When We Make It was beautiful, and insightful, and heartbreaking and I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to stay with Sarai and find out what happened to her and Estrella and Mami and Lala.

content warnings: addiction (drugs), body shaming, child abuse, death, domestic abuse, drug use/abuse, drug overdose, fatphobia, police brutality, teen pregnancy, miscarriage, pregnancy, racism, rape, sexism, sexual assault, sexual content, mentions of child protective services

I enjoyed Elisabet Velasquez's writing style, but struggled to be invested with this one. I think novels in verse work better for me as audiobooks, and so I just struggled to connect with this.

Thank you Penguin Teen for an ebook ARC of Elisabet Velasquez's When We Make It, out September 21 🎉

What does "making it" mean, and what are ways that we and people around us construe "success"? These are the questions Sarai, a first-generation Puerto Rican eighth grader, asks herself as she navigates identity, mental health, family, and systems that are meant to "help" her community but instead are rife with discrimination and derision. Everyone around her in Bushwick tells her that "making it" is leaving her community, but is this really the case?

Honest, empowering, and energetic, this novel-in-verse celebrates Sarai's coming-of-age with her Puerto Rican history, the strength of the women around her, and her redefinition of "making it."

Elisabet Velasquez knows how to write and she knows how to write powerfully. this book moves fast but not easy to read at times and i recommend reading the TWs before picking this up. this is a novel in verse about a Puerto Rican born and raised in NY just trying to make it and the struggles of being American when you’re not white, rich, or lucky. the American dream broke a long time ago and yes, though it’s heartbreaking, it’s a fact of life and i think books like these are necessary for us to read. i really love the way Elisabet frames her stories and i think y’all will too

Publication date: September 21, 2021
My Thoughts:
This debut novel-in-verse is fire, Fire, FIRE! Ms. Velasquez has been writing this for a while. The result is a deep love for community, for neighbors, for self-efficacy gained over time. This is this generation's House on Mango Street for readers and for teachers. As a teacher who has used House in every grade level I have taught in, 6th to college, there are many similar themes and pieces (vignettes/poems) between these authors, like "Sarai" and "My Name," and "If You Care To Look Closely" with "Those Who Don't."

If You Care to Look Closely

The war on drugs

is also a war on people.

But in Bushwick,

no one cares to look closely.



As a mentor text the voice of Sarai, the narrator in these poems, is very much like Esperanza in House in that it is authentic and fresh. The untranslated lines and images makes this a necessary mirror for some readers and a sliding glass door for other readers. Our classrooms need this now to model student writing that is full of authentic voice and the rhythm of home. These poems sound more hip-hop and the immigrant experience and systemic racism are clear without this being a pity party and sob story. I have fierce love for this!

From the Publishers:

Sarai is a first-generation Puerto Rican eighth grader who can see with clarity the truth, pain, and beauty of the world both inside and outside her Bushwick apartment. Together with her older sister Estrella, she navigates the strain of family traumas and the systemic pressures of toxic masculinity and housing insecurity in a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn. Sarai questions the society around her, her Boricua identity, and the life she lives with determination and an open heart, learning to celebrate herself in a way that she has been denied.

When We Make It is a love letter to anyone who was taught to believe that they would not make it. To those who feel their emotions before they can name them. To those who still may not have all the language but they have their story. Velasquez’ debut novel is sure to leave an indelible mark on all who read it.

3.5 stars
This book was so powerful and emotional and important. We follow Sarai throughout a couple years in her early teenage life as she deals with family struggles, food and housing insecurity, mental illness, sexual assault, and much more. The story is told in verse with a beautiful prose, the only complaint I had was the pacing and getting into the groove of the story; I just couldn't quite follow the timeline as it jumped over days or months (but novels in verse tend to do that to me anyway so take that with a grain of salt). It is honest and raw and so meaningful, heartbreaking and eye-opening. It also touches on the theme of knowing when you "make it" and how it differs for each person in what they want out of life. Sarai and her family are Boricua and the story takes place in New York and deals with themes of nationality and the sense of belonging. If you can't tell, this book is full of important themes and I highly recommend it when it releases.

WHEN WE MAKE IT is a stunning story in verse about challenging the concept of what it means to “make it” in today’s society. Elisabet Acevedo beautifully tackles a variety of topics that will undeniably help so many readers! As a first-generation Puerto Rican, who has gone through a lot of the same struggles Sarai does, this was comforting in a way words cannot explain. The experiences in this book are raw and real. WHEN WE MAKE IT healed bits of myself I forgot were still parts of my being. I recommend this to any Latinx readers (especially if you’re a Boricua), to people who feel as though their voices do not matter, and literally everyone else. This is a powerful, breathtaking, and impactful debut that you do not want to miss!

This novel written in verse about a first-generation Puerto Rican teenager living in Bushwick at the height of the war on drugs, is heartbreaking and stunning all at once. This one touches on some tough topics: poverty, miscarriage, teen pregnancy, housing insecurity, and family trauma, but addresses them in a way that is so beautiful as Sarai, the main character figures out what “making it” means to her. This one is truly stunning and a must read, the poetry will make you FEEL and pause to take it all in, but at the same time, you won’t be able to stop and you’ll want more as you keep reading.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. When We Make It will be released on September 25th.

I resonated very much with the heroine in what she experienced changing from a girl to a woman and how the world and the people around her changed. I felt for her and her loved ones especially with how they are treated as women. It is truly sad that this is a true reflection of a lot of people's stories.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for an arc of this book.
Content Warnings at end of review.

When We Make It is a book written in verse about the teenage years of Sarai as she struggles to find herself as well as hold hope for the future in the midst of a difficult present

Sarai is a wonderful character. I really enjoyed seeing the world through her eyes and seeing how she felt throughout the poetry. The verse in this book is so beautiful! If you are a fan of Elizabeth Acevedo, you should definitely pick this up. It reminded me a lot of The Poet X and I really enjoyed reading it.

This is definitely not a happy book and a lot of bad things happen, but I do think that it is hopeful for the future and could definitely be considered inspiring. Great read!

Pub date: September 21, 2021

Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Grief, and Child abuse
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Police brutality

Thank you to Penguin Teen & Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When we Make it is a coming of age novel in verse, about young Sarai as she navigates poverty, family trauma and housing insecurity. Sarai is always told about how when she makes it things will get better, but Sarai is still trying to figure out what "making it" looks like to her.

This book was quite heartbreaking. So many sad and traumatic things happen to Sarai and her family. I really loved Sarai's voice: her curiosity was such a driving force. I loved how so much story was told in so few words. The verse was beautiful and tragic. Sarai's story is one that won't leave me for a while.

Rep: Boricua mid-size female MC, and mixed Boricua supporting cast.

CWs: Addiction (drugs), body shaming, child abuse, death, domestic abuse, drug use/abuse, drug overdose, fatphobia, police brutality, pregnancy, racism, rape, sexism, sexual assault, sexual content.

I think you should read other reviews of this book. This book was not written for me. Other reviewers connected heavily to When We Make It in ways I did not. I did not dislike the story, but I should not be a voice for this book. I am going to rate it four stars because it aligns with other reviews.

I will comment on two things within this book that have nothing to do with the actual plot. (1) I think the timeline was a little confusing. This book takes place around 1997, and I only figured that out after Sarai referenced Biggie Smalls's death. The author jumps around a lot and references holidays and events, but it does not feel as if enough time passes between them with the information the reader is given. (2) The author will hint at events happening and then never really discuss them. It took me a long time to understand Estella dropped out of school, but you do not know when.

This book is phenomenal!
I'm not going to lie, poetry and literature written in verse aren't really my favorite things because I usually find them confusing but When We Make It definitely caught me by surprise. It has a rhythm and movement outside of poetic meter and pacing.
It deeply embedded in the words and in lives that influenced this body of work.

Fell in love with this incredible YA novel in verse!

When We Make It, by Elisabet Velasquez, is a soul stirring ode to growing up and coming into your voice. Sarai is a strong heroine who deals with such hard issues as sexual assault, poverty, and mental illness.

Inspiring and enlightening, When We Make It is a voice we desperately need to hear.

I'm not going to lie, poetry and literature written in verse aren't really my favorite things because I usually find them confusing but When We Make It definitely caught me by surprise. It was beautifully written and as a first generation American citizen whose family immigrated from a Spanish speaking country myself, this book really captured what it feels like seeing the world through our eyes. I really wish I had something like this growing up because it would've helped me see and understand that it doesn't matter how "they" see you or what "they" say you can and cannot be. All that matters is how comfortable you are in your identity and being able to celebrate who you are unapologetically. This story and the characters really hit close to home for me because though I am not Puerto Rican, our cultures really do overlap and we experience a lot of the same pressures both from the outside and within our own homes. When We Make It is really going to help a lot of young Latinas in the future, I just know it.

I am not puerto rican but I am Dominican and grew up for a few years in New York. Especially in the time period that this takes place in. So I was really excited to be able to read this book early. I was captivated quickly by the first few chapters. The writing style is beautiful and the characters were great. But it lost me about a halfway through. I feel like the author tried to juggle so many tough subjects at once and ended up not developing any of them. I wish they would’ve sticked to one or two subjects. I think they could’ve developed the book much better. I would try more books from this author!

This book is phenomenal!
It has a rhythm and movement outside of poetic meter and pacing.
It deeply embedded in the words and in lives that influenced this body of work.
I know the lives in this story. I grew is a neighborhood just like this one. This story hit home and put me in a nostalgic place. This book is gripping, moving, heartbreaking and beautiful. I love it.

I feel privileged to say I actually know the author of this book, she was an integral part of our school community as a Dream Director. In that capacity she helped students realize their goals, short term and long term, so it is so amazing to see her realize her goal, AN AWESOME BOOK!

I loved everything about this book so I compiled a list of the top five!
1. The Bushwick depicted here- it is depressing and beautiful all at once and the author’s love of where she is from and the people who live there shines through.
2. The language- I loved her depiction of learning new words and learning how to integrate them with the language of being a Boriqua in Bushwick without the language to show her emotions.
3. The story- Obviously, Sarai is growing up and trying to find her way, in a world that doesn’t seem to want to make space for her or have a place for her. She is a fighter and a dreamer and she is learning, however she can, about how to be different and how to live differently.
4. Sarai’s Family- Her mom, so tough and hard, she was made that way by the world she was and the way she had to fight everyday for herself and her daughters and her son who is disabled. Her sister Estrella, a star in her own story and a light in Sarai’s life as they share laughter even in the dark moments.
5. Poems- Not only are the poems beautiful and thought provoking and full of fear, anger, hate and love but they are full of hope and dreams and the fight for a space in the world. The author even provides the reader with a list at the end of the poems she is in conversation with, providing more reading material for her readers. As an educator I loved this because it will help my students to find other poems that speak to them and their experiences.
I can not wait to use this book in my classroom. I hope this year it can be the linchpin in my poetry unit. READ THIS BOOK!!