Spoken Word Artist, Elizabeth Acevedo, is receiving a wealth of praise for her new Young Adult (YA) book, The Poet X. The book follows, Xiomara, a 15 year-old Afro-Dominican teen preparing to make her Catholic Confirmation who turns to writing as a way to cope with her wavering faith, and family discord.
Author, Elizabeth, is well known for her award-winning slam poetry. As a college poet, she travels around United States and has performed at over 100 colleges nationwide. Elizabeth began writing the The Poet X as an 8th grade English Teacher as a result of her student’s desire to see themselves represented in published work. Elizabeth says “My students were 90% Latino. And I realized that all these stories I had been telling in class and these poems I had been writing didn’t necessarily end up on their bookshelves.” Four years later, in 2016, Elizabeth completed the novel, and the highly anticipated release of the book is set for March 6, 2018.
The Poet X is an undeniably poignant coming-of-age story. The subject of the book comes at a time that is more relevant than ever, celebrating diversity and the power of the voice. Elizabeth captures the heart of the book when she says “We write to remind ourselves that we are still here, and that we can still heal.” In the novel, Xiomara explores her true-self through her passion for poetry. Laurie Halse Anderson, author of the critically-acclaimed novel Speak, calls the book “a story that will slam the power of poetry and love back into your heart.”
Elizabeth explains in an interview her inspiration for the novel that EpicReads named one of the top diversity reads of 2018.
We’re so very proud of Elizabeth and all she is doing. We can’t wait to see the mark she makes in the YA genre!! Order the The Poet X presale here, and read more about what people are saying:
Teen Vogue recently published an interview with author, Elizabeth Acevedo, and included an excerpt of the book.
Bustle named The Poet X one of 13 upcoming YA books by Latinx authors to start getting excited about.
Remezcla calls The Poet X, ” a necessary addition to the collection of Latinx literature.”
Elizabeth Acevedo is a Latina Poet well known around the College Spoken Word Scene. Her award-winning poetry, similar to her book, often reflects themes such as social change, feminism, and diversity. Elizabeth holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Her poetry has been featured in Latina Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Upworthy, Huffington Post, B.E.T., and PBS.
Elizabeth is a National Slam Champion, Beltway Grand Slam Champion, and the 2016 Women of the World Poetry Slam representative for Washington, D.C, where she lives and works. Learn more about Elizabeth.
