Estela, Undrowning

Written by René Peña-Govea 

*Publisher: Quill Tree Books

*Publication date: March 3, 2026

*Language: English

*Print length: 368 pages

*ISBN-10: 0063429950

*ISBN-13: 978-0063429956

*Reading age: 14 years and up

In her raw and resonant debut novel, René Peña-Govea seamlessly interweaves prose and poetry to uplift the power of language, the courage to fight injustice, and the complex beauty of finding your people—perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X and Carolina Ixta’s Shut Up, This is Serious. 

Estela Morales is one of the only Latinas who tested into San Francisco’s most exclusive public high school. In her senior year, Estela just wants to keep her head down, eke out a passing grade from her racist Spanish teacher, and get into her dream college. 

But after placing second in the Latiné Heritage Poetry Contest behind a non-Latino student, Estela is thrust into citywide debates about merit, identity, and diversity.

Things only get messier when her family is threatened with eviction. As Estela’s friends organize against bigotry and her landlady increases the pressure, Estela is suffocating and finds release only in poetry and in a breathless new romance. When tensions finally reach their breaking point, Estela must find a way to undrown the community she loves—and herself.

Review

"In Peña-Govea’s arresting debut, Estela contends with complex questions regarding love and sexuality, identity, and how to use her voice to enact change, she comes to understand the value of imperfection and growth. It’s both a poignant reflection on young adulthood and a joyful celebration of adolescence that challenges stereotypes and engenders hope." - Publisher's Weekly- starred review

"Hand this to teens hungry for realistic fiction with rich, complex characters, and multifaceted drama." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books- starred review

"Through a gorgeous blend of prose and verse, Peña-Govea delivers a timely and impactful story about personal growth and combating harmful systems of oppression that encourage self-hatred and racial in-fighting." - Booklist- starred reviews

"First-person narrator Estela’s intense, dramatic inner voice takes center stage, highlighting her angst and emotional extremes...The work asks poignant questions about bias, opportunity, and racial inequalities and explores techniques for supporting mental health." - Kirkus Reviews

René Peña-Govea is a Chicana writer, musician, and educator who was born and raised in San Francisco and still lives there with her family. She published her first poem and released her first album at age fifteen. Since then, she has been named an inaugural Bay Beats musician, a YBCA-100 Honoree, a Las Musas Hermana, a Brown-Handler Resident, and a Creative-in-Residence at the Ruby. René performs music with three generations of La Familia Peña-Govea and as René y Familia. Estela, Undrowning is her first novel.