With The Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read if you: believe good food has a magical quality, are in the process of chasing your dreams

Reading goal: 15/100

Emoni Santiago has always had a gift in the kitchen. Her food seems to have a quality of magic, bringing memories to those who eat it. Emoni has always dreamed of working in her own kitchen someday, but with her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, Emoni knows her goals may not be in the cards. In her senior year, Emoni is balancing motherhood, a fast food job, and applying to colleges. She doesn't think she has the time for her school's new culinary arts class, and she definitely does not have the funds for the trip to Spain included in the class. But, with support from family and friends, Emoni finds herself in her white chef's coat showing her skills off in her campus kitchen, and she starts to believe maybe she can have her dream after all.

I am absolutely obsessed with Elizabeth Acevedo. Both The Poet X and Clap When You Land where two of my favorite books I read in 2020, and I was blessed enough to see her perform her poetry while I was in college. I think her work is incredible, and With The Fire on High is no exception. When describing Emoni's food and the way it makes those who eat it feel, Acevedo creates a sense of magical realism-- there is something otherworldly and inexplicable about it. This is how I feel about Acevedo's writing. There is magic in her words and there is power in her voice. Everything she says is poetry. I have listened to all of her books on audiobook, and I highly recommend doing so since she performs the books and her writing feels so powerful in her own voice.

One of my favorite things about Acevedo's writing that shines through in With The Fire on High is the strong characters she creates. In Emoni, we get a teen mother who is balancing her responsibilities of motherhood with her senior year of high school and finding her place in the world. Emoni is strong, dedicated, and driven by her love of her daughter and her passion for food. I think we don't often see teen mothers get to succeed in media, but Acevedo shows us that, while Emoni has to make sacrifices throughout her journey, she is able to follow her dreams and find her calling while also caring for her family. I think what strikes me about Acevedo's writing is that she often focuses on finding your passion and the power following our dreams gives us, which is such a beautiful and universal message that is relatable and inspirational to many young readers.