Mañanaland, by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Feb. 2, 2024, is Mañanaland, by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Presenting the winner, in 2024, of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award, Pam Muñoz Ryan. Presented each year by the Association for Library Service to Children, this award “honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to children’s literature through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences.”

This is a reading from Mañanaland, published in March 2020.

Maximiliano Córdoba loves stories, especially the legend Buelo tells him about a mythical gatekeeper who can guide brave travelers who are true of heart on a journey into tomorrow.

If Max could see tomorrow, he would know if he’d make Santa Maria’s celebrated fútbol team, and whether he’d ever meet his mother, who disappeared when he was a baby. He longs to know more about her, but Papa won’t talk. So when Max uncovers a buried family secret—involving an underground network of guardians who lead people fleeing a neighboring country to safety—he decides to seek answers on his own.

With a treasured compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and Buelo’s legend as his only guides, he sets out on a dangerous quest to discover if he is true of heart and what the future holds.
https://youtu.be/8TMCHOM-KuQ