The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez

The Story of My Anger

Jasminne Mendez

Penguin Young Readers Group · Print & ebook · September 16, 2025

A Young Adult pick for readers exploring The Story of My Anger.

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Who it’s for
A companion read with Caribbean and immigration textures, for when you want voice over mechanics.
Genres
Novels in Verse for Teens, Prejudice & Racism for Teens, Theater & Musicals for Teens
Published
Penguin Young Readers Group, September 16, 2025

About this book

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. 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.

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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.

Why It Works

A companion read with Caribbean and immigration textures, for when you want voice over mechanics.

Come here for

  • a YA companion with Caribbean and immigration signals
  • identity-forward reading, not a neat little plot machine

Expect

  • young adult framing
  • a sustained narrative read

Where it sits

Novels in Verse for Teens57%
Theater & Musicals for Teens57%
Prejudice & Racism for Teens44%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Theater & Musicals for Teens
  • YA Poetry
  • Prejudice & Racism for Teens
Authors
Jasminne Mendez
Publisher
Penguin Young Readers Group
Published
September 16, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Theater & Musicals for Teens