Bibliographic Information

Title: The Poet X

Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

Publisher:  Quill Tree Books

Copyright Date: March 16, 2018

ISBN: 978-0062662804

Genre

Realistic Fiction

Format

Novel in Verse

Print Length

384 pages

Reading Level/Interest Level

Grades 7-12 (per NoveList)

Awards or Honors Include

• National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (2018)
• Michael L. Printz Award (2019)
• Pura Belpré Award (2019)
• Carnegie Medal for Writing (2019)

Plot Summary

If my body was a Country Club soda bottle
it’s one that has been shaken and dropped
and at any moment it’s gonna pop open
and surprise the whole damn world. (p. 104, Kindle edition)

15-year-old Xiomara and her twin brother Xaviar live in Harlem with their Dominican immigrant parents. Their mother, a devout Catholic, dotes on Xaviar as the genius in the family but strictly rules over every aspect of Xiomara’s life. But Xiomara doesn’t want the church-devoted life her mother wants. She begins to push the boundaries of her small world, exploring first love with a kind boy and finding her voice through spoken word poetry and the stage. When her mother discovers the secrets Xiomara’s been keeping, the family clashes in a bright burst of anger and hurt. Is there a way for Xiomara to follow her passions while keeping peace with her family?

Author Background

Elizabeth Acevedo wrote The Poet X loosely based on her own personal background as a Dominican-American former National Slam Champion and poet. After earning a Bachelor’s in Performing Arts and an M.F.A in Creative Writing, Acevedo taught 8th grade before considering that she could author the kinds of realistic, diverse books her students were desperate to read. The Poet X was Acevedo’s first young adult novel; she has since written With the Fire on High (2020) and Clap When You Land (2021). Her first novel for adults, Family Lore, was published in 2024 (Elizabeth Acevedo, 2024).

Critical Evaluation

The rawness and intimacy of The Poet X are stunning. Through Xiomara’s poetry, we see everything through her eyes in such detail—the people on her block, her mother with her rosary, Aman in bio class. We are right there with her, feeling everything she’s feeling; the verse format of the book communicates Xiomara’s emotions so effectively. I love the way Acevedo constantly shows the duality of Xiomara’s life, how the rough drafts of her English assignments are always different than what she turns in, and how she thinks of things she wants to say but rarely speaks them. This duality creates a tension that I think is relatable to most teens and makes Xiomara’s blossoming into her true self that much more rewarding.

Creative Use for a Library Program

In The Poet X, Xiomara gets chills the first time she watches a girl deliver slam poetry. She calls it “a gift” (p. 76). Author Elizabeth Acevedo is a former National Slam Champion and has several videos online of her performing her poetry on stage. A library could host a slam poetry night featuring Acevedo’s works and seasoned performers to teach youth about the craft and mentor them into writing and performing their own poetry.

Speed-Round Talk

Xiomara feels trapped in the small, strict world of her mother’s devout faith and her father’s apathy. When the attention of a kind boy and the world of slam poetry each offer Xiomara a way to find her voice, she grabs the chance to grow, though it just might tear her family apart.

Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation

In 2020, The Poet X was challenged at a North Carolina school for “publicly disparaging religion” in a “frontal assault on Christian beliefs and values” (Gregory, 2021). The parents who brought the case (Coble et al v. Lake Norman Charter School, Inc. et al) asked for the book to be removed, but the judge ruled they did not prove the need to do so (read the entire response and ruling here).

Librarians and freedom-to-read advocates have started putting together “book resumes” in preparation to defend challenged books. Book resumes often include:

• multiple reviews from different sources
• awards won
• booklists including the work
• news stories from when the book has been challenged but retained on the shelves (Yorio, 2023a)

In addition to the precedent set in the court case mentioned, the non-profit organization Parents Defending Schools and Libraries has created a book resume for The Poet X that may help defend against any future challenges.

Reason for Inclusion

So many teens will see themselves reflected in the way Xiomara questions her faith, her parents, and societal norms regarding how young women are treated. Seeing someone give voice to those frustrations could be very liberating for many teens, as could seeing how Xiomara navigates it all. The Poet X also gives an important voice to the first-generation American experience and spotlights the valuable method of spoken word poetry as a means of expression and finding oneself.

Young Adult books by Elizabeth Acevedo: