Anyone who knows me will also know that I adore travel, but have been rather constrained because of family duties in recent times. One of the trips I adored was when we went to the Iguazú Falls as part of an exciting tour taking in parts of South America and Antarctica. We were lucky enough to take a helicopter ride over the falls as well as a boat trip under them. Consequently, when I realised Sergio Dalaco’s new novel has that Argentinian setting, I simply had to invite him to stay in with me and tell me all about it.
Let’s see what Sergio told me:
Staying in with Sergio Dalaco
A warm welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Sergio and thank you for staying in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?
Tonight, I’ve brought Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle, a novel born from the depths of the rainforest near the Iguazú Falls in Argentina.
I chose it because it’s not the story of a man, nor of a creature — but of a living being in transformation. Quentara is a presence that transcends form, a spirit of the jungle that listens, learns, and evolves. The novel follows their path of awakening, guided by the ancestral wisdom of the Guaraní people and the silent teachings of the forest.
But more than that, I’ve brought this book because I believe in the power of stories. We are made of them. Stories shape how we see the world, how we relate to others, and how we understand ourselves. They give voice to what we feel, to what we fear, and to what we hope.
I totally agree – and I think the reader’s own experiences shapes their response to what they read too. Tell me more.
Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle is a story that listens as much as it speaks. It carries a voice — subtle, ancient, and resonant — that connects with our own inner voices, inviting us to pause, reflect, and remember who we are.
So, what can we expect from an evening in with Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle?
Spending an evening with Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle is not so much reading a story as entering a space — a living, breathing space where silence speaks and the forest listens.
The experience is immersive. You’ll hear the rustle of leaves, feel the pulse of the earth, and sense the presence of something ancient moving through the pages. Quentara’s journey unfolds not in loud declarations, but in quiet revelations — the kind that echo inside you long after you’ve closed the book.
Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle sounds fantastic.
There’s a voice that runs through the narrative — not always visible, but always felt. It’s the voice of the jungle, of memory, of spirit. And if you allow it, it will meet your own inner voice, stirring thoughts, emotions, and questions you didn’t know were waiting.
Did you just use text to create this effect?
The book is also enriched by illustrations that don’t just accompany the text — they extend it. Each image captures a moment, a feeling, a breath of the story, inviting the reader to pause and reflect. And for those who wish to go deeper, the book offers a few quiet companions: a reading guide, a vocabulary that expands the meaning of certain words, and a section called Insight of the Work — not to explain, but to invite reflection. These elements are not meant to instruct, but to accompany the reader in their own journey through the forest of ideas.
I think Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle sounds fascinating.
What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?
I’ve brought the jungle with me — not in its entirety, of course, but in fragments: the sound of cicadas at dusk, the mist rising from the Iguazú Falls, the scent of wet earth after rain. These are the elements that shaped the story, and they continue to shape me.
To help readers feel this world, I’ve brought a soaring drone flight over the rainforest canopy. This is the landscape where the story unfolds. In the density of these forests, other lives are lived, other rhythms followed, other voices heard. You can access this experience here.
Quentara and their friends walk through these landscapes, listening to their voices, learning from their silences.
I have a feeling that listening is something we could all do more attentively Sergio!
I’ve also brought an image that speaks volumes without words — a photograph of the jungle, vast and alive, with the city skyline quietly emerging in the distance. It’s a visual metaphor for one of the novel’s deepest tensions: the coexistence — and sometimes collision — of two worlds. This is the landscape where Quentara and their friends walk, listen, and learn. A place where ancient rhythms still pulse beneath the surface of modern life.
And I’ve brought a cup of yerba mate — the infusion that has accompanied many quiet mornings and long nights of writing. It’s more than a drink. It’s a ritual, a grounding presence, a way of listening.
Oo. I need to try that!
And of course, I’ve brought Quentara. Not as a character, but as a presence. Quentara doesn’t speak in words, but in gestures, silences, and transformations. Tonight, they sit with us — still, attentive, and alive.
Finally, I’ve brought the visual soul of the book. The cover, designed by Fabián Robles, is not just an image — it’s a portal: a visual invitation to step into a world where nature and spirit intertwine. Inside, you’ll find illustrations by Braian Belén that breathe with the story — each one crafted to capture the essence of a chapter, a moment, a feeling. And the English translation by Grecia Fonseca is the result of a deep, thoughtful collaboration — a shared search for the right words to honour the spirit of every sentence.
I love the sense of collaboration there.
Readers will find not only a story, but the passion of artists who listened, felt, and gave form to something sacred.
How wonderful. I’m so grateful you stayed in with me to discuss Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle, Sergio. I have a feeling it would be a book that I’d love. How about you making me a cup of yerba mate whilst I give readers a few more details?
Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle
In the heart of the jungle, where ancient spirits still murmur through the trees and every creature moves by sacred law, a great leader has fallen. With his death, a forgotten voice stirs once more: the voice of the jungle itself.
Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle is a lyrical eco-fantasy rooted in Indigenous myth and ecological urgency. It follows Quentara—a curious forest-born being—on a journey that defies ancestral rules. Guided by his loyal friend Taí and the wisdom of Aruárua, a legendary harpy who remembers the world before men, Quentara must cross into the human world to deliver a message of memory, unity, and survival.
This contemporary fable invites readers of all ages to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the natural world. A celebration of storytelling and a call to listen—to the jungle, to each other, and to what we may have forgotten.
Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle is available for purchase here.
About Sergio Dalaco
Sergio Dalaco (Argentina, 1973) is a writer with a humanist background and over twenty years of experience in personal development. His journey through diverse cultures and life experiences has shaped a deep and reflective view of what it means to be human — and how we relate to the world around us.
In his writing, Sergio explores questions that go beyond the surface: What does it truly mean to progress? Can we create beauty and comfort without harming other living beings or future generations? What is our place in the web of life, and how do we reconnect with the nature that sustains us?
His debut novel in English, Quentara and the Voice of the Jungle, is a poetic and thoughtful reflection on these themes. It invites readers to listen to the voices that whisper from the jungle, from memory, and from the unseen — voices that remind us of who we are, and who we might become.
English (US) · 