This book is right up my street. 15 diverse voices from the Latinx diaspora, sharing their own unique identities, struggles, and joys of being Latinx? Sign me up! As a white, mixed-heritage, non-Spanish speaking, American Latina myself, I know firsthand how complicated it can be to claim (and feel like you're not allowed to claim) Latinx identity and what it can look like/mean when you do. At the same time, I also acknowledge the privilege I have as a white person and how not always being welcomed into the Latinx fold often means something different for Black, Indigenous and Afro-Latinx people, as well as queer and trans Latinxs. There is so much to learn, both inside and outside the community, about embracing the unique and varied identities of Latinx people. I enjoyed this collection and I think it will be an invaluable resource and discussion starter for those who engage with it fully. That said, I did feel there were some discrepancies in overall quality; a handful of essays were gorgeously crafted (THE LAND, THE GHOSTS AND ME by Cristina Arreola; THE MARK OF A GOOD MAN by Meg Medina; ALAIYOS by Jasminne Mendez; MORE THAN NERVIOS by Lilliam Rivera; INVISIBLE by Ingrid Rojas Contreras) while others either meandered without any solid narrative structure, or were unfortunately lumped together in the middle with other essays that were far too alike so that it was difficult to fully distinguish them from one another. I think a slightly altered order of essays, along with a more in-depth edit, would have elevated this collection even higher. Overall, though, this is a welcome addition to the library of Latinx stories and would no doubt be worthwile pieces to dissect in classrooms and universities.

On my quest to read more short pieces for my American lit classes, I've stumbled upon a few anthologies with some great writing, this one being no exception. "Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed" (after "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" by Gloria Anzaldua) is an anthology of 15 essays written by some of today's well-known Latinx writers, mostly YA. Each author tells their story of growing up in America, faced with difficulties brought upon them by racism, colorism, sexism, and more. I enjoyed many of these essays, and even found a few I could use in my classroom this year! But like every anthology, there were a few pieces that didn't work for me. Some of the themes in the essay were repetitive, which perhaps is more of a statement about the United States than it is the writing of the authors, but perhaps a different organization would have broken up some of the more similar pieces in the middle, making it read a bit faster through the middle. If you're an educator looking for some short narrative creative nonfiction, definitely think of adding a few of these stories to your curriculum.

I really m enjoying all these OwnVoices books being released. It really is great to be able to read about things that you may be familiar with that you may not always see. I know growing up the books about being from a different ethnicity weren't as readily available as they are becoming. This anthology really highlighted Hispanic heritage, which was great to read. I know many people teens and adults alike will find it enjoyable.

Wonderful collection of stories and essays from the Latinx community. I was thrilled to see Elizabeth Acevedo's work included. Poignant, lyrical, engaging. A great read that will appeal to a broad audience

I just received an advanced copy of this collection, edited by The Bronx Is Reading founder Saraciea J. Fennell, and I am so excited to dig in. Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed collects the essays and musings of over two dozen Latinx voices, including poet Elizabeth Acevedo. A mix of theory and creative work, the collection is written for a YA audience, but what I’ve read so far—Cristina Arreola’s essay about ghosts, grief and West Texas—absolutely had me hooked. Thumb through it this fall and find a new favorite author.

I included Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed in my summer preview for Book and Film Globe: https://bookandfilmglobe.com/fiction/eight-books-to-take-you-into-fall/

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC.

I finished this book the other day and it is a phenomenal collection of essays. As someone who is half Haitian, I could relate so much to some of the authors and their experiences. While I don't see myself as Afro-Latinx, I am apart of the Diaspora and appreciate the awareness that this book brings to the vastness of the African & Latinx Diaspora.

Such an amazing collection of stories. I especially enjoyed Mark Oshiro's story. As someone who can relate to their experience feeling "not enough", I was truly overjoyed to see a similar experience reflected in literature. I can't wait to purchase this collection for my library!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this title.

Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed is a beautifully curated anthology. The collection of voices is powerful.

Wow this is an intensely beautiful anthology that everyone needs to read. I myself can't really relate to these characters, as a white woman, but I think it is necessary to read other's stories and learn about what they have been through.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC of the anthology (for which I was SUPER excited for). 4/5 stars.

This was WAY more critical in terms of theory and positionality than I expected. I was honestly expecting this to be geared more YA, but I would expect these texts to be read at a critical level in college courses or DEI courses. I do think high schoolers could handle them -- and need to read them -- but it would require a lot of frontloading of information for them to understand it.

Past my teacher perspective -- this book is not and was not meant for me. I say this honestly as a white woman. It was eye opening and I knew and can understand many of the problems and critical theory within the text, but I am not meant to connect with it. I am not the target audience for this text -- and that is okay.

I also was thrilled with the inclusion of Black voices within the Latinx diaspora. I was not expecting the dynamic and varied amount of voices. It was beautiful. It provided a critical look at the foundations in the Latinx community, the anti-Blackness within the community, and the work that needs to be done.

The essays were powerful and poignant. SUCH a good read.

This is the first time I've read so many stories reflect my experiences as an AfroLatina! I saw myself in almost every story. Oftentimes, when folx pull together Latine* voices, they choose white or light-skinned Latines because those are the people that U.S. society accepts and recognizes. This time Black and Indigenous folx are the main focus of the book, from Black Dominicans and Cubans to the Garifuna.

"The Price of Admission," by Naima Coster really brought out the pain of trying to salvage a connection with loved ones. Although, I've never witnessed my family members being deported (which is a privilege in itself), I believe that it's extremely important to think about how obsessed this country is with only allowing comfort and safety to those we deem "good immigrants." Coster's explanation of how this expectation fueled a perfectionism in school was very relatable. Not only are Black folks often forced to prove ourselves and represent our race in predominately white institutions, those of us who are also immigrants or descendants of immigrants must prove that our families deserve to be in the United States.

#Julian4SpiderMan by Julian Randall was sweet, creative, and inspiring but I found myself a bit confused by some of the repetition throughout the essay. One line really stuck with me:

"If trying landed me arguing for my own destruction, if great expectations led me into such loneliness, then I wanted to be invisible for good."

Randall beautifully explains how AfroLatines have been forced to split ourselves as if our identities can be separated into halves. We aren't half anything. Our identities are tied to one another and the stories of our ancestors. In fact, many of the essays, like "Abuela's Greatest Gift," by Janel Martinez, were connected to not letting go of our ancestral memories, histories, and cultures.

Kahlil Haywood's "Paraíso Negro" had beautiful storytelling and a fascinating historical connection to the Panama Canal. However, his goal was to illustrate how Black folx should be allowed the multiplicity identity, especially when it comes to speaking Spanish (as well as any other language) without being seen as anomalies or outside of our ethnic groups. I wholeheartedly agree with this message but found it abrupt when the storytelling switched to observations of identity through the U.S. government and Panama.

Some of the essays were heartbreaking like "Eres Un Poncho," by Mark Oshiro, "The Mark of a Good Man" by Meg Medina, and "The Land, The Ghosts, and Me," by Cristina Arreola. Each tied to their cultures, family, and ancestors with experiences of loss and hope of finding oneself. However, each of the stories brought validation and empowerment. These authors refuse to be told who they are, what they deserve or don't deserve, what their lives should look like, and what they should put up with. Whether it be proudly sharing that we are Haitian or Cuban like Ibi Zoboi and Zakiyah N. Jamal, or being open about mental health and depression with our families like Lilliam Rivera. Ingrid Roja Contreras and Elizabeth Acevedo's pieces connect this agency with our right to protect our minds and bodies from others who may believe that they are entitled to us.

"There is plenty of harm in looking in a person's direction and blurring your eyes until you see what you want to see, or you see nothing at all"
"Invisible, "by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

I love that this book can function as a tool of education but, more importantly, as a mirror for our people. Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed is a wonderful representation for many Latines in the U.S. and I hope we see more like it in the future!

📚 So, here you are too foreign for home, too foreign for here. Never enough for both 📚
- Diaspora Blues

I’m so glad that I was approved for a copy of WILD TONGUES CAN'T BE TAMED. It has been a book I really needed as a diaspora myself searching to find the balance between the two cultures that define me.

I’m Guatemalan by birth and American by way of adoption. I didn’t grow up in a home where Spanish was spoken nor any traditional dishes were cooked or I grew up hearing cultural stories and lore. And I didn’t really care to learn either until recently when I started to realize a part of me was missing. A part that longed to belong to the culture of my past but felt too disconnected to do anything about it or even know how to go about that.

It’s confusing. It hurts. And messes with your head.

I’m so grateful for this book and I cried when I read the first chapter because I finally felt heard. My feelings were validated. I wasn’t crazy for feeling like this. I’m honestly just so excited for the people this book is going to help heal and the bridges it’s going to connect.

With prolific voices from Elizabeth Acevedo to Mark Oshiro, the collection of stories and vibrant prose from authors from all different Latin diasporic backgrounds is sure to leave you breathless, seen, and understood.

⭐️ 4.5/5 Stars!