Clap When You Land

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…

In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.

Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. {goodreads summary}

Clap When You Land is an emotional story with a lot of heart, and lyrical writing which flies off the page. This was such a delight to read. It's a perfect, bittersweet summer story that will have you longing for the beach and desperate to book a flight to the Dominican Republic. Acevedo brings her locations vividly to life, so that I felt like I was in a Dominican Republic summer rather than an English Spring. 

Characterisation is extremely strong. Camino and Yahaira have distinctive voices and I loved the way their stories intertwined. I was never disappointed when the viewpoint switched as they were both so brilliant and great to read about. Clap When You Land is a story about family, in all its complexities and different guises. Camino and Yahaira's Papi is a complicated character, who fills the book even though the plot hinges on his absence. He loves both of his daughters dearly, and they him. It is through losing him that they find each other. 

I've always found there's something incredibly accessible about verse novels, which helps them appeal to a huge range of readers. Even the most reluctant of teens will be sucked into this story and Acevedo's beautiful writing. The verse heightens the emotional impact of the novel, and this is a truly moving and wonderful story. I would recommend Clap When You Land to teenage readers without hesitation.