Emoni’s “No Use Crying Over Spilled Strawberry Milk” Recipe Emoni’s “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemon Verbena Tembleque” Recipe I loved his presence, however, his being the obvious ‘’love interest’’ did not add anything to the plot.

Malachi is an adorable guy, always kind and caring toward everybody.

Chef Ayden’s contribution cannot be undermined.

Angelica and her unwavering support for Emoni are simply precious.

Life would have been so difficult for the baby girl as well as Emoni had Grandma not been staying with them.

Grandma is Emoni’s pillar of strength.

And it is this love – Emoni’s love for her daughter that made me feel so warm and fuzzy. But you cannot stop yourself from admiring her.Īccepting the responsibility of raising a daughter and giving her the best opportunities is her priority now. She is passionate, driven, headstrong, brave, and just like every other teenager – a tad bit annoying. Emoni exploring her black – Puerto Rican ancestry and dealing with the loss of her mom, and the absence of her dad in life is also the focus of Acevedo’s writing.Įmoni’s food is a conglomeration of her personality, her heritage, and her emotions for her loved ones. Or maybe not.Īn opportunity is knocking at her door, and she has to gather the courage to fight for her dreams, set the fire on high, and start cooking.Įlizabeth Acevedo deals with the themes of teenage pregnancy and what it means to be a young mom. Maybe it is high time that she put her unrealistic dreams to rest. For starters, she is hard-pressed for time for her school’s new culinary art class, and if somehow that works out, there is no way she can afford the class trip to Spain. She pours her heart into everything she cooks and her food satisfies the soul of whoever eats it.Ĭaught up in the present circumstances, pursuing her heart’s desire seems next to impossible.

Emoni wants to be a chef more than anything.

It is where her heart sings and it is where the magic happens. The only place where Emoni feels free is her kitchen. But no matter how tough the going gets, she knows that what needs to be done needs to be done. Getting pregnant in high school, raising a daughter with her grandma’s help, and juggling school and work have pushed her ambitions into the backseat. A high school senior now, her struggles seem to never end. It’s also meant to nourish your heart.” – Elizabeth Acevedo, With the Fire on HighĮmoni Santiago’s life has been anything but easy. ” Food is meant to feed more than an empty belly.

With the fire on high elizabeth acevedo