Iveliz Explains It All
| Author | Andrea Beatriz Arango |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Alyssa Bermudez[1] |
| Language |
|
| Genre | Children's fiction |
| Published | September 22, 2022[1] |
| Publisher |
|
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 272[2][3] |
| ISBN | 978-0-593-56397-7 |
Iveliz Explains It All (Spanish: Iveliz lo explica todo[3]) is a 2022 novel-in-verse by Andrea Beatriz Arango. The novel follows 12-year-old Iveliz, a Latina girl, as she navigates starting junior high and mental-health issues. Published to highly positive reviews, it was the recipient of a Newbery Honor in 2023.
Synopsis
[edit]12-year-old Iveliz has anxiety about middle school. She is known as a troublemaker who frequently gets into fights and has been suspended before. She feels unable to describe her mental health situation and has trouble speaking up for herself. Her grandmother, an Alzheimer's patient who moves in with Iveliz and her mother after Hurricane Maria ravages her home in Puerto Rico, only worsens the situation by criticizing Iveliz's depression medication.
The novel is told in diary format and follows Iveliz throughout her 7th grade year;[1] a mental-health resource supplement is provided after the story.[1][2]
Release and reception
[edit]Iveliz was published on September 22, 2022 by Random House;[1] its Spanish edition, Iveliz lo explica todo, was released the following February.[3] The book won a Newbery Honor in 2023, part of the second such roster in which only authors of color won.[4]
Reviews for Iveliz were highly positive. Booklist's Kristina Pino wrote, "Even though the story is mostly about Ive's spiraling, it beautifully illustrates the power of compassion and truth telling, how meaningful friendships are supposed to look, and the ways that loved ones might try to help."[2] The Horn Book commented that Iveliz "deals convincingly with grief, mental health, and middle-school bullies" amid the title character's "relatable and strong" voice,[1] while Kirkus Reviews found it "superbly woven" in a pre-release starred review.[5] Reviewing the Spanish edition, Selenia Paz of the School Library Journal said, "This heartfelt book... is a necessary and important choice for middle grade Spanish collections."[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Long, Alicia K. (September–October 2022). "Review: 'Iveliz Explains It All'". The Horn Book. Vol. 98, no. 5. p. 77. ISSN 0018-5078. Retrieved June 11, 2024 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b c d Pino, Kristina (September 1, 2022). "Review: 'Iveliz Explains It All'". Booklist. Vol. 119, no. 1. p. 70. ISSN 0006-7385. Retrieved June 9, 2024 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b c d e Paz, Selenia (June 2023). "Spanish Roundup: 'Iveliz Explains It All'". School Library Journal. Vol. 69, no. 6. p. 58. ISSN 0362-8930. Retrieved June 9, 2024 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Engelfried, Steven; Mroczek-Bayci, Emily (March 2023). "A Newbery Surprise: A Look at 2023 Winner Freewater and 10 Seminal Titles in the Award's History". School Library Journal. Vol. 69, no. 3. p. 12. ISSN 0362-8930. Retrieved June 9, 2024 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Review: 'Iveliz Explains It All'". Kirkus Reviews. Vol. XC, no. 14. July 15, 2022. ISSN 1948-7428. ProQuest 2688014225. Retrieved June 11, 2024.