A review by claudiaslibrarycard
Aniana del Mar Jumps in by Jasminne Mendez

emotional hopeful informative sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Aniana del Mar Jumps In is a beautiful novel in verse that I could not put down. This middle grade title captured me with its depth of emotion and dynamic characters that will appeal to both young and older readers. At its core, this is a story of intergenerational wounds and disability. 

Aniana loves to swim, but her mother is terrified of the water. Because of this, Aniana's father takes her to swim practice in secret. And Aniana is an excellent swimmer, her medals are hiding in her father's tool box. But when her joints begin to swell and her secret is discovered, Aniana's world comes crashing down. 

Aniana has an adorable, silly little brother, a father in the Coast Guard, and a very religious mother. All of the characters and the family dynamics were made so relatable and fleshed out so well in very concise poetry. The mother-daughter relationship here is fraught, and the healing at the end is realistic, imperfect, and not oversimplified or trite. 

I am a sucker for novels in verse and I'm putting this one among the best I've read in the middle grades age group. I hope you'll read it as well!