In the story, Olita has come to visit El Salvador; one day, accompanied by family and friends, she eagerly goes to celebrate Manyula’s birthday. Without really knowing who Manyula is, Olita, to her surprise, discovers how the love and respect for the elephant Manyula unites a community, becoming a symbol of strength and hope for the Salvadoran people.
Olita’s story is captivating, both for the beautiful imagery, which evokes the story of this little curious girl who goes to meet Manyula, and through its very nature. It is told with simplicity and intimacy, the innocence of children—like Olita—representing hope and faith in the next generation, whose hands will write the stories of the future.
This beautiful piece of literature is complemented by Salvadoran artist Alex “El Aleph” Sanchez, whose paintings illustrate how colorful and relevant each page is, captivating the reader with a story that is aimed at children and youth, but incidentally relates to older readers, stirring up fond memories and feelings about customs, smells and flavors of their home countries.
Luna’s Press is a joint venture between Argueta and Ayala, which seeks to foster literacy among youth, publish young poets and promote quality books that showcase San Francisco’s diversity and richness in Latino cultural. The bookstore specializes in selling many kinds of bilingual children’s books, and it also serves as a cultural space that hosts events promoting reading and writing, many of them headed by Argueta himself, who usually invites local authors as his guests.
“Olita and Manyula: The Big Birthday,” will be presented on Friday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Acción Latina, 2958 24th St., San Francisco. Luna’s Press and Bookstore is located at 3790 Mission St.
For more information on the workshops and the fourth annual Flor y Canto Para Nuestros Niños y Niñas festival visit: facebook.com/AccionLatina or email: info@accionlatina.org, attetl2002@yahoo.com or by phone: (415) 648-1045 or (415) 795-0024.