The Poet X

First edition (publ. Quill Tree Books)

The Poet X, published March 6, 2018 by HarperTeen, is a young adult novel by Elizabeth Acevedo. Fifteen-year-old Xiomara, who goes by X, works through the tension and conflict in her family by writing poetry. The book was well received and won multiple awards at the 2019 Youth Media Awards.

Plot[]

Xiomara Batista is a fifteen-year-old Dominican teenager living in Harlem, who loves to write poetry. Though she longs to share it with the world, her religious mother is only concerned with her being confirmed, which has been put off for three years. She feels inferior to her brother, Xavier (affectionately called Twin) as he receives much praise for his work. During the school year, she develops a love for her lab partner, Aman. However, the relationship is broken when her mother sees them kissing on a train. Eventually, her mother finds her poetry, forcing a confrontation between the two.

Reception and awards[]

The book was well reviewed, receiving starred reviews from The Horn Book Magazine,^[1] Kirkus Reviews,^[2] and School Library Journal.^[3] It was the fourth most ordered book at the New York Public Library in 2018.^[4]

The Poet X also received the following awards:

2018: National Book Award for Young People's Literature^[5]
2018: New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) Book of the Year for Young Adult ^[6]
2018: Kirkus Prize Nominee for Young Readers' Literature ^[6]
2018: Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature ^[6]
2018: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Poetry ^[6]
2019: Pura Belpré Award "honoring a Latinx writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience"^[7]
2019: Top ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults^[8]
2019: Top ten Best Fiction for Young Adults^[9]
2019: Michael L. Printz Award for best young adult literature ^[7]
2019: Odyssey Award Honor "for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults" ^[7]
2019: Carnegie Medal for the best children's book published in the UK ^[10]
2019: Lambda Literary Award Nominee for LGBTQ Children's/Young Adult ^[6]
2019: Walter Dean Myers Award ^[6]
2020: Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee ^[6]
2020: Lincoln Award Nominee ^[6]

References[]

^ Swan, Jennifer Hubert (2018-03-20). "Review of The Poet X — The Horn Book". The Horn Book Magazine. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
^ "THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo | Kirkus Reviews". 2017-12-17. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
^ Farrell, Della (2018-03-15). "The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo | SLJ Review". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
^ Hu, Winnie (2019-03-02). "How the N.Y. Public Library Fills Its Shelves (and Why Some Books Don't Make the Cut)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
^ "National Book Awards: 2018 winners". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "The Poet X". Goodreads. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Morales, Macey (2019-01-28). "American Library Association announces 2019 youth media award winners". ALA News and Press Center. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
^ ALAM (2019-01-22). "YALSA names 2019 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". News and Press Center. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
^ NGILBERT (2019-02-19). "2019 Top Ten Best Fiction". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Retrieved 2021-04-04.
^ Flood, Alison (18 June 2019). "Carnegie medal goes to first writer of colour in its 83-year history". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-08-02.

[1] Swan, Jennifer Hubert (2018-03-20). "Review of The Poet X — The Horn Book". The Horn Book Magazine. Retrieved 2019-03-05.

[2] "THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo | Kirkus Reviews". 2017-12-17. Retrieved 2020-08-02.

[3] Farrell, Della (2018-03-15). "The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo | SLJ Review". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2019-03-05.

[4] Hu, Winnie (2019-03-02). "How the N.Y. Public Library Fills Its Shelves (and Why Some Books Don't Make the Cut)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-05.

[5] "National Book Awards: 2018 winners". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2020-08-02.

[:1-6] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "The Poet X". Goodreads. Retrieved 2021-04-21.

[:0-7] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Morales, Macey (2019-01-28). "American Library Association announces 2019 youth media award winners". ALA News and Press Center. Retrieved 2019-03-05.

[8] ALAM (2019-01-22). "YALSA names 2019 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". News and Press Center. Retrieved 2021-04-04.

[9] NGILBERT (2019-02-19). "2019 Top Ten Best Fiction". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Retrieved 2021-04-04.

[10] Flood, Alison (18 June 2019). "Carnegie medal goes to first writer of colour in its 83-year history". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-08-02.

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