Shut Up, This Is Serious

WINNER OF THE PURA BELPRÉ YA AUTHOR AWARD

* A Morris Award Finalist * Parade Best Young Adult Books of All Time * Indie Next List Pick *

An unforgettable YA debut about two Latina teens growing up in East Oakland as they discover that the world is brimming with messy complexities, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Erika L. Sánchez.

Belén Dolores Itzel del Toro wants the normal stuff: to experience love or maybe have a boyfriend or at least just lose her virginity. But nothing is normal in East Oakland. Her father left her family. She's at risk of not graduating. And Leti, her super-Catholic, nerdy-ass best friend, is pregnant--by the boyfriend she hasn't told her parents about, because he's Black, and her parents are racist.

Things are hella complicated.

Weighed by a depression she can't seem to shake, Belén helps Leti, hangs out with an older guy, and cuts a lot of class. She soon realizes, though, that distractions are only temporary. Leti is becoming a mother. Classmates are getting ready for college. But what about Belén? What future is there for girls like her?

From debut author Carolina Ixta comes a fierce, intimate examination of friendship, chosen family, and the generational cycles we must break to become our truest selves.

Author: Carolina Ixta
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Published: 01/09/2024
Pages: 368
Weight: 0.9lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.90w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780063287860

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.2
Point Value: 13
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 522664 / Shut Up, This Is Serious


Award: 2025 Pura Belpre Award Winner - Y/A Author
Award: 2025 William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist - Young Adult Literature