Mañanaland

Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Mañanaland, published in 2020 by Scholastic Press, is a coming-of-age novel for middle-grade readers. It’s a timeless legend about seeking answers to life’s mysteries, seeking adventure, and helping people escape hardship to find a better future.

Mañanaland won the 2021 Horace Mann Upstanders Children’s Book Award, was a 2020 International Latino Book Award, and was recognized as one of the best books of 2020 by the New York Times, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly. Other works by this author include Esperanza Rising, Becoming Naomi León, and Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs.

Plot Summary

Mañanaland is divided in three sections: “Yesterday,” “Today,” and “Tomorrow.” This passage of time marks Max’s spiritual growth as his journey teaches him about himself and the world around him. The story is set in the village of Santa Maria, where legends come to life. A stone tower called La Reina Gigante (Giant Queen) sits on a cliff and watches over the village.

Protagonist Maximiliano “Max” Córdoba will soon be turning 12. He practices fútbol with his friends—Chuy, Ortiz, and Guillermo—to prepare for tryouts in 5 weeks.