A beautiful middle grade novel in verse about picking up the pieces after a father's death.

How do you "get better" when your PTSD, depression, and anxiety keeps its claws in you?

How do you show your mom that you need her to also help you come back together, to grow into something else?

A powerful book for many ages.

#pernillerecommends #bookstagram #reading #folkeskolen #library

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Wow. This is one of those books that I read and am so glad that it exists in the world. As a former child therapist, I will say that the mental health representation in this book is amazing! The family dynamics at play in this book, especially after a traumatic event - 100% accurate. The way that Iveliz explores (and ignores) her grief, the way she can't understand how Mami is "fine" and she feels like she's lost - brilliant. There are so many aspects in this story that I think every child could relate to, because guess what? Grown ups forget how dang hard it is to be a kid!

Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to just about everyone. Teachers, parents, counselors, librarians - this is a book to be shared with kids in your life.

The plot here is not very complex but that gives Arango plenty of room to explore emotional turmoil. It's a quick read but gives young readers ideas to reflect on after.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in my entire life. Period.

This is the book I wish every kid that visits my office would read. (I work as a school counselor.)

This is the book I wish I had read when I was in the midst of my raging anxiety and depression.

This beautiful novel written in verse, presents one of the best depiction of PTSD, grief and depression I’ve read in a fiction book. And on top of it, it has one of the most memorable, interesting and well crafted characters I’ve ever encountered.

Iveliz had my heart. I cried so hard with her. She became a part of me. I saw myself in her. And I saw my students in her too.

My counselor side wanted to hold her, to tell her yes, I understand, yes, I see you, yes, I’m listening, yes, it’s normal and okay everything you’re feeling.

And then… the part of me that struggled with depression and anxiety for many years, was SO ready to throw hands! I was ready to fight for Iveliz. I would have fought anyone and everyone that didn’t make her feel seen and loved, anyone that didn’t get her.

Because here’s the thing: I know how it feels when you’re struggling with your mental health, and you wish people would just get it, even when you still don’t have the words (or the energy) to express what you feel, want or need.

And that’s why Iveliz stole my heart. I saw myself in her. And I’m so happy she found her voice, because I know it’s not easy at all.

If you have not read this novel yet, please do it. This is the book of my heart. The one I didn’t know I needed to until I read it.

Andrea Beatriz Arango crafted a book that so many people need, and I’m so grateful for it.

How do you speak up when it feels like no one is listening? In this moving novel in verse that Printz Honor-winning author Lisa Fipps calls "powerful," 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.

---

Emotional and I can't stop crying. Very relatable,
Thank you Netgalley for the copy!

This was a phenomenal debut novel by Andrea Beatriz Arango. I loved the parts in English and Spanish. Mental health is a topic I hope to see in more middle grade novels. I think this book is very relateable to kids who would read it. I will recommend this book to my students.

I am always on the hunt for middle grade novels that readers can relate to and Ivelix Explains it All makes the cut! This dealt with very tough topics, but topics that need to be spoken of more amongst the pre-teen audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Iveliz Explains It All is a must read for every kid who ever felt like no one understood them. Which is basically all kids at some point in their lives. Iveliz struggles with depression but tries to put a good face on it. Except that she isn’t really fooling anyone.

This book isn’t only for kids who struggle with depression to feel seen. It is also for kids who try to follow rules but speak out, get angry, or fight, sometimes not even aware of what caused them to respond that way. This book has so much emotional depth to it that most middle grade students will connect to the main character.

In addition to her own emotional struggles, Iveliz also is challenged by her grandmother who moves in with them from Puerto Rico. She misses her home terribly, but she’s also getting forgetful. Iveliz loves spending time with her Mimi , until her grandmother questions Iveliz’s need for medication and therapy.

The only character who didn’t ring true to me was Amir, Ivliz’s friend. He seemed too mature and kind a friend, compared to most students I’ve taught. He doesn’t give up on her despite multiple meltdowns. If only all middle school students had a friend like him.

I think this book belongs in all upper elementary and middle school classrooms. It is a gently, but powerfully to.d story, from the first-person journal of one kid struggling to figure out her truth.

A story told in poems of the life of Iveliz. She tells of of the fear, anxiety, and sadness that are her life living with the ghost of her dad and her grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer's and has come to live with her and her mom. We see the struggles of taking care of elderly people, as well as the struggles of different generations to connect. A great exploration of how to ask for help and the benefits of mental health support with medication and counseling.

What a gorgeous book that talks about so many important themes. A book I wish I would have had when I was younger with Poet X vibes (a book I loved). I purchased this when it debuted and bought it for my baby sister.

i dont really remember why i wanted to read "iveliz explains it all" when i first saw it, but im really glad i did! i think this could be an important book for children (around the same age as iveliz) who might be struggling with things and dont know what to do about it. while i havent read too many books in verse and am not yet completely sure if i like the format, i definitely did like it in this book! it made me want to try some more novels in verse. i liked that we were basically reading ives journal, it made me feel like i was her friend if that makes sense. i also loved the inclusion of illustrations throughtout the book as it gave it even more of a journal feel! something else i loved to see included was the casual spanish sentences and phrases while iveliz was talking to her family or trying to express her feelings etc. i know some people might get annoyed that there was quite a bit of it, i think it made a lot of sense that it was a part of the novel. i geniunely felt like iwas so close to crying around the 80-90% mark because i got really emotional about what was going on and i feel like thats always a good thing at least for me. the only thing that bothered me was that it kind of felt repetitive at some points of the story, maybe this was also due to my reading experience though! overall, i think this is a fantastic middle grade novel in verse!
thank you to the publisher random house childrens & netgalley for letting me read a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a wonderful book that is going to change lives! We follow Iveliz navigating so much as a middle-schooler--from the death of her father, therapy, school, her mother, and her grandma's failing health. We follow her as she's convinced she is seeing her father and talks to his visions. We follow her journey in making friends and growing with them. We follow her journey in understanding her grandma and her health. We follow her journey in her reconnecting with her mom. And most importantly, we follow her journey and honor her voice throughout.

Such a powerful book that touches on so much. I was in a puddle of tears by the end. Highly recommend!

This is a cute and important read, but we get a lot of summary. I had trouble staying engaged, wishing we were more in scene to see the action happening instead of being told abstractly/second hand. It made it hard for me as a reader to keep track of things because it’s all told instead of shown. While this form is interesting and certainly has value, diegetically functioning as literal journal entries, I had trouble connecting.

Okay so, wow. Iveliz is struggling hard, and being able to look at her thoughts in this way was such an incredible experience. (obvi she’s fictional, but she represents so many young folks dealing with grief and trauma and depression and that’s so important to see.) As a therapist, I plan to put this book in the hands of as many younger clients as I can, and as a human with mental health struggles, I am immensely grateful for the representation in this story.

I cannot say enough positive things about this gorgeous novel in verse. I was able to obtain an ARC at the ALA and devoured the story. The story of Iveliz is one of mental health, of finding your voice, of family dynamics, of first generation immigrants. It is a must read and must have for every library.

Iveliz is twelve, soon to be thirteen, when we meet her. She is struggling to adjust to the loss of her father and keeps getting into trouble at school. She turns to her journal to process her rage, confusion, and feelings but even then she perpetually feels misunderstood by those closest to her. When we meet Iveliz she is preparing for Mimi to arrive from Puerto Rico and dreading what her grandmother will say about the fact that she's in therapy and taking medication to manage her depression.

As a therapist, I was deeply touched by the scenes where Iveliz is visited by her father- are they visual hallucinations or markers of a deep spiritual connection? It depends on who you ask. Dr. Turnip, Iveliz's psychiatrist, is a staple in the story and encourages Iveliz to express herself instead of holding her emotions in. This story does a phenomenal job of showing cultural barriers to seeking out and obtaining mental health support.

The story moves from Iveliz acting out her pain to finally accepting and processing it. She learns to let others in and use her voice to speak her truth. She fully embraces her identity as a poet and I loved that for her. I also enjoyed how the story highlights the power of friendship in adolescent development. The way Amir, Iveliz's best friend, reinforces that she is lovable and not at fault in the ways she thinks she is is a loving act that helps her remain hopeful when she thinks all hope is lost.

The author's note at the end includes additional mental health resources and supports which was also a major plus for me. Iveliz and her story is a major game changer in the literary Latinx world and so many young people are going to find healing and connection in this story. Thank you to the author and publisher for the E-arc copy. Palante, siempre palante.

This book shook me-it's so wonderfully written in verse. It touches on some tough topics- death, mental health, dementia.

Iveliz has lost the person she loved the most- her dad. She thinks it is all her fault- she forces him to take her to the bookshop. She went from good grades to barely making it through the school day. She has her mom and Mimi left, but still finds herself lost. Can she open up to them and share her innermost thoughts?

This is a must read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this middle grade book.

This book is an important book that provides an entry point to discuss PTSD and depression in children, I think this is a great book in an increasing field of books normalizing mental illness, and helping to open discussions.

Thanks to Random House Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title.

Iveliz Explains It All is a middle-grade novel in verse written mainly in English, but with lots of Spanish phrases included. It's been 20+ years since I studied Spanish, but I was able to figure out almost all of the Spanish pieces through context and memory. 7th grader Iveliz is having a lot of mental health struggles. She's grieving a family member and no one understands her worries. Not her mother, and certainly not her grandmother Mimi. Mimi has just moved in with Iveliz and is suffering from Alzheimer's. While I think this is an important book because it addresses mental health honestly and unflinchingly, I found it confusing at times, primarily in the beginning. The layer of her grandmother having dementia seemed unnecessary and complicated the story more than was necessary in my opinion.

Iveliz is a very believable, sympathetic character to convey the struggles, pain, and confusion of trauma and mental illness. This is an excellent book to introduce these topics to middle grade/middle school readers in an accessible story.