The Poet XThe Poet X
Score Modern
What it's about
Xiomara Batista feels unheard in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew curves, she has let her fists do the talking, but she has plenty to say, and she pours it into a leather notebook, reciting her poems to herself. When she's invited to join her school's slam poetry club, she has to decide whether to defy her strict, religious mother and perform.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and has spent 27 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. Told entirely in verse, it's fierce, moving and fast.
You'll love it if you liked
The Hate U Give
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
The Hill We ClimbGood to know
It's a novel in verse, so it reads quickly. It's written for teens, about faith, family and finding your voice.
By the numbers
- Readers97 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #15 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #176 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #355 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
If you like this, read next
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Book Thief
The Help
A Thousand Splendid Suns
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The Hunger GamesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Poet X worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and has spent 27 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #355 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Poet X about?
Xiomara Batista feels unheard in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew curves, she has let her fists do the talking, but she has plenty to say, and she pours it into a leather notebook, reciting her poems to herself. When she's invited to join her school's slam poetry club, she has to decide whether to defy her strict, religious mother and perform.
How long does it take to read The Poet X?
About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Poet X?
If you liked it, try The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie or The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman.