Arango, Andrea Beatriz. Iveliz Explains it All. Alyssa Bermudez, Illus. Random House, 09/2022. 272pp. Fiction. GRADES 5-9. $16.99. 978-0-593-56397-7. OUTSTANDING.
This Newbery Honor Award winner brilliantly illuminates a middle school girl’s daily struggle to get along in school and life while battling serious anxiety and depression. As her erratic behavior escalates, Mom worriedly takes Iveliz back to therapy and gives her a special journal where the young Puerto Rican girl can express her deepest feelings and frustrations without fear of judgement. This diary, authentically brought to life by a masterful collaboration between author and illustrator, forms both the literal and metaphorical heart of the novel. Iveliz fills its empty pages with quirky doodles and angst-filled poems in Spanglish, but will the truths it reveals help her turn the corner on her mental health? The crooked path that Iveliz walks on her journey toward wholeness is one that contains a few unexpected twists, taking both the reader and Iveliz utterly by surprise. This bittersweet novel in verse is about the power of human connection, the value of advocating for oneself, and making one’s way forward even when it feels dark and scary.
Jennifer Agarwal—San Jose State University, MLIS Student