Novels in verse fly off our library shelves and Vale’s story is one our students will love. The family dynamics are realistically portrayed and their support of Vale in her struggles is heartwarming. Vale herself is complex, kind, and introspective but also quick tempered and frustrating- just like real middle schoolers! Highly recommend!

Another slam dunk by Andrea Beatriz Arango! A fencing female protagonist is original and important as are LBGTQ+ characters with disabilities. This novel in verse is a quick and emotional book that will be part of my classroom collection.

The book tells the story of a girl who is coming back to the sport of fencing after an accident that has left her with pins in her leg and chronic pain. She returns to a team that includes her ex-bestfriend, Stephanie, and a new fencing star, Myrka. This was a great skeleton of a story but it needed more. I wanted more backstory about her falling out with Stephanie and why her friend held such resentment for her even after the accident. I also wanted more development of Vale's crush on Myrka. It felt like they lived in a time period when comp-het doesn't exist, and we are not there yet especially in the Latinx community. I can understand the author not wanting this to be a coming out book, but in doing so she neglected an important point in the story.

While I personally like reading books such as this that include Spanish phrases, I wish there were footnote translations for our readers who do not understand Spanish.

Arango's writing gets stronger and stronger with each book. In It's All or Nothing, Vale, our main character must reevaluate her identity which was previously tightly wrapped around her fencing ability, but after a terrible accident she's left unmoored and lost. Who is she if she's not a fencer? Vale must learn to let go and step into an uncertain future - which includes confusing feelings around the word disabled - but includes the help of her family, a new friend, and a new crush!! Arango's writing is as sharp as her former fencing champ!

I love this author's books and I was eager to get my hands on this! This was no exception, as I loved it too! This was a great exploration of young people putting pressure on themselves in sports and what happens when something that was an identity maybe can't be one anymore. This is explored through Vale, who is injured in an accident and struggles to fence how she used to previously. Her journey is emotional and told in a lovely verse.

I enjoyed this MG novel in verse. Valentina/Vale is a competitive fencer, but after a serious accident leaves her leg mangled, she is struggling to make a comeback despite the pain in the fencing arena. Her identity is wrapped up in being a fencer, so the book follows her through the struggle of finding out if she can make it to the top spot again or if she will find her identity and happiness through another activity. On top of struggling with normal teenage things like messy friendships and crushes, she struggles with her family and the pressure she feels from them to be a great fencer. Vale has to learn to trust others and herself throughout the story.
I read an ARC through NetGalley, and this book will be published in February 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers, and Andrea Beatriz Arango for the opportunity to read It's All or Nothing, Vale in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Something Like Home, I knew I would have to read Arango's newest novel-in-verse: It's All or Nothing, Vale. This novel follows Valentina, a Hispanic girl whose whole life is about fencing and competitions.

After an accident leaving her with a leg injury, Vale fights to get through physical therapy and "get back to normal" as fast as possible. Being only twelve, the perspective that injuries such as hers are a life-long care commitment makes it hard for her to cope when everything she knew before is competition and winning.

When a new girl joins their fencing class, shortly after Vale returns, the girl demonstrates a new level of competition that Vale hasn't experienced before. With days where she needs to use a cane or can't even walk, everything she cares about is threatened by the newcomer, Myrka. When Myrka asks Vale to hang out, she considers it an opportunity to learn about her enemy, but she finds that she actually connects with and has fun with the other girl. She even experiences feelings that she never expected to have toward another girl!

Her ultimate anchor is her brother, Luis Manuel, or Manu for short. She tells Manu everything and reaches out to him as her saving grace when she needs to talk about fencing or feelings. Vale has a lot to learn about what is truly important in life.

I thoroughly enjoyed following Vale on her journey in this novel. It is a great example of how accidents change who we are and are often something out of our control, which can be frustrating and depressing. It also shows the value of trying new things, because one may never know what they might like until they try. It also emphasized the message about the value of both family and friendship. Vale compares and contrasts her parent's treatment of her both before and after the accident. She also explores friendships that were both pre and post.

I enjoy the verse style and found in an enjoyable way to break down Vale's story and her healing journey for a younger reader. This novel is meant  more for a middle Grade audience, but is a gem to be enjoyed by young adults and adults as well. The lessons within are thoroughly worthwhile.

I absolutely cannot wait to have this book in my classroom library. Iveliz Explains It All was such a powerful book and memorable reading experience that I did go into this new text a little worried that my hopes/expectations for the book would be too high. However, Andrea Beatriz Arango has woven another beautiful middle grades novel in verse told in such an authentic and vulnerable voice. Though I wasn't sure if the premise would be too specific for engaging middle school readers, the struggles that Vale experiences are so personal in that way that becomes universal.

There are many students I already have in mind to read this book, and I'd also include it in my 7th grade book-in-verse book clubs. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

E ARC Provided by Netgalley

In this novel in verse, Valentina Camacho was in a motorbike accident four months ago, and had to have extensive surgery to repair her ankle. She has good days and bad, and is very frustrated that not even Dr. Claudia can tell her when she will be 100% again. She has physical therapy, and is finally allowed to return to fencing practice. Before the accident, fencing was Vale's life; being so involved in it is what caused her to fall out with former best friend and fellow fencer Stephanie. Vale's mother, who is now obsessed with finding things to help Vale's leg feels better, used to have an "all or nothing" attitude, and constantly told Vale that she could be a great Puerto Rican fencer if she just worked hard enough. Returning to practice is difficult. She's not greeted overly warmly, and her leg doesn't feel great. Not only that, but there is a new girl, Myrka Marero, who is said to be almost as good a fencer as Vale was. Even though Myrka is friendly, Vale feels that she is not at fencing to support her teammates or make friends, although she does agree to go with the group for ice cream whne Myrka asks, but mainly because Samantha is snarky and says that Vale won't go. At home, Vale does have a supportive older brother, but he is also frustrating because he is good at many things, while Vale only has fencing. He helps in many ways, like running baths for her to soak her leg, or giving her coloring books to distract her. Her father tries to help by teaching her to salsa dance, and accompanies her on runs when she is allowed to go back. She also has a new friend at school, Amanda, who supports her and confides in her about her cruch on Mohamed. Even though she has all of these good things in her life, Vale obsessed about her ankle and fencing. Frustrated by a lack of rubric for her recuperation, she even asks her doctor is she is disabled, but her doctor won't tell her one way or the other. Vale thinks that the coach is babying her, and after she has a good day and a successful match against Myrka, she overhears teammates saying that Myrka let her win, and fights with her friend. This is especially devastating, because she and Myrka have become friends, and Vale has a crush on Myrka that is reciprocated. Eventually, Vale admits that she is not finding joy in fencing, and that she needs help dealing with her grief over here injury. She steps away from competition, although she does enjoy helping with the children's mini Musketeers group, finds a mental health therapist, and manages to reclaim her relationship with Myrka.
Strengths: I am writing this seven weeks after ankle surgery, so I definitely feel Vale's pain. I didn't even break anything (had a tendon repaired), and am well aware that I will not run until August of 2025. But I have other interests, and I'm old. Vale wants to get back to fencing in the most desperate way, and every ache and pain that gets in her way is maddening. This is certainly well expressed in all that she feels and does. Her obsession with fencing even impacts her friendships, and this is also something that I have seen as a coach; when your friend beats you, it is HARD. Vale feels shame for losing, and even for being in pain, and finds it hard to even accept help from her friends and family. Middle grade literature could use a lot more books concerning recuperating from sports injuries, and it was fun to add another book about fencing to my sports collection, along with the Bagleys' Duel or Rhodes' Black Brother, Black Brother.
Weaknesses: I wish that this had addressed the core problem more; the fact that Vale's mother put away to much pressure on her, and that middle school kids shouldn't pin all of their hopes on athletics. I see too many children who can see no further than professional sports as a career path, and it's sad to see them spend so much time on one interest, especially when (as happens too often) this causes injuries. It was just painful to read Vale's thoughts about how being good at fencing was the only thing that gave her life meaning.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed this author's Something Like Home or Iveliz Explains it All, or who want books about recuperating from sports injuries, like Preller's Shaken or Day's The Sea in Winter.

It's All or Nothing, Vale tackles a subject not often found in middle grade fiction--career ending sports injuries. For many late elementary and middle school students, activities that they've done for most of their childhoods are all-consuming, and it's hard for them to see a life outside of their chosen sport. For Vale, that sport is fencing. And she was the best. After an accident, Vale has to come to terms with her new disability and the potential loss of her fencing supremacy.

It's All or Nothing, Vale is told beautifully in verse and will definitely appeal to the 4th and 5th graders in my elementary school.

I think this is a great book. It follows a really dynamic protagonist and the supporting cast really helps to show her development and the story growth. It has so many great lessons and the writing style is great.

A fast-paced internal deep-dive into the mind of a young girl who is reckoning with a huge and fundamental shift in her identity. The tenderness and attention to detail is matched by the gripping character development.

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Vale was the top fencer in her program, regularly won competitions, and just plain was on top of the world. Until an accident changes all that. Now she's struggling in therapy, unable to regain her skills in the gym, feels disconnected to her family, and is trying to figure out the next steps. The fact that she both is frustrated with having new competition and finds herself attracted to said competition doesn't help. (There is no inappropriate content in this book, and it's good to see same-sex crushes reflected in literature)

Unfortunately, injuries happen and for kids who are used to making a sport their life, it's hard to handle. And there's often no miracle, and therapy only does so much. I think kids in this situation will see themselves in Vale....and maybe their peers will understand how hard it is for the kid who does face life changing injury or illness.

I enjoyed this quick verse novel that gave me lots to think about in the way of young athletes and the pressures they face. Valentina had overcome lots of challenges and pushed through pain possibly more than she should have, but ultimately rediscovered that it her happiness that is affected when succumbing to those pressures. Although Vale’s story dragged in parts and took some pushing though, the ending was worth it. I know representation is important, but felt forced to meet a quota.. just wasn’t necessary. Overall a great read that could spark lots of good conversations.

I am not sure how I feel about this book. It was well written and the form worked for the characters and the plot. The thing is, I didn't like the main character, Vale. Yes, it was a story of triumph over adversity and regaining your life after a horrific accident - but that was the problem - all she wanted was her life back and her life was fencing. Nothing else mattered; not school, not friends, not even family. All that mattered was getting back to her former level of greatness at fencing.

I know that there really are people like that, but to find it in an 11 year old child was unsettling. She absolutely would not listen to anyone, and if something did not further her purpose then it was absolutely useless and ignored. This included people like her parents and her brother and the new girl that only wanted to be her friend but was hated because she was the new great fencer at the club.

Vale does eventually come around to understand that she needs to back off and look at the world and her life from a different perspective but she isn't really very nice about it. I think part of my dislike of the character is because she was never happy - and she didn't care.

I suppose you don't have to like the main character in every book you read but it isn't something I want to have happen often. Even in books where there is a villain or horrible character I usually end of liking them for some redeeming trait, but that didn't happen here. Luckily I liked all of the other characters in the book and so I kept reading to see if Vale figured out that they were trying to help her not hold her back. She did but it seemed begrudging when it happened.

"It's All or Nothing" is a moving middle-grade novel in verse that beautifully explores themes of identity, resilience, and self-discovery. Valentina's journey of returning to fencing while grappling with her changing self-perception and budding feelings for Myrka is both heartwarming and authentic. The seamless inclusion of Spanish adds a rich cultural layer, making this a must-read for young readers.

An excellent novel-in-verse showing the resilience and fortitude Vale has after being injured. She doesn’t want to use her cane because she doesn’t think of herself as disabled. Vale wants to get back to fencing and be the champion she once was. When Myrka, a new student, and Vale fence together it doesn’t go well for Vale and she wonders how can I improve. Vale is angry and sad, but Myrka helps her feel better. Vale keeps thinking I’m not disabled, but fencing isn’t as fun as it used to be. Vale also wonders if she has a crush on Myrka. Will Vale keep fencing?
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

It's All or Nothing, Vale is a poignant verse novel that follows Vale, a young athlete grappling with the aftermath of a debilitating injury. Once the undisputed fencing champion of her class, Vale now finds herself on the sidelines, enduring painful physical therapy sessions while desperately clinging to the hope of returning to her beloved sport. The author masterfully captures the raw emotions of losing one's identity and the challenges of adapting to a life marked by chronic pain. While the novel effectively delves into these themes, revealing the nature of the accident earlier in the narrative might enhance the reader's understanding of Vale's journey and deepen their connection to her character.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange of an honest review.

While this novel in verse superficially centers on fencing, it primarily deals with disability and perfectionism. I frequently get parents asking for reading recommendations for their kids who think that they need to be absolutely perfect at all sports, hobbies, and in their academic careers. While Vale's parents promote this kind of perfectionism, I still feel like Vale, in the end, begins coming to terms with not being the best and instead focuses on what she enjoys and what makes her feel good. Alongside this, the novel tackles black-and-white thinking; Vale can have a girlfriend and have friends and fence all at the same time. Her entire world does not need to be one thing.

I also strongly appreciated the authors inclusivity of the queer community, without the dread and struggle of coming out. I think it's important to have those novels, and I do not think there are enough out there where it's completely normal and unremarkable that two people of the same gender like one another. This novel normalizes being gay.

4.5/5

Vale (Valentina) must be number #1 in anything she does, or what is the point? Before the accident, she was the best fencer at Paradise Fencing, and she intends to go back to that level, despite still recovering from her broken leg. She is unlike her brother who does well in many things, and doesn’t obsess over them. But Vale thinks that if she isnt’ the best fencer, then what is she? Who is she? She is nothing.

Heartbreaking story, really, as she struggles to accept that anyone could be her friend. That the girl that she might have feelings for actually cares about her, and isn’t out to beat her and take over her spot.

It is frustrating that the parents can’t see what is going on with Vale, But that is sometimes the way it is with parents. Vale really needs help, and only her brother Marcus sort of gets it.

The whole story is done in blank verse, and moves quickly from chapter to chapter. Quick read, but as I said, a bit heartbreaking

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 11th of February 2025.