“Aight, so boom.  Check it.” 

So begins When We Make It narrated by 8th grader Sarai, who lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn.  

It’s the late nineties and Sarai,  who identifies herself as a first-generation U. S. born Puerto Rican, lives with her mother and sister.   The family are continuously on the move and trying to survive while dealing with daily challenges of hunger,  loss of dignity, and basic safety.

Short poem-chapters and searing honesty make this book a highly engaging read for fans of novels in verse and of strong characters in realistic YA fiction.  

Spanish phrases are not translated and text is accompanied by an author’s preface.  Backmatter includes acknowledgements, resources for readers needing support, and a list of poetry that inspired the author in writing her own poem-chapters for this book.  Recommended for middle school book clubs. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Velasquez, Elisabet.  When We Make It.  New York: Dial, 2021.

Click here for an educator's guide/discussion guide offered by the the publisher.