“Messily human and sincerely insightful.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World is a joyous and heartrending exploration of grief, love and queer belonging.” — Shelf Awareness Pro

“This emotional rollercoaster is buoyed by hope, swoonworthy kisses, and exquisite characterization.” — School Library Journal, starred review

“Sáenz himself is something of a cartographer, drawing an intricate map of the human heart. The result is a brilliant, character-driven novel that challenges its readers themselves to think about life while falling in love with those two unforgettable characters, Aristotle and Dante.” — Booklist, starred review

“In Sáenz’s careful, poetic hands and Ari’s stubborn, searching voice, the narrative follows the Mexican American couple as they “map out a new world” together, navigating desire, homophobia, racism, sexism, how to be a man without succumbing to toxic masculinity, how to cope with loss without giving in to grief, what it means to have—and be—a good teacher, and, fundamentally, how to love and be loved.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“The epic queer love story that’s been nine years in the making is worth the wait.” — Entertainment Weekly

“Sáenz once again applies wisdom and humor to familiar themes such as forgiveness and redemption, the value of teachers and mentors, and the definitions of valor and manhood.” — Horn Book Magazine

Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an author of poetry and prose for adults and teens. He was the first Hispanic winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and a recipient of the American Book Award for his books for adults. He is the author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, which was a Printz Honor Book, the Stonewall Award winner, the Pura Belpré Award winner, the Lambda Literary Award winner, and a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, and its sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World. His first novel for teens, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second book for teens, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Southwest Book Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He lives in El Paso, Texas.