Clap When You Land

March 15, 2020
Tackles family secrets, toxic masculinity, and socio-economic differences with incisive clarity and candor. Camino Rios lives in the Dominican Republic and yearns to go to Columbia University in New York City, where her father works most of the year. Yahaira Rios, who lives in Morningside Heights, hasn't spoken to her dad since the previous summer, when she found out he has another wife in the Dominican Republic. Their lives collide when this man, their dad, dies in an airplane crash with hundreds of other passengers heading to the island. Each protagonist grieves the tragic death of their larger-than-life father and tries to unravel the tangled web of lies he kept secret for almost 20 years. The author pays reverent tribute to the lives lost in a similar crash in 2001. The half sisters are vastly different--Yahaira is dark skinned, a chess champion who has a girlfriend; Camino is lighter skinned, a talented swimmer who helps her curandera aunt deliver neighborhood babies. Despite their differences, they slowly forge a tenuous bond. The book is told in alternating chapters with headings counting how many days have passed since the fateful event. Acevedo balances the two perspectives with ease, contrasting the girls' environments and upbringings. Camino's verses read like poetic prose, flowing and straightforward. Yahaira's sections have more breaks and urgent, staccato beats. Every line is laced with betrayal and longing as the teens struggle with loving someone despite his imperfections. A standing ovation. (Verse novel. 14-18)

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Starred review from April 6, 2020
At nearly 17, Camino Rios lives in the Dominican Republic with her aunt, where she dreams of attending medical school at Columbia University, near her father, whom she only sees for a few months each year. Skilled chess player Yahaira Rios, 16, lives with her Dominican parents in New York City, next door to her girlfriend, Dre. When Yahaira’s father leaves for his annual summer trip to the D.R., the plane crashes, leaving no survivors and upending the lives of Yahaira and his other daughter, Camino. In the months following the crash, the girls, previously unknown to each other, discover their sisterhood—and their father’s double life—and must come to terms with difficult truths about their parents. Returning to verse, Acevedo subtly, skillfully uses language and rhythm to give voice to the sisters’ grief, anger, and uncertainty; Camino’s introspective openness; and Yahaira’s tendency toward order and leadership. Raw and emotional, Acevedo’s exploration of loss packs an effective double punch, unraveling the aftermath of losing a parent alongside the realities of familial inheritance. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. (May)■

April 15, 2020
Grades 8-12 Acevedo returns to the novel in verse format for this story of two teenage sisters separated by a secret, an ocean, and their father. Papi kept one family in New York and another in the Dominican Republic?something New Yorker Yahaira had an inkling of, but is a complete surprise to Dominican Camino. After Papi's plane crashes on his way to spend the summer with Camino, his secret fully emerges, and the sisters struggle with their complicated grief and uncertain?but now connected?future. The girls find that for all their differences, they share features and family traits. Acevedo's free verse poems for each girl share an easy cadence and thoughtfulness, yet each girl's perspective is clear: Camino is strong but fearful of the dangers that threaten her life and hopes; Yahaira's anger is palpable, but so is her tenderness and love for her girlfriend Dre. In a later section, the perspectives blend into each other as the girls meet, bond, and become true sisters. Memorable for its treatment of grief, depiction of family ties, and lyrical strength, expect a well-deserved high demand.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Acevedo's multi-award-winning The Poet X (2018) established her as a must-read author, and her many fans and admirers will be eager to read this.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-A deadly plane crash brings secrets to light and families together in this novel told in verse. Camino lives in the Dominican Republic where she spends her days swimming and serving as an apprentice to her aunt, a healer, as she makes house calls. Yahaira is a chess champ and lives in New York with her parents and next door to her girlfriend. Alternating between Camino and Yahaira's perspectives, the story explores the grief of losing a loved one while discovering sisterhood. As details of the plane crash are revealed and arrangements are made for a funeral, Camino and Yahaira realize they are grieving for the same beloved father. Lush imagery and masterful characterization give readers a look at the lives of two 16-year-old girls whose worlds couldn't be further apart, but who long for connection in the face of life-altering tragedy. When the girls come face to face on Camino's home turf their bonds of sisterhood are developed and tested; in an intense standoff with a shady character, Yahaira may be the only person who can help Camino escape with her life. VERDICT Crisp verse depicts heartbreak and bravery, while expert pacing culminates in a lyrical achievement in storytelling that is highly recommended.-Samantha Lumetta, P.L. of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

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