Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide

In a solo debut, Leon (Miles Morales: Stranger Tides) delivers a potent graphic novel examination of the effects of the Guatemalan civil war on its people. In 2013, American-born brothers José and Charlie live with their overworked single immigrant mother, Clara, in Langley Park, Md. When a teacher asks José if his mother was following coverage of the criminal trials relating to the Guatemalan genocide, José realizes that he knows nothing about his mom’s past. Though initial attempts to broach the subject end with emotional outbursts from Clara, she soon shares stories about her youth in a Q’eqchi’ Mayan village. After Clara reveals that she hasn’t seen her sister, Elena, since they were separated during a violent conflict as children, José and Charlie resolve to discover what happened to their aunt. Alternating chapters follow José and Charlie in the present as they grapple with questions about their identity, and Clara and Elena in the 1980s as they navigate traumatic instances of war. Information about the events addressed is peppered throughout a stirring story about the power of familial bonds and historical recollection in the face of grief, fear, and hopelessness. Saturated color and textured overlays add depth and ambiance to this meaningful offering. Ages 14–up. Agent: Britt Siess, Britt Siess Creative. (Sept.)