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!

Love, love, LOVED this book. It was such a delightful little read that felt really true to the experience of being a prebuscent girl on the verge of entering their teenage years. Although I don't come from an ethnic background, there were so many things I could recognize in the main characters experience including the casual and everyday misogynie from your peers and adults around you. The frustration, the inherent sense of injustice, the insecurity and not knowing how to speak up.
I highly recommend it to everyone. Such a lovely read. I'm so happy I got to experience this book

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.

This was a powerful book about the importance of speaking up. I was captivated by Mani's struggle in a school trapped in sexist oppression. Mani is an extremely brave young woman, and her courage will inspire others to be brave too. I also loved how the book strived to destigmatize having a period.

I absolutely adored this book. Lapera masterfully created a beautiful relatable main characters that so many young girls will relate to, especially Hispanic kiddos. Everything about this book felt so real and grounded. The narrator did a phenomenal job and I think that’s what really pushed this book to be 5 stars, she took already great dialogue and made it even better. Mani was brought to life through her.

Such a great middle grade book for kids.

I used to love Judy Blume, and the best part of her books was how relatable her characters were. This book feels like a modern Hispanic Judy Blume book because it deals with a likable young girl growing into her own and learning to feel her way around her world. This little girl has so much power! And her life situations, such as her experiences with family and school, felt so real. By the time I was done with the book, I felt like I was really going to miss Mani. The narrator tells the story in a fun way.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

I adored this audiobook! I was interested in reading it because my son was adopted from Guatemala and we've been to the country several times. The book is about so much more than a family with ties to Guatemala and their planned return trip to visit. I fell in love with the characters in the story right away and the narrator did such a brilliant job. The talented narrator's performance helped bring the dialogue and story to life, which was already written so well. I thought, this book could be, Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret, of our time.