“Clap When You Land” by Elizabeth Acevedo

In 2018, Elizabeth Acevedo took the stage as one of the most important new voices in young adult literature. Her first novel, “The Poet X,” published in 2018, was named by Kirkus reviews as one of best young adult books of the year. Her fourth novel, “Clap When You Land,” was published in May 2020. The book immediately garnered attention and awards for its treatment of tragedy and how teenagers can move toward forgiveness in the wake of a problematic parent’s death.

“Clap When You Land” is classified as a novel-in-verse as the story is told through short bursts of poetry. Told in dual points of view, Acevedo’s novel follows two girls who couldn’t be more different. Camino lives in the Dominican Republic with her aunt, who works as a doula and healer. Yahaira lives in Queens, New York with her mother and is a chess expert. Though the girls live miles apart, readers quickly realize they share a father.

Through family secrets and betrayal, the girls’ Papi had one wife in the States and another in his native island Dominican Republic. He fathered a girl with each woman, spending the bulk of the year in New York with Yahaira and her mother while giving his summers to Camino in the DR. Once they realize the other exists, the girls long to connect, but Camino’s neighborhood drama ignites their interactions with urgency.

Author Elizabeth Acevedo

Two months after 9/11, flight AA587, which was headed for the Dominican Republic, crashed in Queens. Since no terrorism was ever suspected, the crash was quickly forgotten. However, the event was memorable enough for Acevedo, who was 13 years old at the time, to base the inciting incident of “Clap When You Land” on the tragedy. Acevedo uses this real trauma to bring her strong teenage girls together.

While Camino and Yahaira didn’t know about each other, the previous summer, Yahaira had learned of her father’s other wife. This betrayal led her to cease all communication with her father, and their relationship deteriorated. Camino only learns of all the secrets after her father dies in the plane crash, but she’s desperate for any connection to Papi.

Acevedo identifies as Afro-Latina with Dominican Republic heritage. She has infused all of her works with strong young women who identify as the same. “Clap When You Land” is an excellent portrayal of the complications of loving and mourning someone who caused their family pain. Somehow, new love and new connections are made, and healing comes in the end, even to Yahaira’s mother, who was perhaps most betrayed in the situation.

Kirkus Reviews gives Acevedo’s novel-in-verse a standing ovation and suggests it for 14-18 year-old readers. All lovers of YA lit will enjoy this emotional, affecting story.