Anger Is Only a Shadow
young adult novel · First published 2026
Author guide
Elizabeth Acevedo Books in Order
Elizabeth Acevedo is a Dominican-American writer, National Poetry Slam champion, and New York Times bestselling author. She holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Her debut novel, The Poet X, won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, and her work includes young adult fiction, adult literary fiction, poetry collections, visual poetry, and collaborative poetry books.
young adult fictionliterary fictionpoetrynovels in versepoetry collections
Catalog record updated .
Elizabeth Acevedo's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
The Poet X
The Poet X is Acevedo's acclaimed debut and the clearest introduction to her signature verse-novel form.
Family Lore
Family Lore provides an entry point into her adult literary fiction and family-centered storytelling.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (3)
- With the Fire on High
young adult novel · 2019
From the New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award–winning title The Poet X comes a dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright. Winner of the…
- Family Lore
adult novel · 2023
Flor has a gift: she can predict, to the day, when someone will die. So when she decides she wants a living wake--a party to bring her family and community together to celebrate the long life she's led--her sisters are surprised. Has Flor…
- Anger Is Only a Shadow
young adult novel · 2026
Poetry (4)
- Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths
poetry collection · 2016
Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths is a collection of folkloric poems centered on the historical, mythological, gendered and geographic experiences of a first generation American woman. From the border in the Dominican Republic, to the…
- The Poet X
novel in verse · 2018
Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words…
- Clap When You Land
novel in verse · 2020
Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people... In New York City,…
- Inheritance: A Visual Poem
visual poem · 2022
They tell me to "fix" my hair. And by fix, they mean straighten, they mean whiten; but how do you fix this shipwrecked history of hair? In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpré-winning novel-in-verse The Poet X…
Collaborations (2)
- Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice
co-authored poetry collection · 2020
Woke: A Young Poet's Guide to Justice is a collection of poems to inspire kids to stay woke and become a new generation of activists. Historically poets have been on the forefront of social movements. Woke is a collection of poems by…
- Courage in a Poem
co-authored poetry collection · 2022
Frequently asked questions about Elizabeth Acevedo
Who is Elizabeth Acevedo?
Elizabeth Acevedo is a Dominican-American poet, novelist, and spoken-word performer known for her writing for young readers and her New York Times bestselling debut novel, The Poet X.
Sources: nationalbook.org (opens in a new tab)arts.gov (opens in a new tab)ogs.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)
What is Elizabeth Acevedo’s cultural background?
Acevedo is an Afro-Dominican woman who grew up in Harlem, New York, as the daughter of immigrant parents. She spent summers visiting the Dominican Republic.
Sources: ogs.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)magazine.gwu.edu (opens in a new tab)
What did Elizabeth Acevedo study?
She earned a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland.
Sources: nationalbook.org (opens in a new tab)poets.org (opens in a new tab)
What influences Elizabeth Acevedo’s writing?
Acevedo has described hip-hop, music, and community storytellers as influences. Her work also draws on family traditions, bolero music, Dominican folklore, and the experience of navigating multiple cultures.
Sources: english.umd.edu (opens in a new tab)ogs.ny.gov (opens in a new tab)arts.gov (opens in a new tab)
What major awards and honors has Elizabeth Acevedo received?
The Poet X won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and the 2019 Michael L. Printz Award. In 2022, Acevedo was named the Poetry Foundation’s Young People’s Poet Laureate.
Sources: nationalbook.org (opens in a new tab)ala.org (opens in a new tab)poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)