The Poet X

A National Book Award Longlist title! Fans of Jacqueline Woodson,Meg Medinaand Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poetabout 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 curvesshe has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to sayand she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebookreciting the words to herself like prayersΓÇöespecially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Amanwho her family can never know about. With MamiΓÇÖs determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the churchXiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her schoolΓÇÖs slam poetry clubshe doesnΓÇÖt know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still canΓÇÖt stop thinking about performing her poems. Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear herXiomara refuses to be silent. ΓÇ£Crackles with energy and snaps with authenticity and voice.ΓÇ¥ ΓÇöJustina Irelandauthor of Dread Nation ΓÇ£An incredibly potent debut.ΓÇ¥ ΓÇöJason Reynoldsauthor of the National Book Award Finalist Ghost ΓÇ£Acevedo has amplified the voices of girls en el barrio who are equal parts goddesssaintwarriorand hero.ΓÇ¥ ΓÇöIbi Zoboiauthor of American Street