason. The novel in verse is carefully written and every word, as well as its placement on the page, counts. Xio's voice rings clear and true. Readers will not only feel as if they know her, but will come to care about her. Although these experiences were far from my teenage life, I still felt very personally connected to the story. Xio's struggles with unwanted sexual attention, while also exploring feelings about her new boyfriend and the resulting confusion is something with which many young women experience. We also see Xio's twin brother's struggle with his sexuality as he finds his first boyfriend and must hide the relationship from his religious and traditional Latin family. There are moments in the book when my breath caught and I felt all of the conflicts right along with Xio, especially one very big plot twist towards the end. The book reads quickly and is a page turner. Readers of all abilities will enjoy this story and find much to cherish and fans of Speak will be a readymade audience. Although she struggles with an intolerant mother, I appreciate that Xio finds positive role models and help from both her teacher and her priest. The church tends to be portrayed negatively in teen literature and, although it is not a source of solace for Xio, the priest is understanding and turns out to be a helpful influence in healing the relationship with Mom. The real message of this book is the power of words and how they can be a life saver, which is a message that I can certainly stand behind and have experienced firsthand.