The Poet X

Story

Tall and fierce, teenage Xiomara has no problems defending herself in her Harlem neighbourhood. But she also secretly writes poems, filling a notebook with thoughts and feelings that she keeps hidden beneath her bed. When she joins a slam poetry club, she begins to embrace words and speak up.

Why we chose it

A coming of age verse novel that reads like slam poetry, about finding your voice and the courage to stand up for what you believe in.

Where it came from

Elizabeth Acevedo is a Dominican-American poet and author who grew up in New York. Much of her work is infused with the spirit of that city, as well as Dominican bolero music. She has said that she comes from a family of storytellers, and that when she was little, she loved to read and create ideas for songs and stories. She began performing slam poetry after she wanted to sing, but did not have a great voice, so turned to rap and poetry slams instead. Acevedo has over twelve years of performance experience, has delivered several TED Talks, and is a National Poetry Slam Champion. The poems then led her to fiction, and to The Poet X, which is written entirely in verse. The book explores diverse themes, including Latinx culture, being a first-generation American, sexuality and sizeism, while also being an homage to the power of writing.

Where it went next

The Poet X was Acevedo’s debut novel and was published to critical acclaim. The book was well-reviewed and received several prestigious awards in both America and the UK, including the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019. She is also the recipient of the 2019 Pure Belpre Author Award for portraying and celebrating Latinx experience and culture.

Associated stories

Acevedo’s other Young Adult novels are With The Fire On High (2019) and Clap When You Land (2020). In 2016 she published a collection of folkloric poems, Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths.