Anger is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo. Unabridged audiobook narrated by the author. ~6 hours. Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins Publishers, September 15, 2026. 9780063574236 Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.
I have been a fan of Elizabeth Acevedo since her brilliant debut, The Poet X in 2018. It landed with a splash, earning her a National Book Award, a Printz Award and a Pura bel Pré Award. I vividly recall book talking the book to my eighth graders and sharing a YouTube video of the poet performing. Since then, I've read and enjoyed almost everything she has published.
Anger is Only a Shadow is told from seventeen-year-old Liliana Teicuh Pantaleon-Ortiz's point of view. She is incarcerated after stealing and crashing her mother's food truck. She admits that she is impulsive and may or may not be a bad influence on her two besties. Before she is released to the custody of her parents, she is impressed by a session with a poet in residence.
Her parents are supportive and hardworking, but Lil has a hard time resisting her impulses. This is especially difficult when she realizes that her beloved brother, Aldwin, might be struggling with mental illness at his college.
This story is immediately immersive. Readers will cheer on Lil's devotion while simultaneously groaning over her choices. Her voice is raw, intelligent and unrelenting.
Anger is Only a Shadow is a first purchase for school and public libraries. Highly recommended!
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