The Poet X

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's no secret that verse novels are some of my favorites. And listening to verse novels? Even better. Poetry should be heard. Read it if/when there is no audio option, but always always listen if you can. Especially if the poetry in question is read by its author, which the audiobook version of The Poet X is.

Elizabeth Acevedo created a character and a world that I was wholly invested in during the entire 3.5 hours it took to listen. (Seriously, listen to this on your next plane ride, or over the course of a few days during your commute, or instead of watching a movie, or on a Saturday morning while you clean...the options for listening are abundant!)

Xiomara Batista processes her emotions via poetry, especially since her parents won't listen to her, and her twin brother has been feeling distant lately. She writes about growing up in Harlem, and when she first realized she wasn't a girl anymore. She writes about her mother's religion and beliefs - ones that Xiomara can't reconcile with the world she sees around her, the world she has to live in. She writes about Aman, the cute boy she's crushing on. She writes a lot about Aman - there's no way she'll talk about him to anyone in her family. She writes what she wishes she could say, then follows it up with what she actually says.

Luckily Xiomara has poetry club, where she can share some of her poems and feel truly heard. Ms. Galiano, her teacher, listens and hears Xiomara before giving her advice. Xiomara also has a great friend in Caridad. Women supporting their friends and mentoring younger women is a highlight of this story: every teen needs a Ms. Galiano and a Caridad, in some form. Aman, too, is a wonderful supporting character. While we don't hear too much from Twin (Xiomara's twin brother, Xavier), when he is around, he's thoughtful and caring. I want another book from his perspective, to hear more about his storyline.

Enough from me - I'll leave you with a video of Acevedo performing and discussing her work:



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