Aniana del Mar Jumps In

January 1, 2023
Grades 4-8 If Ani could become a dolphin and live in the water for the rest of her life she would, but she and Papi have been keeping her swimming practices a secret from Mami. Her mother still hasn't healed from losing someone close to her many years ago, and she's afraid that the water will betray her again. When Ani experiences increasing joint pain to the point that she can no longer move, the secrets come spilling out. After receiving a diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, she is forbidden from swimming. Ani starts to feel her happiness slowly drain from her body, but if she is ever to swim again, she must regain her strength both physically and mentally. Aniana del Mar Jumps In is a story of love, loss, and growth that explores how our actions can unintentionally harm those who we love, how we learn to heal from that pain, and how we grieve not only those who we've lost but the people we once were, as well as embracing who we are becoming.

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Starred review from January 30, 2023
In Galveston, Tex., 12-year-old Aniana del Mar loves to swim: “All I want/ is to/ slip/ slide/ drift/ glide.” During daddy-daughter dates, she and Papi head to the YMCA for swim practice and meets, but the two keep these events secret from Mami, who still grieves losing “her brother/ her house and/ her village” as a child during Hurricane Georges, and regularly fears the worst for her family. But everything comes crashing down when Ani’s occasional post-exercise aches and swelling intensify into chronic pain, “statue-stiff/ mornings and clumsy/ collapses,” and a diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Religious Mami believes that God is punishing Ani for keeping secrets and lies with her father, and, in spite of the physical therapist’s recommendation otherwise, bans all swimming. Ani meanwhile feels abandoned by Papi, who’s frequently away working for the Coast Guard. Via myriad poetic forms and sensorial verse, Mendez viscerally details the emotional family tumult of grief, mistrust, and resentment alongside Ani’s heartfelt quest to reunite with water. Back matter details poetic forms used and notes that Mendez, like Aniana, is Dominican American and lives with chronic illness and disability. Ages 8–12. Agent: Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary.

Starred review from March 1, 2023

Gr 5-9-Acclaimed Dominican American poet Mendez's novel in verse centers around the coming-of-age struggles of a Latinx tween pushing against the expectations of a strict (and loving) family, while also figuring out her identity as an athlete with chronic illness. Aniana and Papi keep a secret from conservative Mami-instead of attending church on weekdays, the pair go to the YMCA where Ani is excelling at swimming. When the Afro-Dominican girl can barely get out of bed because of pain in her body, their secret is out, and Aniana is diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Convinced it's a punishment from God for lying, Mami forbids her from swimming. When Papi is away because of his work with the Coast Guard, Ani begins to pull away from him, too. Mendez never passes judgment on Ani's parents. Her mother's fears come from the traumatic death of Mami's twin brother during a hurricane, and she found comfort in religion during a bout of postpartum depression. A near-tragedy finally unites them, and the realistic conclusion will satisfy readers. Multidimensional characters and the time-honored conflict between daughters and their mothers will ring true. Spanish and English are often used interchangeably in Ani's conversations with her parents, and details about the Dominican Republic further add authenticity to the work. Mendez uses concrete poems, haiku, and tanka throughout to narrate this accessible story of forgiveness. VERDICT The nuanced depiction of disability, intergenerational conflict, and family trauma make this a must-have for all middle grade shelves.-Shelley M. Diaz

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2023
Aniana (Ani) del Mar lives on the Gulf Coast in ­Galveston, Texas, and the pull of the ocean is in her blood. But she must keep her passion for swimming secret from her devout Dominican mother, who lost a twin brother to a hurricane and deeply fears the water. A loving father, a preschool-age sibling, and a steady best friend help Ani keep her balance -- most of the time. But when she begins to suffer pain and swelling and is diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, she questions everything -- her gift for swimming, her family relationships, and her own identity. Incorporating some Spanish words and phrases, Mendez weaves together free-verse poetry, concrete poems, haiku, tanka, and even texting and dialogue poems to capture character voice and emotion and propel the story forward. She uses the shape and structure of the poem on the page to add weight to the text, as when "New Ani" offers a list of ways in which the character feels she has changed and has come to accept herself. The story moves quickly as Ani competes in swimming and keeps it secret, then bogs down a bit as she grapples with her illness, but the poetry keeps the plot afloat as we engage with Ani in her struggles. Sylvia Vardell

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from January 15, 2023
A talented Dominican American swimmer fights to keep doing what she loves. Twelve-year-old Aniana del Mar lives up to her name: Living on the island of Galveston, Texas, the water feels like home. But that's a secret she keeps with her easygoing Papi, who sneaks her to the YMCA for swim practice and meets. Mami discourages Ani from swimming; after witnessing her own brother's drowning during a hurricane, Mami is terrified of losing Ani and her 4-year-old brother, Matti, too. When Ani can no longer hide the joint swelling that plagues her when she overexerts herself, however, her secret's out. Mami, who belongs to a strict Christian church, is furious, insisting that Ani's juvenile idiopathic arthritis is God's punishment for lying. Though Ani's physical therapist endorses swimming, Mami bans Ani from the water she craves. As her family's bonds fray, Ani grapples with the challenges of invisible illness, including loss of bodily autonomy and others' lack of understanding. Incorporating concrete poems, haiku, and tanka, Ani's aching, determined verse narration weaves English and Spanish words into striking imagery as she navigates tumultuous emotions and her loving but stifling relationship with Mami. Mendez, also disabled and Dominican American, explores post-traumatic stress and its effects with both compassion and honesty, respecting Mami's trauma without diminishing the pain her overprotectiveness causes Ani. Religious belief is similarly represented with nuance. Supportive, diverse secondary characters add warmth. A painful yet hopeful exploration of family, trauma, faith, and healing. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-13)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2023
Aniana (Ani) del Mar lives on the Gulf Coast in Galveston, Texas, and the pull of the ocean is in her blood. But she must keep her passion for swimming secret from her devout Dominican mother, who lost a twin brother to a hurricane and deeply fears the water. A loving father, a preschool-age sibling, and a steady best friend help Ani keep her balance -- most of the time. But when she begins to suffer pain and swelling and is diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, she questions everything -- her gift for swimming, her family relationships, and her own identity. Incorporating some Spanish words and phrases, Mendez weaves together free-verse poetry, concrete poems, haiku, tanka, and even texting and dialogue poems to capture character voice and emotion and propel the story forward. She uses the shape and structure of the poem on the page to add weight to the text, as when "New Ani" offers a list of ways in which the character feels she has changed and has come to accept herself. The story moves quickly as Ani competes in swimming and keeps it secret, then bogs down a bit as she grapples with her illness, but the poetry keeps the plot afloat as we engage with Ani in her struggles.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)