58 pages • 1 hour read
Andrea Beatriz ArangoA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Molly Brodak was a contemporary poet and memoirist for adult audiences, but her thoughts on poetry and prose stories apply to Iveliz Explains It All. In Bandit (2016), Brodak tells the story of herself and her father, who went to jail for robbing banks. When Brodak was around Iveliz’s age, she discovered poetry. In middle school, Brodak headed to the poetry section of her school’s library and discovered Walt Whitman’s epic poem Song of Myself (1856). In Bandit, Brodak writes, “Poetry become my companion […] It seemed to know a better way to the world—an approach more honest, more direct, sharper.” This sentiment resonates with Iveliz’s own use of poetry as a tool for navigating her emotions. About traditional stories, Brodak presents them as constructs. They don’t reflect reality but manipulation—reducing the truth into a convenient package. Iveliz’s father calls her poetry, “[A]ll random thoughts and no rhyme” (23). In conversation with Brodak, Dad’s critique becomes praise. Reality isn’t linear, and it doesn’t occur in tidy paragraphs. Iveliz declares, “Adults think kids are so stupid. / We’re really not, you know. / We can spot a lie from a mile back” (122). This raw, unfiltered style in Iveliz’s story emphasizes the authenticity of her experience: It doesn’t conform to the rules or expectations of traditional novels, but it reflects her experience. By embracing poetry, she expresses her unfiltered emotions. Her fragmented thoughts mirror the fragmented experience of coping with trauma, showing the unique strength of the novel-in-verse format. She deviates from the “lie” of prose narratives. Though, as Iveliz learns, the truth can be misleading.
Novels-in-verse are becoming increasingly popular in YA literature, and Arango’s other two books are also novels-in-verse. Separate from Arango’s output, there are several popular novels-in-verse for young readers, indicating that young people are receptive to reading stories in poetry instead of prose.
Helen Frost’s novel-in-verse Keesha’s House (2003) focuses on a group of young people a little older than Iveliz. As with Iveliz, the teens confront a series of traumatic experiences: Keesha faces an abusive father, Katie has a predatory stepfather, and Harris’s anti-gay father kicks him out of his house. The poems link to the Misunderstandings Between Adults and Young People theme in Iveliz, with Harris claiming that the teens could only depend on themselves. The teens create a supportive community on their own, but Iveliz needs adults—in particular, her psychiatrist, Dr. Turnip—to set her in a positive direction.
Thanhha Lai’s novel-in-verse Inside Out and Back Again centers on a girl, Hà Kim, who is two years younger than Iveliz. While Iveliz experiences the trauma of Dad’s death, Hà confronts the trauma of the deadly Vietnam War. To get away from the danger, Hà’s mother manages to move her and her brothers to the United States, where Hà must adjust to life in Alabama. As with Iveliz, Hà faces bullying, with Pink Boy serving as her Jessica and Justin G. Both protagonists have adults and family members to help them. Hà is less wary of adults than Iveliz, and Hà’s adjustment to her new surroundings links to Iveliz’s different approach to her mental condition. Hà learns how to settle into a foreign place, and Iveliz learns to embrace a different approach to navigating PTSD and depression. While Hà’s story is one of cultural adjustment, Iveliz’s journey centers on embracing the realities of her PTSD and depression, highlighting different approaches to overcoming trauma.
Coming-of-Age Journeys
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Family
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Fathers
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Fear
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Forgiveness
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Grief
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Guilt
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Hate & Anger
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Hispanic & Latinx American Literature
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Mental Illness
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Mortality & Death
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Mothers
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Newbery Medal & Honor Books
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Safety & Danger
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The Best of "Best Book" Lists
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