iveliz explains it all
How do you speak up when it feels like no one is listening? In this moving novel in verse, one girl takes on seventh grade while facing mental health challenges, and must find her voice to advocate for the help and understanding she deserves.
Listen up:
The end of elementary school?
Worst time of my life.
And the start of middle school?
I just wasn’t quite right.
But this year?
YO VOY A MI.
Seventh grade is going to be Iveliz’s year. She’s going to make a new friend, help her abuela Mimi get settled after moving from Puerto Rico, and she is not going to get into any more trouble at school . . .
Except is that what happens? Of course not. Because no matter how hard Iveliz tries, sometimes people say things that just make her so mad. And worse, Mimi keeps saying Iveliz’s medicine is unnecessary—even though it helps Iveliz feel less sad. But how do you explain your feelings to others when you’re not even sure what’s going on yourself?
Powerful and compassionate, Andrea Beatriz Arango’s debut navigates mental health, finding your voice, and discovering that those who really love you will stay by your side.
Praise for IVELIZ
“A powerful novel in verse about a girl struggling after a devastating loss. In Iveliz Explains It All, Arango weaves together how the mind forgets, and yet cannot forget.” —Lisa Fipps, Printz Honor-winning author of Starfish
“Iveliz Explains It All is a lyrical, vital, and spunky debut about mental health, grief, and the healing power of self-love . . . A must read.” —Mariama J. Lockington, author of For Black Girls Like Me
★ “Full of heartbreak and compassion, Arango’s debut crackles with refreshing frankness and wit. … Superbly woven; a bold, deep portrayal of a young voice who needs to be heard.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “A candid narrative told in quick-moving, rapport-like verse, made accessible by Iveliz’s sarcastically funny, authentically tween voice.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “In this poignant debut novel in verse, Arango offers a character with heart, whom readers will be rooting for and whose story will resonate with them. A compassionate, stirring story that readers will not forget.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“Iveliz’s voice is relatable and powerful. … Twelve-year-old Iveliz’s first-person account amplifies the need for finding one’s voice and asking for help at any age.”—The Horn Book
“[IVELIZ EXPLAINS IT ALL] 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. … This story is a great reminder that no one is truly alone.” —Booklist
lists for iveliz
Kirkus : Best Middle Grade Books of the Year
Texas Library Association : 2023 Lone Star Reading List
IVELIZ in the media
HipLatina: Andrea Beatriz Arango’s ‘Iveliz Explains It All’ Spotlights Mental Health in Latinx Kids