Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice

by Anna Lapera

Most Anticipated Middle Grade Reads of 2024: Teen Librarian Toolbox, School Library Journal

For fans of Donna Barba Higuera's Lupe Wong Won't Dance and Aida Salazar's The Moon Within comes Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice – a contemporary middle grade novel full of spunk and activist heart.

Life sucks when you're twelve. You're not a little kid, but you're also not an adult, and all the grown-ups in your life talk about your body the minute it starts getting a shape. And what sucks even more than being a Chinese-Filipino-American-Guatemalan who can't speak any ancestral language well? When almost every other girl in school has already gotten her period except for you and your two besties.

Manuela “Mani” Semilla wants two things: To get her period, and to thwart her mom's plan of taking her to Guatemala on her thirteenth birthday. If her mom's always going on about how dangerous it is in Guatemala, and how much she sacrificed to come to this country, then why should Mani even want to visit?

But one day, up in the attic, she finds secret letters between her mom and her Tía Beatriz, who, according to family lore, died in a bus crash before Mani was born. But the letters reveal a different story. Why did her family really leave Guatemala? What will Mani learn about herself along the way? And how can the letters help her to stand up against the culture of harassment at her own school?

P R A I S E

“Anna Lapera expertly voices a young girl’s middle school trials, but with a voice so unique and heartfelt you will be cringing one moment and cheering the next. She weaves a distinctive story filled with humor, family heartache, and secrets while a young girl releases the fear of her voice and grasps its power.”
—Newbery Medalist Donna Barba Higuera

★ “With strong writing, frank conversations about periods, anatomy, and bodily autonomy, plus dynamic characters, this solidly upper middle grade/lower YA story will empower readers, affirm their own middle school experiences, and show that people should be held accountable for the many daily offenses girls and women are subjected to. A powerful look at collective action that shows when we raise our voices together, we don’t just make noise—we sing. Not to be missed.” —School Library Journal (starred)

★ “Lapera’s debut novel focuses on the disparities against women, shedding light on the femicides occurring in other countries. Readers will root for Mani as she develops the courage to advocate for herself and other girls, even when it's frightening. A great introduction for middle-schoolers and tween readers on topics such as consent and the #MeToo movement.” —Booklist (starred)

“Using perceptive prose, debut author Lapera approaches Guatemala’s fraught history with care and respect, and lovingly spotlights the tension felt in the relationship between a protective mother and the daughter who seeks independence from her.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A poignant, feminist coming-of-age story.”—Kirkus
“Lapera’s writing shines in the rendering of connection and levity with friends and family. There are laugh-out-loud moments, from the bizarre to the everyday. There is inspiration and hope … Amid the frankness about challenging topics, readers will also encounter warmth and a pervading sense of capability and inner strength in finding their own voices.”
—Horn Book

“This impressive debut will make you laugh, cheer, and stand up on the nearest table to protest injustice, probably all before you finish chapter one.” —LitHub

“A beautifully told, poignant story about courage and the power of tradition. Maní’s newly discovered voice will inspire all of us to find our own way to speak out against oppression.""
—Award-winning author Francisco X. Stork