Children’s and young adult literature in Guatemala

During the period 1821–1847, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Guatemala began a process of transformation from a federal sociopolitical organization towards a Republic, which, finally, was consolidated in 1871. A revolutionary movement followed, which helped set the economic, social and cultural foundations of the country on liberal and positivist pillars. The intention was to create a coherent discourse that bound the people together within a homogeneous culture, with a sense of unity and identity, and enabled the establishment of national symbols like the flag, the Himno Nacional (national anthem), the Coat of Arms, and so on. In other words, in this way the imagined community of the country called Guatemala became a real one. ¹