What the Jaguar Told Her
A lyrical debut about growing up in the midst of change, and a magical cultural homecoming.
Mexican-American Jade comes to terms with her identity in Atlanta with help from an elderly storyteller who is also a jaguar.
Out now from Levine Querido.
More Praise for What the Jaguar Told Her
Featured in “9 Middle-Grade Reads for Hispanic Heritage Month”
- Kirkus
Featured in “The Best Southern Books of October 2022”
“What the Jaguar Told Her, while written for a YA audience, follows in the footsteps of Carpentier and García Márquez.”
- Jeremy Paden, Good River Review
“With lush language and and excellent structure, this novel captures the beauty of family, stories, changes—many magical—that come with growing up.... This debut novel of magical realism presents an exquisite exploration of Mexican storytelling and a girl’s coming-of-age as she learns to trust herself and find her way through her family’s history.”
“This title is a reminder to hold the stories of family and culture near and dear to our hearts before they are lost to the world. The magic realism and tie-in to Latino folklore create a wonderful coming-of-age story about a girl who’s exploring who she is while discovering the power of stories through art.”
- Booklist
“The third-person narration flows naturally, sticking closely to the authentic point of view of a middle-school girl…. The novel is deepened through Méndez’s characterization of Jade’s family as rich in cultural traditions and strong relationships and by the presence of magical elements and stories of the Mexica and other Indigenous cultures.”
- The Horn Book