The 24/7s are super excited to share the vibrant cover for Anna Lapera's Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice. Done by artist Rosa Colón Guerra, the cover art colorfully speaks to the main character Manuela "Mani" Semilla's Guatemalan heritage.
Anna was entirely pleased! She says; "The cover is as bold as the main character, Mani, herself. I love it so much. It transports me back to Guatemala and all of its stunning colors. And of course, I love to see a quetzal on any book cover! I think Rosa truly captured the whole vibe of this book."
Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice is Anna's debut MG, a contemporary story full of spunk that releases from Levine Querido on March 5, 2024. It's about a young girl who 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.
Newbery Medalist Donna Barba Higuera says of Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice: “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.”
Preorder your copy HERE.