With the Fire on High

Elizabeth Acevedo is the New York Times bestselling and 2019 Carnegie Medal winning author of THE POET X. She is also the winner of the 2018 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, The Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, the Boston Globe-Hornbook Award Prize for Best Children's Fiction and the Pura Belpré Award for a work that best affirms the Latinx cultural experience.

She holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Acevedo has been a fellow of Cave Canem, Cantomundo, and a participant in the Callaloo Writer's Workshops. She is a National Poetry Slam Champion and resides in Washington, DC with her partner.

With The Fire On High was everything I was expecting from Elizabeth Acevedo, she is now one of my favourite authors. I read Acevedo's debut The Poet X last year and it's brilliance was mind blowing. With The Fire On High is another exceptional book by this author.
This book follows Emoni Santiago, a young, single mother still in high school and living with her Abuela. Emoni's life has never been simple, her mother died in childbirth and her father walked out soon after, she fell pregnant at fourteen and has since been raising her daughter alone with her Abuela.
One of Emoni's only passions in life is cooking so when a culinary arts elective is added as an option in her senior year, she thinks her dreams are finally coming true. But this class isn't the walk in the park she was expecting. It will challenge not only her cooking, but her determination, perseverance and leadership skills.
I loved the magical element to this novel, how Emoni's dishes brought up bittersweet or loving memories to their recipients, it added a whimsical feel to the story. The recipes at the beginning of each part was a lovely addition to the book as well.
Acevedo discusses difficult and varying topics such as race, teen pregnancy, single parenthood, relationships, family and poverty. The writing is so smooth and easy to read, I find Acevedo's writing to be so soothing. I would urge everyone to read this glorious book. Library Looter