With the Fire on High
by Elizabeth Acevedo
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award longlist title The Poet X comes a dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright. Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago's life has been about making the tough decisions-doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to show more everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it's not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free. show lessTags
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Member Recommendations
lottpoet Delicious is an adult romance novel with a magical element attached to the food cooked. There is a deep appreciation for food throughout the novel, from those consuming it to those creating it.
Member Reviews
Emoni Santiago has the opportunity to take a culinary arts class in her final year of high school.
This is a vivid look at Emoni’s world. It was particularly interesting to read a story about a teen parent which doesn’t focus on pregnancy or babies. Emoni has a two-year old daughter which affects so many things -- Emoni’s relationship with her grandmother, her finances, her hesitations about college and dating. But what drives this story is Emoni discovering how to approach her passion for cooking with discipline, and what that means for her future.
I try not to be self-conscious about how little Spanish I know, but some days it feels like not speaking Spanish automatically makes me a Bad Boricua. One who’s forgotten her roots.
show more But on the flip side, folks wonder if I’m Black American enough. As if my Puerto Rican side cancels out any Blackness [...] This stuff is complicated. But it’s like I’m some long-division problem folks keep wanting to parcel into pieces, and they don’t hear me when I say: I don’t reduce, homies. The whole of me is Black. The whole of me is whole. show less
This is a vivid look at Emoni’s world. It was particularly interesting to read a story about a teen parent which doesn’t focus on pregnancy or babies. Emoni has a two-year old daughter which affects so many things -- Emoni’s relationship with her grandmother, her finances, her hesitations about college and dating. But what drives this story is Emoni discovering how to approach her passion for cooking with discipline, and what that means for her future.
I try not to be self-conscious about how little Spanish I know, but some days it feels like not speaking Spanish automatically makes me a Bad Boricua. One who’s forgotten her roots.
show more But on the flip side, folks wonder if I’m Black American enough. As if my Puerto Rican side cancels out any Blackness [...] This stuff is complicated. But it’s like I’m some long-division problem folks keep wanting to parcel into pieces, and they don’t hear me when I say: I don’t reduce, homies. The whole of me is Black. The whole of me is whole. show less
Emoni Santiago, motherless teen mom and dearly beloved granddaughter, has to figure out a lot. She needs to figure out how to forgive, how to relate to, her babydaddy, Tyrone, the mostly useless sperm donor; her own father, Julio, whose absence rips her six ways from Sunday; her world, the world that sees her as a single mother who should've had an abortion so she could Make Something of Herself.
Her response? Preheat the oven, get out the flour, see what's in the fridge and make some dinner. Lunch. Bread (the recipe for which is now in my "ZOMG YUM" file). Emoni wants to feed people, all people, any people. Her career and her passion will always make sure she reaches for the spice rack whenever the world gets her down.
The antique wisdom show more that there is power in decision, boldness creates its own rewards, is made manifest in Emoni's ultimate choices as her high-school graduation nears. Her new squeeze, Malachi, has waved her off to a culinary adventure in Spain, been there when she returns, and been the kind of friend a girl can only dream about...no pressure to put out...but lots of hugs. (I myownself think the author does girls a disservice here, because if he's not asking you for it he's getting it somewhere.) Anyway, cynical aside notwithstanding, Malachi does give Emoni the most perfect prom memory I've ever read, one that made me sniff loudly and smile for hours afterward.
I love Emoni unreservedly. I will make Poet Acevedo's bread soon; I owe her that! Plus I am enamoured of her Spanish/Spanglish beautiful, beautiful sentences. I wish for your sake that you will meet Emoni and 'Buela and Babygirl, Angelica and Pretty Leslie and Mr. Jagoda, Julio and Ms. Fuentes as soon as you can. I dock a half-star for unrealistic expectations being raised, and for the w-bombs dropped, and for a certain...patness...in the story's tidy convergence on happiness. But these are tiny, tiny matter compared to the fact that I *read*a*YA*novel* and, moreover, LIKED IT.
Boldness does indeed create its own rewards. show less
Her response? Preheat the oven, get out the flour, see what's in the fridge and make some dinner. Lunch. Bread (the recipe for which is now in my "ZOMG YUM" file). Emoni wants to feed people, all people, any people. Her career and her passion will always make sure she reaches for the spice rack whenever the world gets her down.
The antique wisdom show more that there is power in decision, boldness creates its own rewards, is made manifest in Emoni's ultimate choices as her high-school graduation nears. Her new squeeze, Malachi, has waved her off to a culinary adventure in Spain, been there when she returns, and been the kind of friend a girl can only dream about...no pressure to put out...but lots of hugs. (I myownself think the author does girls a disservice here, because if he's not asking you for it he's getting it somewhere.) Anyway, cynical aside notwithstanding, Malachi does give Emoni the most perfect prom memory I've ever read, one that made me sniff loudly and smile for hours afterward.
I love Emoni unreservedly. I will make Poet Acevedo's bread soon; I owe her that! Plus I am enamoured of her Spanish/Spanglish beautiful, beautiful sentences. I wish for your sake that you will meet Emoni and 'Buela and Babygirl, Angelica and Pretty Leslie and Mr. Jagoda, Julio and Ms. Fuentes as soon as you can. I dock a half-star for unrealistic expectations being raised, and for the w-bombs dropped, and for a certain...patness...in the story's tidy convergence on happiness. But these are tiny, tiny matter compared to the fact that I *read*a*YA*novel* and, moreover, LIKED IT.
Boldness does indeed create its own rewards. show less
March 31
Well amazingly I just finished my 7th book of this month of confinement, and it went out with a bang. Acevedo's compelling story about a teenage mom in her senior year at a Philadelphia charter school, had me up during the night just to continue the narrative. Emoni Santiago has a gift with food, some kind of natural inclination to pick the right combination of spices to make a dish come alive. She would love to pursue this dream of being a chef; so when her high school begins a new senior elective on culinary arts, she has to get involved. This is a wonderfully sweet story of a young girl with a two year old, a passion for food, and the support of her grandmother, enough to enable her to have a chance at a the kind of life show more seemingly impossible. The narrative takes place during the course of one school year and includes memorable supporting characters, including her gay friend Angelic, and the new good looking transfer, Malachi. This novel was selected for the D.C. Reads program and hopefully will bring a new, larger audience to this talented author.
NYT
Emoni’s story is a gift especially to readers looking for a counternarrative to young mothers of color positioned as tragic products of family dysfunction. Some 20 years ago, that notion was popularized in Sapphire’s “Push,” and it has fermented in popular culture. While Emoni and her family have experienced pain, they are defined by resilience and perseverance. With its judicious depth and brilliant blazes of writing that simmer, then nourish, “With the Fire on High” is literary soul food.
Some lines:
The world is a turntable that never stops spinning; as humans we merely choose the tracks we want to sit out and the ones that inspire us to dance.
I scoop some fries into a carton. The salt crystals gleam on them like some rapper’s diamond-crusted chain.
The fake sweet smile she was wearing has cannonballed clear off her face into a pool of confusion. Is Malachi asking me on a date? In front of Pretty Leslie?
“This one, the real smile you have on right now. Almost as if you’re choosing to give a sunlit middle finger to this fucked-up world.” show less
Well amazingly I just finished my 7th book of this month of confinement, and it went out with a bang. Acevedo's compelling story about a teenage mom in her senior year at a Philadelphia charter school, had me up during the night just to continue the narrative. Emoni Santiago has a gift with food, some kind of natural inclination to pick the right combination of spices to make a dish come alive. She would love to pursue this dream of being a chef; so when her high school begins a new senior elective on culinary arts, she has to get involved. This is a wonderfully sweet story of a young girl with a two year old, a passion for food, and the support of her grandmother, enough to enable her to have a chance at a the kind of life show more seemingly impossible. The narrative takes place during the course of one school year and includes memorable supporting characters, including her gay friend Angelic, and the new good looking transfer, Malachi. This novel was selected for the D.C. Reads program and hopefully will bring a new, larger audience to this talented author.
NYT
Emoni’s story is a gift especially to readers looking for a counternarrative to young mothers of color positioned as tragic products of family dysfunction. Some 20 years ago, that notion was popularized in Sapphire’s “Push,” and it has fermented in popular culture. While Emoni and her family have experienced pain, they are defined by resilience and perseverance. With its judicious depth and brilliant blazes of writing that simmer, then nourish, “With the Fire on High” is literary soul food.
Some lines:
The world is a turntable that never stops spinning; as humans we merely choose the tracks we want to sit out and the ones that inspire us to dance.
I scoop some fries into a carton. The salt crystals gleam on them like some rapper’s diamond-crusted chain.
The fake sweet smile she was wearing has cannonballed clear off her face into a pool of confusion. Is Malachi asking me on a date? In front of Pretty Leslie?
“This one, the real smile you have on right now. Almost as if you’re choosing to give a sunlit middle finger to this fucked-up world.” show less
Emoni Santiago is a high school senior, raising her toddler daughter with her grandmother; Emoni's mother died when she was born and her dad lives most of the year in Puerto Rico, only coming back for visits in the summer. 'Buela is Emoni's de facto mother and support, along with her best friend Angelica, who has always had her back; the girls' friendship is as fierce and supportive as it can possibly be, and it's wonderful to see such a strong friendship in fiction.
Emoni has always had a talent for cooking - there's a hint of Like Water for Chocolate magical realism - so when a culinary arts class is offered for the first time at her school, she decides to take it, even though it includes a trip to Spain she doesn't think she can pay show more for. Emoni, who has already had to manage much more than most people her age, stretches even further this year, managing challenges from teachers, a (non-romantic) relationship with her daughter's father, a good friendship with Angelica, and worry about 'Buela - why so many doctor's appointments lately? - as well as ordinary senior year challenges and thinking about the future. There's a new kid in school, too, Malachi, who wants to be friends (or maybe more), but Emoni has learned to set boundaries and keep him at a distance.
This is a fabulous book. The first person voice is strong, unique, and realistic; Emoni's struggles are real, but so are the saves; the only criticism I have is that two-year-old Emma ("Babygirl") isn't much of a character, but that shouldn't deter anyone from picking up this book.
Quote
Sometimes focusing on what you can control is the only way to lessen the pang in your chest when you think about the things you can't. (28)
The toddler books all suggest moms practice direct and clear language, managing expectations, giving explicit instructions, et cetera. Sometimes I think boys are just like babies when it comes to something they want - and they need to be told no, firmly and without qualification. (84)
Where we come from leaves its fingerprints all over us. (87)
Some days, when my feelings are like this, like a full pot of water with the fire on high, I don't know what to cook. (91)
These teachers forget that I have to make hard decisions every day. That I've been doing that for almost three years and that I know when they are trying to convince me to do something they think is right without them knowing my situation. (133)
"I've had a lot of things to feel ashamed about and I've learned most of them are other people's problems, not mine." (153)
And I know the past isn't a mirror image of the future, but it's a reflection of what can be; and when your first love breaks your heart, the shards of that can still draw blood for a long, long time. (331) show less
Emoni has always had a talent for cooking - there's a hint of Like Water for Chocolate magical realism - so when a culinary arts class is offered for the first time at her school, she decides to take it, even though it includes a trip to Spain she doesn't think she can pay show more for. Emoni, who has already had to manage much more than most people her age, stretches even further this year, managing challenges from teachers, a (non-romantic) relationship with her daughter's father, a good friendship with Angelica, and worry about 'Buela - why so many doctor's appointments lately? - as well as ordinary senior year challenges and thinking about the future. There's a new kid in school, too, Malachi, who wants to be friends (or maybe more), but Emoni has learned to set boundaries and keep him at a distance.
This is a fabulous book. The first person voice is strong, unique, and realistic; Emoni's struggles are real, but so are the saves; the only criticism I have is that two-year-old Emma ("Babygirl") isn't much of a character, but that shouldn't deter anyone from picking up this book.
Quote
Sometimes focusing on what you can control is the only way to lessen the pang in your chest when you think about the things you can't. (28)
The toddler books all suggest moms practice direct and clear language, managing expectations, giving explicit instructions, et cetera. Sometimes I think boys are just like babies when it comes to something they want - and they need to be told no, firmly and without qualification. (84)
Where we come from leaves its fingerprints all over us. (87)
Some days, when my feelings are like this, like a full pot of water with the fire on high, I don't know what to cook. (91)
These teachers forget that I have to make hard decisions every day. That I've been doing that for almost three years and that I know when they are trying to convince me to do something they think is right without them knowing my situation. (133)
"I've had a lot of things to feel ashamed about and I've learned most of them are other people's problems, not mine." (153)
And I know the past isn't a mirror image of the future, but it's a reflection of what can be; and when your first love breaks your heart, the shards of that can still draw blood for a long, long time. (331) show less
5*
Elizabeth Acevedo has a way with words that sounds almost music-like. She narrates her own books and it's beautiful to hear the way she imagined her own story. Emoni, our main character, is a beautiful soul who loves to cook and loves her baby girl who she had at 16 years old. This offered a view into a life that I've never experienced and don't even know any of my students who have experienced it. It gave me a newfound sense of respect for those who have children at a young age and how much they try to overcome after having a baby. The difficult choices they have to make in order to guarantee that their children have the best life and everything that requires the parent to give up. But this story was so uplifting. It made me want to show more go in the kitchen and cook something. Or go a find a place that would serve up food as tasty as Emoni was creating. I will read anything that Elizabeth Acevedo puts out in the future! show less
Elizabeth Acevedo has a way with words that sounds almost music-like. She narrates her own books and it's beautiful to hear the way she imagined her own story. Emoni, our main character, is a beautiful soul who loves to cook and loves her baby girl who she had at 16 years old. This offered a view into a life that I've never experienced and don't even know any of my students who have experienced it. It gave me a newfound sense of respect for those who have children at a young age and how much they try to overcome after having a baby. The difficult choices they have to make in order to guarantee that their children have the best life and everything that requires the parent to give up. But this story was so uplifting. It made me want to show more go in the kitchen and cook something. Or go a find a place that would serve up food as tasty as Emoni was creating. I will read anything that Elizabeth Acevedo puts out in the future! show less
Emoni was only 14 when she got pregnant. Now three years later she is working hard to balance being a mom, finishing her high school education, and pursuing her love of cooking. She's a student at a Philly charter school and when a new student transfers in and joins her culinary arts class it throws her world off balance.
I adored Emoni's relationships with her Abuela who raised her, her best friend who has stood by her through thick and thin, and her daughter. Emoni is strong, prideful, ambitious, uncertain, and loyal. Her character was so well-developed that it was a joy to watch her discover her talents and opportunities.
“And sometimes focusing on what you can control is the only way to lessen the pang in your chest when you think show more about the things you can't.”
“the fear you have for someone else’s life always eclipses the fear you have for your own.” show less
I adored Emoni's relationships with her Abuela who raised her, her best friend who has stood by her through thick and thin, and her daughter. Emoni is strong, prideful, ambitious, uncertain, and loyal. Her character was so well-developed that it was a joy to watch her discover her talents and opportunities.
“And sometimes focusing on what you can control is the only way to lessen the pang in your chest when you think show more about the things you can't.”
“the fear you have for someone else’s life always eclipses the fear you have for your own.” show less
It took me a minute to read this. But only because I’m in a bit of a reading slump right now. Not because of anything the book itself did to cause that. I enjoyed this book a lot.
Very rarely do I read a Y/A book where the romance doesn’t completely take over the book. And while the romance was certainly a big part of this book, it wasn’t too much. She still had her passion for cooking, she still did what SHE wanted—what was best for her and her daughter—despite what the love interest, or anyone else thought of her. Her daughter was first in her world and I loved that.
Emoni was a great character with so much motivation. She was flawed, but you were always rooting for her, and Babygirl. I loved the conversations in this book. show more The author tackled a bunch of rough topics. And it handled them all beautifully.
I will definitely be reading more by Elizabeth Acevedo.
Oh, and btw, the audiobook was really good. The author did the narration, and her voice was so smooth and calming. I loved it.
Elliana Maselli
1st of December, 2020
11:05 AM show less
Very rarely do I read a Y/A book where the romance doesn’t completely take over the book. And while the romance was certainly a big part of this book, it wasn’t too much. She still had her passion for cooking, she still did what SHE wanted—what was best for her and her daughter—despite what the love interest, or anyone else thought of her. Her daughter was first in her world and I loved that.
Emoni was a great character with so much motivation. She was flawed, but you were always rooting for her, and Babygirl. I loved the conversations in this book. show more The author tackled a bunch of rough topics. And it handled them all beautifully.
I will definitely be reading more by Elizabeth Acevedo.
Oh, and btw, the audiobook was really good. The author did the narration, and her voice was so smooth and calming. I loved it.
Elliana Maselli
1st of December, 2020
11:05 AM show less
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Author Information
Elizabeth Acevedo is a Dominican-American poet and author, born and raised in New York City. She is a graduate of The George Washington University with a BA in Performing Arts and the University of Maryland with a MFA in Creative Writing. Her poetry has appeared in Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post and Teen Vogue. Her work includes Beastgirl and show more Other Origin Myths, The Poet X, and With the Fire on High. She received several awards for her book The Poet X, a 2018 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Michael L Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature, the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature, and the 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards
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Common Knowledge
- Original title
- With the Fire on High
- Original publication date
- 2019-05-07
- People/Characters
- Emoni Santiago
- Important places
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Puerto Rico; Sevilla, Spain
- Dedication
- For the women in my family, who have gathered me when I needed gathering and given me a launchpad when I needed to dream.
- First words
- Babygirl doesn't even cry when I suck my teeth and undo her braid for the fourth time.
- Quotations
- Black Like Me: I've lived my whole life having people question what race I am. In Fairhill [Philadelphia], we are mostly Spanish-speaking Caribbeans and Philly-raised Black Americans with roots in the South. (p. 68)
T... (show all)his stuff is complicated. But it's like I'm some long-division problem folks keep wanting to parcel into pieces, and they don't hear me when I say: I don't reduce, homies. The whole of me is whole. (p. 70)
Catharsis: I don't know much about pathogens and storing sugar, but damn if I don't know how to cook good food that makes people hungry for more, that makes people remember food is meant to feed more than an empty belly. It's... (show all) also meant to nourish your heart. And that's one thing you won't ever learn from no textbook. (p. 93) - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)With love & a sprinkling of cinnamon, always, E
- Publisher's editor
- Brosnan, Rosemary
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
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- Reviews
- 94
- Rating
- (4.24)
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- 7 — English, Finnish, French, German, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese (Portugal)
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 27
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