The Orchid of Quetzalí

The Orchid of Quetzalí Synopsis

In the first story of this trilogy, we follow the life of Quetzalí, a girl living in Tactic, Guatemala, a place where Poqomchi' is spoken. She grows up helping her family in the market and working on her kemb'al, a backstrap loom. On weekends, they visit the Biotopo of the Quetzal, where they learn about the importance of this bird and the monja blanca orchid, both endangered. One day, soldiers deliver documents to her father that force them to leave their home. Devastated, Quetzalí prepares for a long and difficult journey north, leaving behind her house and her town. Before leaving, she decides to take the monja blanca orchid, hoping it survives the journey, symbolizing the beauty and hope she carries with her in search of a new life.

"Memory manifests in many forms, is stored in many ways, and needs to be cherished. But there is a memory we seldom talk about, our memory with nature, the one held by plants, birds, and the land. This book is about that connection with life, a memory and poetry of journeys. A brief story of Latin America, of migration and resistance, told from a mountainous Guatemala by a girl and her orchid."

-Julio Serrano Echeverría, Author of Balam, Lluvia y la casa / Balam and Lluvia's House

"Such a radiant and beautiful story of courage. It opens with an evocative setting and then the sudden struggle, but the family stays positive reflecting the resilience of nature-a great message for how we need to default to nature instead of war."

-Kerry Madden-Lunsford, Author of Ernestine's Milky Way

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