Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice

By: Anna Lapera

Narrated by: Allison Aguilar

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?

From debut author Anna Lapera comes Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice—a novel full of spunk and activist heart.

“Anna Lapera expertly voices a young girl’s middle school trials, 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

©2024 Anna Lapera (P)2024 Recorded Books

Representation matters; healed my inner tween

Let me start out by saying that in my 30 years, I never felt so represented in a story like I did with Mani Semilla. As a first gen, Guatemalan American daughter, I related to so much throughout the story and felt seen in ways I’ve never experienced in other books, even ones written by other Latinos. I have laughed, cried, and just felt so touched by all the cultural references and details that could only be expressed by another Chapina. I truly didn’t want it to end. Mani Semilla is a beautiful coming of age story that weaves together the themes of womanhood and social justice in a way that’s accessible to younger generations, while still being enjoyable for older women. Reading this was truly healing for my inner tween and I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy for my library. I plan to share this story with all the women in my family and beyond. Highly recommend

very high recommend!

Such a beautiful story - moving, heartbreaking, and funny - written with so much empathy and skill. Narration is pitch perfect. Very high recommend for young adults and adults alike. Incredible debut…cannot wait to see what Anna Lapera and Allison Aguilar do next!

Love it!

Love Mani! It is a wonderful story, and the narrator did an wonderful reading. Another author that is now one of my favorites.