Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora

by Saraciea J. Fennell (Editor)

Overview

Celebrating Diverse Voices: An Insightful Exploration of Latinx Identity

Dive into Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed, a thought-provoking anthology filled with enlightening essays and vivid narratives from the heart of the Latinx diaspora.

Handpicked by the founder of The Bronx Is Reading, Saraciea J. Fennell, this compilation is a powerful examination of the diverse aspects of Latinx identity, with a spotlight on prevailing myths and misconceptions.

Extracting hard-hitting themes of reality, these words echo with stories ranging from personal tales of love and grief, cultural memories forged in kitchens, serenades of ghost stories, tales of travels, intricate dialogues on identity, addiction, racism and anti-Blackness.

The bestselling and award-winning contributors include Elizabeth Acevedo, Cristina Arreola, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Naima Coster, Natasha Diaz, Saraciea J. Fennell, Kahlil Haywood, Zakiya Jamal, Janel Martinez, Jasminne Mendez, Meg Medina, Mark Oshiro, Julian Randall, Lilliam Rivera, and Ibi Zoboi.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250763433
Publisher:	Flatiron Books
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	194,784
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Saraciea J. Fennell is a Black Honduran American writer, founder of The Bronx is Reading, and creator of Honduran Garifuna Writers. She is also a book publicist who has worked with many award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors. Fennell is board chair for Latinx in Publishing Inc., as well as on the Advisory Board of People of Color in Publishing. She lives in the Bronx with her family and dog, Oreo.


Contributors: Elizabeth Acevedo, Cristina Arreola, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Naima Coster, Natasha Diaz, Saraciea J. Fennell, Kahlil Haywood, Zakiya Jamal, Janel Martinez, Jasminne Mendez, Meg Medina, Mark Oshiro, Lilliam Rivera, Julian Randall, Ibi Zoboi

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Eres Un Pocho Mark Oshiro 1

The Price of Admission Naima Coster 19

Caution Song Natasha Diaz 31

The Mark of a Good Man Meg Medina 35

#Julian4Spiderman Julian Randall 55

Half In, Half Out Saraciea J. Fennell 73

Haitian Sensation Ibi Zoboi 89

The Land, The Ghosts, And Me Cristina Arreola 99

Paraíso Negro Kahlil Haywood 111

Cuban Imposter Syndrome Zakiya N. Jamal 135

More than Nervios Lilliam Rivera 157

Alaiyo Jasminne Mendez 169

Invisible Ingrid Rojas Contreras 193

Abuela's Greatest Gift Janel Martinez 215

A Mi Orden: A Meditation on Dichos Elizabeth Acevedo 233

About the Authors 243

Acknowledgments 251

Editorial Reviews

A Must-Read Book of the Year (Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Oprah.com, Glamour, Refinery29, Good Morning America, HipLatina, New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Latino Book Review, Al Día, Be Latina, Bustle, PopSugar, and more)!

An Indie Next Pick
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year

“A standout . . . an inspiring book for those who will see their own struggles with identity and belonging reflected within these pages. Above all, it is a book that will make many feel seen, heard and empowered.” —Reyna Grande, San Francisco Chronicle

“A beautifully edited collection of reflections on the Latinx diaspora. With writers like Naima Coster, Kahlil Haywood, and Lilliam Rivera, it highlights a vast variety of identities and writing styles.” —Elle

“The Bronx Is Reading founder has compiled an anthology of original nonfiction revealing a vast spectrum of Latinx experiences.” —The New York Times

“In a time when far too many Latinx authors, among other writers of color, are too often overlooked, Fennell’s poetic anthology collection not only tells authentic stories but does away with the monolithic definition of Latinidad we’re often accustomed to seeing. It instead speaks to the wide-range of diversity that very much exists within Latinx culture while amplifying the voices and the stories that often aren't given the attention they deserve.” —POPSUGAR Latina

“Saraciea J. Fennell is making history in the Latinx community by creating spaces to share Latinx literature and to spread literacy, both in her own community in the Bronx and beyond. Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed showcases the richness of the community, exploring everything from Afrolatinidad to her own Garifuna (indigenous Honduran) heritage.” —Angie Cruz, Good Morning America

“[An] anthology we’d gladly wait all year for. In fifteen works of poetry and essays—from tales of the supernatural to takedowns of anti-Blackness—this collection offers something for just about every kind of reader.” —Harper’s Bazaar

“Intimate, joyful. . . This groundbreaking anthology offers readers a vibrant tapestry that highlights and celebrates the richness and diversity of the Latinx and Afro-Latinx diaspora (a population often left out of discussions of Latinx identity).” —SELF Magazine

“Poignant. This book challenges stereotypes and myths about Latinx communities.” —Refinery29

“A powerful anthology of diverse Latinx voices.” —HipLatina

“Exquisitely curated . . . With its inclusion of historically underrepresented Latinx voices, including Afro-Latinx, Caribbean, and Central American perspectives, the book uplifts and celebrates breadth and diversity within a broader community. A standout array of talent.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This anthology will help young people gain the confidence to use their own ‘wild tongues,’ gnash their sharp teeth, and liberate their fierce hearts. . . . Unique, beautiful, and inspiring, this essay collection is a must-purchase.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed offers a wide scope of personal essays ranging in narrative voice and structure, the stories unflinching in their earnestness but also filled with music and food and joy. This collection is necessary reading. A remarkable collection of essays depicting the joys and sorrows of the Latinx diaspora.” —Shelf Awareness

“Tremendously thought-provoking . . . an impressive roster of voices from an array of cultural backgrounds claimed and unclaimed. The contradictions and interplays that emerge between essays serve to illuminate the immeasurable realities of the Latinx diaspora.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Candid . . . nuanced . . . Each theme is worthy of its own volume, but the standout is undeniably colorism, a crucial topic within the Latinx community, herein brought to light with strength and vulnerability. The deeply personal approach of each contributor will connect with readers of all backgrounds and empower those seeking to define their own experiences.” —Booklist

“A thought-provoking collection of literary essays from 15 Latinx authors touching on identity, ghosts, music, sexuality, and more.” —Zibby Owens, Katie Couric Media

“This wonderful and deeply personal look into 15 experiences from the Latinx diaspora will give readers plenty to think about and will surely make many readers feel seen and understood as they encounter authors whose lives, feelings, and experiences echo their own. A great collection.” —Teen Librarian Toolbox

From the Publisher

★ 10/04/2021

In her introduction to this exquisitely curated nonfiction YA anthology, editor/contributor Fennell writes, “Too often individuals from the Latinx diaspora are placed into a box, into stereotypes, that society deems necessary to define us. But we are so much more than the myths, than the stereotypes, than what white people and Western ideals, want us to believe.” Featuring 15 personal essays and poems from members of the Latinx diaspora, including Elizabeth Acevedo, Meg Medina, and Ibi Zoboi, this anthology not only presents newer voices alongside “old favorites” but also dismantles the idea that there is a single way to express one’s Latinx identity or to write about diasporic experiences. From Mark Oshiro’s skillful use of repetition and second-person narration in “Eres un Pocho” to the visceral, sharp-edged free verse of Natasha Diaz’s “Caution Song,” each contributor experiments with structure, narration, and language to candidly explore the complexities of identity and culture. With its inclusion of historically underrepresented Latinx voices, including Afro-Latinx, Caribbean, and Central American perspectives, the book uplifts and celebrates breadth and diversity within a broader community. A standout array of talent. Ages 12–up. Agent: Patrice Caldwell, New Leaf Literary & Media. (Nov.)■

Publishers Weekly

★ 02/04/2022

Gr 9 Up—A collection of 15 incisive entries by authors from the Latinx diaspora that will resonate with readers long after the last page is turned. The authors featured hail from Panama, Haiti, Mexico, Cuba, and more, and the topics covered include family identity, grief, immigration, and irreparable loss. The heartbreaking essays delve into the racism that exists against Afro-Latinxs, the desire to seek acceptance from those who will never give it, the pursuit of a past that is now only accessible through memories, and the unbearable pressure of trying to keep one's mental health from shattering. Among the heartache, readers will also find inspiration to seek out who they are, accept and embrace their roots, push away the people and thoughts that are causing them harm, and control who they want to be. This anthology will help young people gain the confidence to use their own "wild tongues," gnash their sharp teeth, and liberate their fierce hearts. Short biographies about contributing authors, including Elizabeth Acevedo, Ibi Zoboi, and Julian Randall, are also included. VERDICT Unique, beautiful, and inspiring, this essay collection is a must-purchase for young adult collections in school and public libraries.—Selenia Paz

School Library Journal

The collection contains 15 essays that contemplate ethnicity, race, and culture and how these affected the authors’ identities. The individual stories are narrated mostly by their authors, a choice that allows listeners to feel as though the authors are speaking directly to them. Topics include Ibi Zoboi’s account of where Haitians fit into the pecking order of her Brooklyn neighborhood when she was growing up and Janel Martinez’s descriptions of gifts passed down from her Honduran abuela. The authenticity and emotion in the narrators’ voices will appeal even to those who may not understand the occasional Spanish word or phrase. Through this audiobook listeners will discover that the Latinx diaspora is much more diverse than they realized while at the same time showing them parallels to their own lives. E.J.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2022 - AudioFile

The collection contains 15 essays that contemplate ethnicity, race, and culture and how these affected the authors’ identities. The individual stories are narrated mostly by their authors, a choice that allows listeners to feel as though the authors are speaking directly to them. Topics include Ibi Zoboi’s account of where Haitians fit into the pecking order of her Brooklyn neighborhood when she was growing up and Janel Martinez’s descriptions of gifts passed down from her Honduran abuela. The authenticity and emotion in the narrators’ voices will appeal even to those who may not understand the occasional Spanish word or phrase. Through this audiobook listeners will discover that the Latinx diaspora is much more diverse than they realized while at the same time showing them parallels to their own lives. E.J.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2022 - AudioFile

2021-07-13
Fifteen Latinx writers lend their voices and experiences to acutely personal narratives and poetry.

In her introduction, editor and contributor Fennell provides a mission statement, one centered on “letting our truths run wild, and pushing against whatever it is you think is the ideal Latinx individual.” The truth, it seems, is undefinable and utterly human, with recurring themes cropping up throughout the collection: questions around mental health in Latinx communities, colorism and racism, the boundaries of language (known and unknown), and finding comfort and familiarity in food. Mark Oshiro’s “Eres Un Pocho” opens the anthology with an interrogation of what “it means to be Latino, what it means to be queer,” and the drawbacks of assimilation. In Meg Medina’s “The Mark of a Good Man,” the heartbreaking tale of a Cuban uncle’s arrival in the U.S. underscores the potency of migration and the limits of the American dream. Meanwhile, Kahlil Haywood’s “Paraíso Negro” recounts the writer’s numerous trips to Panama and a slow examination of Afro-Latinx identity, while Ibi Zoboi’s “Haitian Sensation” complicates and explores what it means to be Haitian, Black, and perhaps (not) Afro-Latina. This volume presents an impressive roster of voices from an array of cultural backgrounds claimed and unclaimed. The contradictions and interplays that emerge between essays serve to illuminate the immeasurable realities of the Latinx diaspora.

A tremendously thought-provoking (re)construction of Latinx experiences. (about the authors) (Nonfiction anthology. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews