Mendez, Jasminne. Aniana Del Mar Jumps In. Penguin / Dial, 03/2023. 384pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-593-53181-5. GRADES 5–9. OUTSTANDING.
This engaging novel in verse gives voice to Aniana Del Mar, a strong and believable twelve-year-old adapting to life with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. An array of symptoms and a controlling mother prevent Aniana from doing what she loves most: swimming. Beautifully rendered descriptions contrast the weight of Aniana’s condition with the weightlessness she feels in the water. Secondary characters are multi-dimensional and well developed, including Aniana’s feuding parents and her best friend, who has recently come out as gay. The story is set in Galveston, Texas; Ani’s family is from the Dominican Republic, and Spanish and English are woven together throughout the text. Mami and Papi are described as having brown skin and curls. The book offers a hopeful perspective without sugar-coating the challenges, making this a book that will appeal to a wide-range of readers, including those with chronic conditions.
Jenny Andrus—Independent