Anger Is Only a Shadow

"An irresistible story of family connection, resilience, and loyalty. Acevedo's masterful narrative handles the issues Lil faces with believable sensitivity and insight. The culturally rich language and authentically portrayed characters who are full of complexity make this work shine, and the blend of prose and poetry enhances the compelling storytelling." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A striking and nuanced portrait of the realities of juvenile detention and mental illness. Evocative language captures institutional confinement and celebrates books-such as bell hooks's All About Love by and Toni Morrison's Beloved-as a source of connection, self-discovery, and refuge." - Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"Intensely genuine. Readers will be pleased with Acevedo's return to YA fiction with the perfectly imperfect Lil, who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, but whose family works to unburden her in the only ways they know how. " - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

"A gorgeous story that navigates trust, identity and the power of community, Anger Is Only a Shadow recognizes the reality of darkness and pain while throwing open the curtains to let in the light. Blending powerful free-verse poetry with prose that dances and sings, Acevedo draws on her experience as a teaching artist conducting poetry workshops with incarcerated young women." - BookPage Reviews (starred review)

"Acevedo once again proves her skill with fluid storytelling that thoughtfully captures big questions in colloquial language that all YA readers will appreciate. [She] deftly alternates between narrative modes-the result is an incredibly strong study of a young mixed girl (Indigenous Salvadoran and Afro Dominican) who's trying to sort out who she truly is amid the noise of what the world thinks of her." - Booklist (starred review)

"Printz-winning Acevedo is back with her first YA novel in six years. This is another tour de force from the celebrated author and well worth the wait. Stunning work." - School Library Journal (starred review)

"A tremendously impactful story. Lil's moving first-person prose narrative, elevated by her precise and audaciously voiced diary-in-verse, tells of an enormously supportive family--of "the moldability of a love that spackles over the deepest flaws and cracks." Lil channels Aldwin's acts of kindness and ferocious familial loyalty as a guide to help him the way he has always helped her. Acevedo incorporates figures from Salvadoran, Dominican, and Taíno myths who parallel her characters in this moving story about a closely connected family." - Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Acevedo weaves eloquent first-person prose with "Where I'm From" poems, which delve into the protagonist's understanding of herself. The affecting novel adeptly balances its weighty subjects with the sweetness of Lil's bond with Aldwin and of her budding relationship with a longtime crush. Lil and the supporting characters are multilayered and authentically complex, challenging both Lil's and readers' preconceptions about what making the right choices can mean." - Horn Book (starred review)