Elizabeth Acevedo

Clap When You Land

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people... In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal's office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance -- and Papi's secrets -- the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.

ame 

Beck Krystal

Melissa Minshull

"This must be a plane of Dominicans returning home; when you touch down on this soil, you must clap when you land."

Wow! This book is brilliant. It's heartwrenching, heartbreaking, beautiful and sad and hopeful and angry and happy all at the same time. The way Elizabeth Acevedo writes absolutely sweeps me off the page and off my feet, I am in awe. I never thought a book written in poetic verse would be the type of book that I adore, but after reading The Poet X in August and absolutely loving it, I just knew I had to read more from this author. It's truly amazing how some of these poems have very little words, but they say so much. The way Acevedo captures the emotion, tension and setting within a few short sentences is magical, and since this is poetry of course it's poetic, but it's wonderfully done, I highlight so many quotes, and end up wanting to hightlight the entire book by the end. Clap When You Land follows two teenage girls, Camino who lives in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira who lives in New York city, when their father dies in a plane crash. But the catch is, they never knew the other existed.

I want to preface this by saying you definitely need to check your trigger warnings before picking this one up, it is a YA book but it deals with some very heavy topics. The main one being grief. The way this book handles grief is stunning, in fact it handles all of the heavy topics very, very well, but just be warned this may be a hard read for some due to the references to and explanations of sexual assault, stalking and harrassment, trafficking, cancer and pregnancy etc. This story really captures the hardships of life, especially those living in the barrio on the island. This book highlights the stark differences between Camino and Yahaira, both are basically the same age, but one grew up in comfort and safety, with every opportunity afforded to her, with her father there supporting her 3/4 of every year, and while he helped Camino and her aunt by sending money and coming to visit in the summer, the contrast was blinding. I really felt for both girls so deeply, they are both incredible characters, but Camino especially made my heart ache. Her dream of being an obstetrcian so she could care for the women in her barrio, who often end up pregnant as teenagers, was so selfless and inspiring, but to know her dreams hinged on being able to get to the US, get a visa, get into Columbia University and be able to graduate high school in the first place, was very emotional.

This book manages to pack a lot into its pages but at its base this is a story about sisterhood and girlhood/womanhood. It's about all of the ways that women come together to form community and support each other, even if they may not like each other completely to begin with, there is always that connection between us. Camino and Yahaira could not be blamed for disliking each other, their father betrayed them both by having two families at the same time, and they both feel like the other took their father away from them. But the way these two girls came together, and brought the other women in their lives together too, was just so heart warming. I truly think this book could speak to just about any woman who read it, especially for Hispanic readers, but because it touches on so many aspects of growing up as a girl, first loves, issues with men, the catcalling and harrassment, the struggles with school etc it really spoke to me in surprising ways and I could relate to both of these girls. It truly was a beautiful read.

Overall, I would 100% recommend this book, I know that poetic verse might seem off putting at first but I think it's worth it. I only knocked off a quarter of a star because I wanted more of the story, I wanted to see Camino succeed, and maybe an epilogue would've satiated that feeling, seeing her return to her barrio having achieved eveything she wanted and be there for her Tía, and Carline and the other girls again, would've just been the icing on the cake for me, but I also understand that there is something poignant about the way this book ended. If there was a sequel to this story I would devour it immediately. I can't wait to read more by Acevedo, if you want diverse, own voice stories about Latin America then look no further than this wonderful author, she is definitely worth the read!

"The patron saint of the ocean is known for containing many parts of herself: she is a nurturer, but she is also a ferocious defender. & so I remember that to walk this world you must be kind but also fierce."

Genevieve 

"This must be a plane of Dominicans returning home; when you touch down on this soil, you must clap when you land."

4.75⭐️

Wow! This book is brilliant. It's heartwrenching, heartbreaking, beautiful and sad and hopeful and angry and happy all at the same time. The way Elizabeth Acevedo writes absolutely sweeps me off the page and off my feet, I am in awe. I never thought a book written in poetic verse would be the type of book that I adore, but after reading The Poet X in August and absolutely loving it, I just knew I had to read more from this author. It's truly amazing how some of these poems have very little words, but they say so much. The way Acevedo captures the emotion, tension and setting within a few short sentences is magical, and since this is poetry of course it's poetic, but it's wonderfully done, I highlight so many quotes, and end up wanting to hightlight the entire book by the end. Clap When You Land follows two teenage girls, Camino who lives in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira who lives in New York city, when their father dies in a plane crash. But the catch is, they never knew the other existed.

I want to preface this by saying you definitely need to check your trigger warnings before picking this one up, it is a YA book but it deals with some very heavy topics. The main one being grief. The way this book handles grief is stunning, in fact it handles all of the heavy topics very, very well, but just be warned this may be a hard read for some due to the references to and explanations of sexual assault, stalking and harrassment, trafficking, cancer and pregnancy etc. This story really captures the hardships of life, especially those living in the barrio on the island. This book highlights the stark differences between Camino and Yahaira, both are basically the same age, but one grew up in comfort and safety, with every opportunity afforded to her, with her father there supporting her 3/4 of every year, and while he helped Camino and her aunt by sending money and coming to visit in the summer, the contrast was blinding. I really felt for both girls so deeply, they are both incredible characters, but Camino especially made my heart ache. Her dream of being an obstetrcian so she could care for the women in her barrio, who often end up pregnant as teenagers, was so selfless and inspiring, but to know her dreams hinged on being able to get to the US, get a visa, get into Columbia University and be able to graduate high school in the first place, was very emotional.

This book manages to pack a lot into its pages but at its base this is a story about sisterhood and girlhood/womanhood. It's about all of the ways that women come together to form community and support each other, even if they may not like each other completely to begin with, there is always that connection between us. Camino and Yahaira could not be blamed for disliking each other, their father betrayed them both by having two families at the same time, and they both feel like the other took their father away from them. But the way these two girls came together, and brought the other women in their lives together too, was just so heart warming. I truly think this book could speak to just about any woman who read it, especially for Hispanic readers, but because it touches on so many aspects of growing up as a girl, first loves, issues with men, the catcalling and harrassment, the struggles with school etc it really spoke to me in surprising ways and I could relate to both of these girls. It truly was a beautiful read.

Overall, I would 100% recommend this book, I know that poetic verse might seem off putting at first but I think it's worth it. I only knocked off a quarter of a star because I wanted more of the story, I wanted to see Camino succeed, and maybe an epilogue would've satiated that feeling, seeing her return to her barrio having achieved eveything she wanted and be there for her Tía, and Carline and the other girls again, would've just been the icing on the cake for me, but I also understand that there is something poignant about the way this book ended. If there was a sequel to this story I would devour it immediately. I can't wait to read more by Acevedo, if you want diverse, own voice stories about Latin America then look no further than this wonderful author, she is definitely worth the read!

"The patron saint of the ocean is known for containing many parts of herself: she is a nurturer, but she is also a ferocious defender. & so I remember that to walk this world you must be kind but also fierce."

It was a sad but sweet story. I love a book that can shine a light on cultures & homes that are not my own 🤍

Mariah crawford

ohseababy

I read "The Poet X" ONE time and I thought, Oh wow, Elizabeth Acevedo is the greatest at completely destroying me and rendering me incapable of any emotion but Pain and Grief for two weeks. I'm going to read her other book ABOUT SOMEONE YOU LOVE DYING AND EXPECT TO FEEL NORMAL AFTER. Then I wonder why my friends say I have no self-preservation abilities. 

Honestly, though, this book is beautiful. Sometimes you look at your writing and think there's really no point in sending your thoughts and feelings out into the world, and then you get books that make you feel and you realise this is why we love words and this is why we do what we do. Clap When You Land is moving and breath-taking and tear-jerking and I'm going to stop because I'm getting whiplash from the emotions I'm feeling more than 24 hours after finishing it.

Bria

elizabeth acevedo is quickly becoming a new fav author for me and this is only my second read from her

Pitch-perfect, stunning, heartfelt. Does not shy away from the complexities of grief, and what it means to love and to mourn someone flawed. But also how we are changed by the connections we dare to make with others. The book carries a ton of ideas and mess in beautifully crafted and heartfelt writing. 

Boothby

Melissa Palmer

YA verse novel. After their father is killed in a plane crash, two sisters find out about each other. Decent.

Krystyna 

Acevedo packs a punch with her poetical hand. This is a novel-in-verse, and it is written beautifully. This story addresses an actual event that many people aren't aware of. It focuses on family secrets, grief, and cultural differences.

alexandra

the author's note really bumped it up a star ;-;

OliviaPadilla

Alexa M

3.5
while i was immediately turned off by a novel written in verse, i found the audiobook and definitely enjoyed it! i liked the story and the two main characters, but this book didn't really move me all that much. im glad i picked it up though!

menna

well this was fun,,, and by fun i mean made me sob uncontrollably everytime i picked it up

Jamieson

Beautifully written, emotionally rich and dripping with emotion, CLAP WHEN YOU LAND is a unique and evocative contemporary YA novel that deals deftly with themes of grief, loss, change, and the difficulties of family. Written in verse, Acevedo's novel explores the flaws that make a person and finding solace and peace within the boundaries of tragedy. I loved the space and depth Acevedo gave the two main characters to explore their emotions, and the complex exploration of how a person with many flaws can still mean a lot in someone's life. 

I do wish the start of this book had not been so slow, however. The main interest is the meeting of the two girls, which happens much later in the book then I felt needed. I also would have liked more time to explore the end of the series and a more distinct difference between the voices of the two main characters. 

Elizabeth Acevedo is an author whose really starting to make her mark on the YA genre, and I love to see it. Clap When You Land is stamped with her emotional style and evocative writing and is definitely a highlight for me amongst 2020 YA releases

This was simply amazing. No other words. Just amazing.

Midori Kobayashi

3.75 rounded up to 4/5 stars


The body is a funny piece of meat. How it inflates and deflates in order to keep you alive. But how simple words can fill you up or pierce the air out of you.

Once again, Acevado's book did not miss. And the fact that I kept juggling between the physical copy and the audiobook simply proves that it's perfect in both ways and forms. So, if you are somehow living under a rock and haven't come across Elizabeth Acevado's writing, pls pick this book up. It's hard-hitting, beautifully written, deep, and just perfect. 

How can you lose an entire person, only to gain a part of them back in someone entirely new?


  Book Trigger Warnings-plane crash. loss of a parent, attempted sexual assault, cheating

tahmida tasmia

This was the first-ever book with a sapphic character that I've read and it's set the bar for other queer books very high. The relationship between Yahaira and Camino is so heart-warming. I have fallen in love with Elizabeth Acevedo and her writing. It is just absolutely brilliant. I loved the Spanish words used in the middle of the sentences and the fact the author doesn't add the English meaning right after it makes it so much better. It gives this raw feeling of culture which is so important in stories about POC. I also love the fact Acevedo did not shy away from the idea of adding representation of dark-skinned women. Although I'm not much of a fan of books written in verse, I absolutely loved this book. It was one of my favourite reads of 2021. I would definitely recommend reading Clap When You Land.

Micah

You know when a book sees and reflects your feelings back to you so fully that you're convinced the author was spying on you while they wrote it? That's what this book is like for me. I'm not Dominican, or black, or any combination of the two. I am white, but I do know what it is like to find family you did not know existed before because of the actions of one or both of your parents. Elizabeth Acevedo captured the turmoil and fear that comes with trying to make connections with people that you should have known since birth.

In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives. Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people... In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal's office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance--and Papi's secrets--the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. Great for summer reading or anytime! Clap When You Land is a Today show pick for "25 children's books your kids and teens won't be able to put down this summer!" Plus don't miss Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X and With the Fire on High!

Rachel Evans

(4/5) Audiobook - 3 hours 42 minutes - This book was beautifully written, and I really appreciated this more than I would if I read a physical copy, since the audiobook voice actors were brilliant. The story was engaging and heart-breaking, and I loved seeing the way that one family could be so split and being able to see both perspectives. Not entirely sure why I didn't absolutely love it - maybe I couldn't quite connect to the characters or I found the plot slightly too lacking and insubstantial, but overall a good read.

Emelie

I thought the narrators sounded very aggressive for some reason.

Isabela H 

I'm getting more and more into books of this style and I really really appreciated this book for still having a compelling plot and characters because I've noticed that in poetry books similar to this one, there's often an overemphasis of the internal goingson of the narrator. While I do realize that that's often a stylistic choice, it's refreshing to have a diverse world and cast of characters rather than being limited to one character. 
The only reason why this book doesn't receive the full five stars is because it took a while for the book to take hold of me because I predicted a couple of twists that were supposed to be relatively surprising.

Jade

** spoiler alert **
           Clap when you land By Elizabeth Acevedo is a brilliant book period. I personally loved this book and I would highly recommend it, the reason I would recommend it is because even though I don’t share any troubles The characters in this book face with them I somehow understood completely how the characters felt and I think that that is an incredible thing to achieve when you are writing a book. I do have to admit that I was a little bit disappointed in the advertising of this book because this book was advertised as two sisters learning about their father dying and coming together to grieve but the two sisters didn’t actually find out about each other until halfway through the book and they didn’t meet each other until 80% of the way through the book. But this was not a bad thing, I personally very much enjoyed the full story even before the sisters had met each other but I think that this should not have been advertised as the sisters coming together to grieve because they didn’t meet until very very late in the book . this book was more about the two sisters dealing separately with the death of their father and then coming together and accepting each other and learning to care and love for each other and forgiving there father . Overall I loved this book and it moved me in ways not many books have .

Luc 

HOLY SHIT THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EMOTIONAL, WELL-WRITTEN, LAYERED, PURE, BEAUTIFUL BOOKS I’VE EVER READ

McKenzie McWhorter

Really beautiful and well written tale of grief and dealing with everything that comes with it. 
Acevedo wrote an incredible book full of beautiful quotes and poems. 
I enjoyed both girls stories and watching them work their way through a really difficult time and watching them overcome so much.

eve 

Beautiful and heart wrenching. Storytelling in verse is new to me but I enjoyed it very much. Amazing take on grief and secrets of the dead. Loved it. Not rating it as I rated With the fire on high because there was simply something missing. I think this was a book Elizabeth Acevedo needed to write and it went well really. It was about family, loss and the beauty and harshness of the world. Loved the theme of Ancestors and los espíritus. A quick read. Fav author. And it got me out of my reading slump!

Payton elizabeth fetner 

This book can be described as many other. It was just ok. I didn’t absolutely love it but I also didn’t hate it. It was very slow and I almost didn’t finish it. But if your new to the wonders of reading or want something easy to start reading again I would recommend it otherwise it’s a no.

Clap When You Land

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