Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice

by Anna Lapera

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. Manuela “Mani” Semilla wants two things: To get her period, and to thwart her mom's plan of taking her to Guatemala, a place that has always been more of a mystery than an answer. Mani can’t imagine leaving behind Las Nerdas, her band of misfit friends, for the summer. But after she finds letters written between her mother and her disappeared-journalist aunt, Mani’s idea of what it means to be a woman takes flight. Reading the letters reveals both the beauty of Guatemala and its history of violence against women, and slowly transforms Mani from quiet bystander into budding activist.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Feminism, Latinx, Young Adult, Juvenile

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Anna Lapera is a writer and educator based in the DC area. She comes from a Guatemalan mother and Hawaiian-Filipino-German father, and was raised all over the world.

She teaches by day and writes stories about girls stepping into their power in the early hours of the morning before the teaching day begins. She is a member of Las Musas, a 2022 Macondista and Kweli Journal mentee, and has received financial support from Tin House, Kweli Journal and SCBWI.

When she’s not writing or teaching, you can find her visiting trails and coffee shops in DC and Maryland, where she lives with her family.

Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice is her debut novel, and she’s currently working on a historical fiction young adult novel as well as a short story collection for the grown folks.

Reviews

[Tomes And Textiles]

Such a fierce and feminist middle grade read featuring GUATEMALAN REP!!

Mani was such a quirky and curious 13-year old who's just trying to find her way in the world, her place in her family, not go to Guatamala on a family trip, and get her period (this would be a lovely follow-up for middle grade readers of The Moon Within. I loved Mani and her friend group and how they questioned their school's mysogynistic dress code policies as they were harassed by the boys in the school. The history of the "missing women" of Guatemala and her late aunt's involvement in uncovering the story provided such a wonderful backdrop as well as a reflection to Mani's modern issues. Such an empowering read for middle graders everywhere.

[Emily McKee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book attempts to address a range of feminist concerns and issues. The list is too broad, however, causing it to read more as a manifesto than a novel. Had the author focused more narrowly on sexual harassment in school, and used a bit more finesse, the book could have attracted a broad audience. However, it is heavy handed and relies on shock value to press the message upon us.

Let’s start with the title. We have the unoriginal, formulaic: First Name, Last Name, Verb, Object (Merci Suarez, Magnolia Wu, Maizy Chen, et al.). The rest of the book proceeded as this title suggested, with an imitative plot weakly nudged along by a school social justice project competition and grand prize trip to New York. In case you don’t read many middle grade novels, the “school competition plot” is getting tired.

Mani has the wallowing, rumination thing down, which irritated me because I think it could encourage unhelpful/harmful thought patterns. For example:

“Life sucks when you’re twelve.” Hmmm, does it?! Girls in Afghanistan can no longer attend school past 6th grade or even speak in public, but let’s find out what’s wrong with this American tween’s life…

Mani desperately wants to get her period, (Umm, what?) and is struggling to speak up when she sees, hears, or experiences something wrong or that she disagrees with. And there is lots to speak up about: dress codes, conversation and attention on her developing body, how girls are asked to change diapers but not boys, sexual harassment at school, availability of period products for menstruators, reproductive rights, femicide, and the violence of manspreading.

The list of feminist grievances was interminable and relentless—which one are we supposed to focus on? In the last 25% of the books, the author settled on sexual harassment at school and how to report it. The descriptions of the sexual harassment were disturbing, vulgar, and uncomfortable to read—hand gestures, using the word “slut,” and groping. This is a worthwhile topic, but I wonder how many readers make it that far?

Nearly every teacher and school administrator (interestingly, almost all men despite it being a more female occupation) is apathetic and seems to be on the verge of burn out—throwing pencil sharpeners and saying things like “it sucks to suck.” Later Mani explains: “The common thread is boys and men…” Ouch…hope that doesn’t alienate any potential male readers.

Mani’s cool, older activist cousin, who wears a bra over she shirt, gets it. As does her one female teacher, Ms. Martinez, who happens to introduce the class to a student social justice competition/project called Speak Up (what a coincidence!) where the prize is a trip to learn more about how to be an activist.

There is heavy use of anatomical terminology like vulva, vagina, period. But the very frequent use of the word boob was irritating—to me the term is objectifying; I was surprised the opportunity to use the word breast was not taken.

Then we have poor Mani’s mother. She tries to help Mani choose clothes that hide her body and don’t attract the “wrong” kind of attention. Maybe Mani’s mom read the New York Times articles about all the pedophiles following little girls on Instagram, but what do I know? Unfortunately, in this book girls either wear long fundamentalist style skirts, or tight jeans and spaghetti strap tops. I feel like there might be an in between?

Also, unhelpfully, it is stated that after you start your period you can “get pregnant at anytime.” As if no other steps are required. I could see some uninformed girls feeling very stressed about that. There was also a lot of talk about virginity, which felt more PG-13 to me, and too mature for the youngest middle grade readers (keeping in mind that middle grade is ages 8-12).

Later Mani and her friends try to correct misinformation for a friend whose church has informed her that a tampon will make her lose her virginity. One of Mani’s friends replies, “If god didn’t want girls to lose their virginity, we wouldn’t be here.” Hmmm, okay, but I think the key word to focus on here is “girls,” as in children.

They fish a used tampon from the trash and take it to the school library to study, as if this will somehow prove that virginity is intact. This will probably be what I remember about this book.

Early in the exposition she discovers a letter from her late aunt, an activist in Guatemala—this piqued my interest, but stayed secondary to Mani’s mission to further feminist causes at her own school.

Lots of good stuff in here. But as a novel, I’m sorry to say, it just isn’t successful.

[cam]

what a lovely, funny book about a girl coming into her power and her voice! i appreciated so many things about mani, especially that it was sincere coming-of-rage book where mani begins to identify injustice not only in her classroom in the us but in her family history in guatemala. it's exciting there exists a sweet, silly book from the pov of a spunky brown girl about the interconnection of gendered oppression & our capacity to do something about it whereever we are. that is hard-won clarity and i think kids need to know their potential as political/cultural/social actors. it's also about mani coming to understand and forgive her mother (woof) & her dreams of her first period. all my sweet spots! yay for this book!

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved all the parts about the Guatemalan culture and smiled whenever someone said "Puchica." That being said there were some interesting parts that I wasn't kind sure about. What was up with the bathroom scene and the tampon?!?

[McKenna Deem · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 🦜/5🦜 (pretend those are quetzals)

This book is an incredible and heartfelt story about the coolest 7th grader you’ll ever meet - Mani Semilla. Lapera’s debut middle grade novel addresses so many issues while keeping it age appropriate and realistic.

I loved how Lapera interspersed some Spanglish moments to bring Mani, her family, and her history alive. She also never feared away from discussing anatomy, periods, assault, grooming, and so many other things that our up and comers are facing today.

Guatemalan/latino rep? ✔️
Nuances of immigration? ✔️
Difficulties of being of the 1.5 or 2nd generation? ✔️
Strong girls finding their footing? ✔️
Historical relevance? ✔️
Realistic depiction of middle school? ✔️
Definition of vulva? ❓

Please read this book yesterday.

[Ilana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book truly made me feel like I was back in school trying to find my voice. I felt for Mani and knew exactly how she felt throughout each instance and was rooting for her the entire time. This book is great for middle schoolers trying to find their quetzal voice and a must read!

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by her aunt, who was an activist in Guatemala, a 12-year-old finds the courage to stand up to rampant sexual harassment at school.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oof. I struggled to get through this. I appreciate the info about Guatemalan history/culture and rooting the story from a feminist perspective. Mani was almost unbearable, though, with her obsession over starting her period and becoming a woman, and her naïveté. Not much happened in the first 2/3 of the book to move the story forward, either, although the last third was satisfying.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh man. There was so much about this book I really liked. Mani is a likable character, and I think readers will really root for her and her friends as they find their place between childhood and growing up. I also think that many young readers will benefit from learning how Mani and her friends stand up for themselves and organize to take action against inequity. BUT, man oh man the pacing of this book was really off. I felt like I had been reading forever and ever by the time any of the main action actually started. I kept feeling like I should be nearing the end of the story when a new element would be introduced. It didn't even feel too long, necessarily, but the pacing didn't seem correct.
I was disappointed by that, because I think that might lose a few reluctant readers' attention as well.

[Marissa Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed with this BEAUTIFUl MG novel about bodily autonomy, Guatemalan revolutionary history, the ancestral ties that bind us, and finding your voice when it feels next to impossible. Adore Lapera’s writing.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Actual rating: 3.5 stars)
I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. While not a bad book, I still struggled to engage with the characters and understand some of the main character's motivations. I think the book's bifurcated focus brought the potential impact down. Ultimately it's fine.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a finalist for the Jane Addams Peace Award.

Chinese-Filipino-Guatemalan-American Manuela Semilla – Mani – finds navigating 7th grade very difficult. Her mother wants to take Mani on a trip to her homeland of Guatamala at the same time that she will compete in a school project/contest for a prize trip to New York City for the summer. To win this contest, Mani must rely on her “posse” of friends who call themselves Las Nerdas. In school, Mani often finds herself a target of a group of boys who bully boys and sexually harass girls without consequences from school administrators. Mani is left silent when she falls victim to one of their harassment stunts that is videotaped and uploaded online. After learning about her late Tia Beatirz’s work as a feminist journalist and more details about her death (Mami had kept this secret from Mani), Mani asks the other Las Nerdas to alter the direction of their project. When she gathers the courage to present their project, it “blows up” the school.

Debut author Lapera has woven quite the feminist book for tweens. NOTE: Latinos will not be surprised at the openness and focus on becoming a woman with your first period, however some conservative communities may not be as understanding of the open discussions about female sexuality that are held in the book. I found the first third of the book to be a bit tedious to read for all the backstory and detail; the second half went much more quickly as it was more about action. Another thing that will slow down readers is the use of Spanish words and phrases often within the text. A glossary of Spanish words and phrases in the book would have saved the time it took to look their translation up. Mani is a very likeable main character, although she seems deeply self-absorbed. She is fleshed out well, with all of the insecurities that tweens and young teens have, although I think Lapera went overboard with some of the self-questioning. The tension between Mani and her Mami felt real.

Fans of Aida Salazar’s The Moon Within will enjoy this one, as well.

Recommended for grades 6-9,

[SOYAMRG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a finalist for the Jane Addams Peace Award.

Chinese-Filipino-Guatemalan-American Manuela Semilla – Mani – finds navigating 7th grade very difficult. Her mother wants to take Mani on a trip to her homeland of Guatamala at the same time that she will compete in a school project/contest for a prize trip to New York City for the summer. To win this contest, Mani must rely on her “posse” of friends who call themselves Las Nerdas. In school, Mani often finds herself a target of a group of boys who bully boys and sexually harass girls without consequences from school administrators. Mani is left silent when she falls victim to one of their harassment stunts that is videotaped and uploaded online. After learning about her late Tia Beatirz’s work as a feminist journalist and more details about her death (Mami had kept this secret from Mani), Mani asks the other Las Nerdas to alter the direction of their project. When she gathers the courage to present their project, it “blows up” the school.

Debut author Lapera has woven quite the feminist book for tweens. NOTE: Latinos will not be surprised at the openness and focus on becoming a woman with your first period, however some conservative communities may not be as understanding of the open discussions about female sexuality that are held in the book. I found the first third of the book to be a bit tedious to read for all the backstory and detail; the second half went much more quickly as it was more about action.

Another thing that will slow down readers is the use of Spanish words and phrases often within the text. A glossary of Spanish words and phrases in the book would have saved the time it took to look their translation up.

Mani is a very likeable main character, although she seems deeply self-absorbed. She is fleshed out well, with all of the insecurities that tweens and young teens have, although I think Lapera went overboard with some of the self-questioning. The tension between Mani and her Mami felt real.

Fans of Aida Salazar’s The Moon Within will enjoy this one, as well.

Recommended for grades 6-9,

S.B.
Children's Literature Consultant

[Diane Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Recorded Books for the advance audio copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Is this what middle-grade books are like these days? If I could give this books 6 stars, I would. The only real reminder that this was a middle-grade book was the age of the characters. Many of the topics covered seem for more typical of YA books.

There is so much going on here--and much of it is presented in Spanish, which definitely added to the experience of the audiobook. Brilliant narration! It is definitely a coming-of-age story, a Mani and her friends are waiting to get their periods and become women. It is about the immigrant experience in America, as Mani's parents left Guatemala in search of safety, and she doesn't understand why she has to go back to visit. It is about life for girls in a middle school with a "boys will be boys" attitude, where girls are expected to take responsibility for stopping boys' unwanted attention by dressing and acting more modestly. And especially--it is about learning to stand up for yourself and things you believe in, as the girls prepare to enter an activism competition to learn how to change the world.

As Mani learns more about herself and searches for her "Quetzal Voice", she also learns more about her mother's past, and the aunt whom nobody speaks about. And much of this happens while she listens to Guatemalan recording artist/activist Rebecca Lane, whose music makes me wish I knew more Spanish.

This may be a book written at the middle-grade level, but it is appropriate reading/listening for anyone interested in these topics!

[Jamie Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manuela 'Mani" Semilla (12) is trying to find her 'quetzal voice' but she isn't sure what that is and what that means, at least not until she finds letters hidden in the attic from her dead Tia Beatriz about her journalism in Guatamala that led to her death. Bring a Chinsese-Fillipino-Guatamalan-American makes it hard for Mani to just be herself, not knowing when she should speak up, when she should be quiet, when she should fight, and when she should let things go. This teenage angst is only solidified by issues with her Mami - having to wear clothes two sizes too big to be more modest - to not getting her period yet, and dealing with the vile boys at her school. Sexual harrassment and abuse while being filmed is a common thing from these boys - being groped, having bras snapped and broken, gross social media posts made using a girls face - and the staff - male teachers and adminstration - don't take it seriously. With the looming trip to Gutamala Mani doesn't want to go on, she fights to try to make things right at school, like her Tia Beatirz and her Mami did in Guatamala, while putting her friendships and her education in danger. A feminst coming of age story that shows the right and wrong ways to do social justice. Mani, despite her struggling to find who she should be and what her voice should be is a dynamic character, surrounded by her Las Nerdas friends that are just as dynamic as she is. The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me, thus the four stars, but it picked up at the middle with more of the stories merging into a paralell of what was and what still is.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An upper MG book about feminism, puberty, activism and finding your voice.
🇬🇹
Mani Semilla has two goals: get her period and stop her mom from taking her to Guatemala for the summer. When Mani finds letters in their attic between her mother and her missing journalist aunt, she has more questions than ever before about her mother’s past. When Mani has to deal with bullying at school and puberty issues, she’s overwhelmed by all the ways she wishes she could use her voice, but is unable to. When Mani learns what activism is she finally feels ready to stand up for others and herself.
🇬🇹
What an important MG book. We need more titles like this in our school libraries. Fans of The Moon Within, Maybe He Just Likes You and Ultraviolet will connect with this #novel so much. So many of the stories are relatable and happened when I was in school and still happen today. Until someone speaks up, nothing will change. Thanks @annalaperawriter for using your quetzal voice.

CW: misogyny, sexual harassment, sexism, body shaming, dementia, grief, violence, unwanted touch, sexual assault, bullying, cyberbullying, gun violence (recounted), racism, death, war, medical content, xenophobia, homophobia, rape, religious bigotry, emesis, death of a parent

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'd think that in 2024, there would be more books about girls getting their periods. Or at least openly talking about it. But there isn't! Which is why I was so glad to have read Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice. And what a voice it was!

Full warning - there are some extremely cringe worthy moments in the first 70% of the book. It's like one embarrassing thing after another. Like you want to throw the book in another room and stop reading to end the embarrassment or discomfort. Because Mani hasn't found her Quetzal Voice yet (which is so realistic for middle school aged girls, it was uncomfortable to read her inability to speak up against the sexual harassment and assault that the middle school boys were doing but it was also 100% realistic in this setting), most of the first part of the book is spent enduring some terrible things that Mani other other girls have to go through.

But once she finds her voice? It's a beautiful thing!

So stick with it. I promise the ending is worth it. Periods and bras and tampons and female empowerment and speaking up against what's wrong. Fighting the patriarchy. It's a wonderful thing to have in middle grade fiction.

Age 10+ for mature themes and a tampon scene.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mani Semilla comes from a very conservative household. Her mother is very strict with her and Mani is finding it harder and harder to conform to her mother's expectations. She feels she's missing out on parts of life and learning that her peers are getting. Her close friends, also Latinix, are missing the same experiences and knowledge. When a class project forces Mani to loudly ask a male teacher where the 'vulva' is, it leads to some very unfortunate nicknames and bullying.

To make matters worse, Mani is being forced to leave school a week early to travel to Guatemala, her mother's home country. She's never been there and she would much rather win the school competition to a summer camp. The injustices at school, recently uncovered family secrets and her college-age cousin's recent experiences lead Mani to come up with the perfect project to help propel her team to the competition. She just has to convince her mother.

[libreroaming · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book that takes on too many issues without properly weaving them together. The strongest plot point was Mani reading letters from her Tia back in Guatemala, especially how she influences Mani's timid and passivity into action. Unfortunately, the various problems in the school from sexual harassment, period equity, teachers from hell that practice their own versions of sexism...all of it comes off jumbled. The repetition of Mani saying it is wrong but also not doing anything also makes the story feel like a slog.

Lapera's debut effort has a lot of good things that could have been expounded on, but the pacing was detrimental. For example, there were a lot of callbacks for Mani explaining her quetzal voice, repeating her family dynamics, etc. But for an important conversation, when Mani helps Genesis for the first time and the start of her activism, there is no direct dialogue but a summary of events.

[Kelly Dienes · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was fine, important message about how harassment should be taken seriously in middle schools and how victims shouldn't ever be blamed or shoulder the consequences.

and thank christ in heaven that i'm not in middle school in 2024. it was bad enough when it happened to me, i can't imagine the dread of being a victim to these humiliating tiktok challenges and whatever. i would have been a prime target for stuff like that. but i still had dial-up in middle school lol.

imo this book had one too many depictions of someone getting their first period where it's like full on soaking entirely through their clothes to the point of them literally sitting in pools of blood? haha. i think that's relatively abnormal

[Tim Hayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one starts out as a slow burn before the plot catches fire and pulls the reader into the conflagration. Some readers might get stuck on the early pages where the main character, a 7th grader, navigates the introspection that comes with a multicultural school, the initial phases of adolescence, the meaning of friendship, and a zesty family that strives to not make waves in their community. However, once Mani is inspired to become a "doer" she enacts that persona in the way only a 7th grader can with awkward grace. By the climax and conclusion of the story, most readers should be able to relate to Mani and her family and cannot help but become engrossed in the plot. If the reader is a middle schooler or knows one, this is a delightful read that builds hope.

[Carli · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Whew. The main character in this one, seventh-grader Mani, is a FORCE. Tired of her school leadership’s unwillingness to recognize sexual harassment and preferential treatment of boys at her school, Mani rounds up her friends to protest. Lots of talk in this book centers around women’s bodies, periods, and general misogyny. She also has a Guatemalan mother with a family history of trauma and an aunt who disappeared in Guatemala, so she has that side of things to deal with - not drawing attention to herself, not making herself known, etc. This is a wonderful book to recommend to budding activists and fans of books like Dress Coded and The Prettiest. Recommended for grades 6-8.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Mani's voice in this, it was very believable as a 12-year-old and what her concerns and fears are (even when as an adult I know how mistaken she sometimes is). I appreciated the depiction of the constant misogyny she is surrounded by, from teachers (coming down on the girls instead of the boys) to bullies (boys and girls) to even her parents (discussing her boobs and butt as if she isn't just sitting there), even though I hated it. And I appreciated her growth as she finds the way to find her own voice and fight the injustices she sees. But as an adult, I had to cringe as I knew what she needed to go through to get there.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much to love about Mani as she navigates that middle area where you’re not quite a kid or an adult. The “half-Chinese-Filipino-American half-Guatemalan” has her hands full in the months before her 13th birthday. And it doesn’t help that the teachers and administrators at her school exude a “boys will be boys” attitude when it comes to sexist micro (and macro) aggressions. Mani will inspire tweens and teens as she slowly realizes that she has the power to speak up and help lead change in the face of injustice.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important topic of sexual harassment and assault in schools and overall women's safety rights and health issues. This is a great book to help middle grade readers understand consent and assault. It will be uncomfortable for boys more for all of the period talk than the harassment, but hopefully that short bit of discomfort will help them understand how uncomfortable and unsafe their inappropriate actions make girls feel. I will be adding this title to my middle school library shelves.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this that made me cringe to read - the pubescent energy was just so high. But there were also parts that were really powerful, like when Mani and her friends take a stand in front of school administration. It took me forever to read because it felt like it was just trying to tackle so much on such a broad range - mother/daughter relationships, friend drama, puberty, femicide, sexual harassment, sexual assault, the immigrant experience - it was a lot.

[Alma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I understand the feminist storyline the writer wanted to share, along with the need for readers to understand middle school sexual harassment, but I thought too much time was spent describing what Mani couldn’t say. Read more on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mani Semilla does indeed find her quetzal voice, no thanks to her mother, who really actively worked against this while at the same time encouraging her to find her voice. Although the concepts in this book are really interesting, I found that the tension after each complication seemed to collapse, which caused me to have to mentally gear up again and again to continue reading.

[Kelly Peay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ultimately I thought two many issues were brought up - but I had just finished reading Holly Jackson’s As Good as Dead and connected that each of these books brought up the the fact that girls are often not listened to by people in authority. In each book, the blame was put on the girls whether it be the podcast they made or the clothes they wore.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD. This book perfectly captures all the complications and joy of middle school life, from the ups and downs of finding your place in shifting friendship and family dynamics to dealing with the changes in your body. Lapera manages to keep the book grounded in all the humor and hijinks of day-to-day middle school life while not shying away from some seriously tough topics. It takes a truly skilled writer to pull this off and she is definitely up to the task!!