The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo is a breathtaking novel-in-verse that tells the story of Xiomara Batista, a fierce and passionate Dominican-American teenager growing up in Harlem. Feeling silenced by her family’s strict rules and the expectations of her conservative mother, Xiomara turns to her notebook to express the struggles, desires, and questions she cannot voice aloud.
When she’s invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, Xiomara discovers the transformative power of spoken word, finding her voice and strength in the rhythm of her poetry. As she navigates first love, her faith, and her dreams, Xiomara learns to embrace her identity and unapologetically claim her place in the world.
Raw, honest, and deeply moving, The Poet X is a celebration of self-expression, resilience, and the healing power of words. It’s a story that will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt unheard but dared to speak anyway.
