December 11, 2023
Twelve-year-old Manula Semilla is worried; not only has her first period still not arrived, but she’s been constantly clashing with her mother. Their fights become more frequent when Mami plans a trip for Mani and her parents to visit family in Guatemala, even though Mani would prefer to spend time with her friend group, Las Nerdas. When an anatomy lesson at school goes awry, prompting unwanted attention from male classmates, Mani and Las Nerdas realize that certain boys’ harassment of their female classmates extends beyond their classroom. But what can Las Nerdas do about it? After Mani finds letters in the attic from her missing aunt addressed to her mother, she unravels the history of gender inequality in Guatemala and learns that her aunt was a journalist attempting to report on rampant femicide. Inspired by her aunt’s letters, Mani slowly drums up the courage to stand up against the school’s administration and their unwillingness to confront bullying. 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. Ages 10–14. Agent: Ellen Goff, HG Literary.
January 1, 2024
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. Manuela Semilla's grandmother is losing her memory, but she urges her granddaughter to find her "quetzal voice." Mani initially struggles to understand what Abuelita means, and why she's comparing her to a quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala, which, according to Mayan legend, hasn't sung heartily since before the Spanish invasion centuries ago. Mani, who's of Guatemalan, Filipino, and Chinese descent, sometimes feels torn between her family's opinions and what she wants to do as a contemporary American preteen, such as wearing clothes her mami deems immodest. Her adolescent angst--over everything from debating when she should speak up to fretting over not getting her period yet--is extensively and realistically conveyed. Teachers are condescending. Boys are mean if not outright abusive. Her mother is unfair for forcing Mani to visit Guatemala this summer. But after Mani finds letters from her late T�a Beatriz describing her bravery in speaking out about violence against women, she begins to observe a common thread between the injustices her aunt fought and the bullying and harassment that her school administration allows to escalate. Mani's feelings evolve into a firm resolve to help make things better. The second half of the story flows well, culminating in heartwarming moments of understanding between Mani and Mami, as well as actionable steps toward real, positive change. A poignant, feminist coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 10-14)
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from January 1, 2024
Gr 5 Up-Uncovered family secrets and a growing feminist consciousness propel a seventh grader to cause good trouble and start a school-wide revolution. Twelve-year-old Manuela "Mani" Semilla, whose parents are Chinese-Filipino American and Guatemalan, feels stuck in the liminal space between childhood and adulthood. Mani is desperate to get her period and to get out from under her overprotective mother's control. At school, quiet Mani and other girls are constantly harassed, assaulted, groped, bullied, recorded, abused, and humiliated. They're also blamed by teachers and the administration for bringing it on themselves, being liars, and overreacting. The discovery of old letters reveals a family history of feminist activism by women fighting against femicide in Guatemala. Tired of being silent and sick of double standards, Mani and her best friends, Las Nerdas, take action and speak up, demanding the right to feel safe. While grappling with her feelings over an upcoming trip to Guatemala, friendship missteps, and a growing interest in menstruation injustices, Mani turns her silence into a roar and leads the way for changing the school's culture of harassment to one of respect. 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. VERDICT 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.-Amanda MacGregor
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
March 1, 2024
Boys at seventh grader Mani's school have been assaulting girls in the "grope-'n'-go" social media challenge, and school administrators dismiss the boys' behavior. Overwhelmed with emotion in reaction to the situation at school, Mani can barely speak; when she learns that her deceased aunt and her own mother were feminist activists in Guatemala, Mani wants to find the strong "quetzal voice" her abuelita encourages her to have. As events escalate, Mani and her friend group, Las Nerdas, unite for a presentation to shake up the school. While the complexity, pervasiveness, and intensity of these topics could make the story feel overwrought, Lapera's writing shines in the rendering of connection and levity with friends and family. There are laugh-out-loud moments, from the everyday to the bizarre (e.g., stealing a used tampon in a misguided but well-meaning attempt to support a friend). There is inspiration and hope in the steadfastness with which Las Nerdas organize a protest against the harassment and within the stirringly written passages both in old letters from Mani's tia and in the support found with other students at school. 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. Amanda R. Toledo
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from February 15, 2024
Grades 6-8 *Starred Review* Timid Manuela "Mani" Semilla and her BFFs document in their "Nerdas Manifesto" notebook how they're the only girls in seventh grade without their period. The only way they can end the year on a good note is if they win the Speak Up social justice competition, which falls on Mani's thirteenth birthday--the day her mother wants the family to visit Guatemala. As Mani plucks up the courage to convince her mom to stay for the competition, other issues take flight at school. A group of boys attempts to rip Mani's bra off while recording it on their phones. A surge of energy prompts her to address the constant sexual harassment, which the administration resolves by accusing the female students of being provocative. It is during this time that Mani discovers letters from her aunt (who unfortunately disappeared) that demonstrate how activism runs in her blood. Mani will have to dig deep into her roots to embolden her voice and stand up to injustice. 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 to topics such as consent and the #MeToo movement.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
January 1, 2024
Boys at seventh grader Mani's school have been assaulting girls in the "grope-'n'-go" social media challenge, and school administrators dismiss the boys' behavior. Overwhelmed with emotion in reaction to the situation at school, Mani can barely speak; when she learns that her deceased aunt and her own mother were feminist activists in Guatemala, Mani wants to find the strong "quetzal voice" her abuelita encourages her to have. As events escalate, Mani and her friend group, Las Nerdas, unite for a presentation to shake up the school. While the complexity, pervasiveness, and intensity of these topics could make the story feel overwrought, Lapera's writing shines in the rendering of connection and levity with friends and family. There are laugh-out-loud moments, from the everyday to the bizarre (e.g., stealing a used tampon in a misguided but well-meaning attempt to support a friend). There is inspiration and hope in the steadfastness with which Las Nerdas organize a protest against the harassment and within the stirringly written passages both in old letters from Mani's tia and in the support found with other students at school. 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.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)