PURA BELPRÉ HONOR BOOK • A powerful young adult novel-in-verse about a Texas teen battling racism in her theater program and book banning efforts by her town’s school board—from the acclaimed author of Aniana del Mar Jumps In.

A 2026 Américas Award Commended Title • An International Literacy Association Notable Book for a Global Society • Selected for ALA’s Rise: A Feminist Book Project List • Selected for YALSA 2026 Best Fiction for Young Adults List

Yulieta Lopez is angry. Angry at her racist drama teacher who refuses to cast Black students in lead roles. Angry at the school board threatening her favorite teacher for teaching works of literature that they deem “controversial.” Angry that she has to keep quiet until she can head to college and leave Texas forever.

Yuli is accustomed to playing various roles: the diligent daughter, the honorable hija, the good girl who serves everyone else before serving herself. But as the fire of Yuli's rage spreads and lights her up, she can no longer be silent. Determined to find a way to fight back, Yuli and her friends start a guerilla theatre club which stirs things up and gets people talking, and finally, Yuli steps into the role she was always meant to play.