The Poet X

Elizabeth Acevedo knocked my socks off with her poem-novel, “The Poet X.”

Acevedo's language is compact and powerful with words chosen carefully. This coming-of-age story goes inside the heart and mind if a shy sophomore raised in a conservative Catholic home in Harlem. We watch her struggle with the woman she's becoming, her family's expectations, growing apart from her twin brother, and finding, developing, and accepting her own voice. Even though this book is classified as young adult, I recommend it to anyone over 11 because it is beautiful.

This book was the PBS News Hour's Now Read This selection for November 2020. Here are the questions that group published to support the online group discussion.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/discussion-questions-for-the-poet-x