Before traveling to Belize or while you are here, reading is a great way to engage in the wonders of all things Belize. There’s something to read for all ages, and for young travelers, reading is a great way to introduce them to a new culture and excite them for their next adventure. There are countless books to recommend, but here are a couple we have enjoyed. Be you on a plane headed to Belize or enjoying beachside relaxation with a good book, through the pages, you are sure to be entertained while discovering an appreciation for our unique country and culture.

Young Readers

5-minute Baby Animal Stories

National Geographic Kids

Ages 6 – 8 years

This big book is illustrated with colorful photographs and features 12 heartwarming true tales about some of the most adorable little critters on the planet.

Two of Belize’s most charismatic creatures, the jaguar and the manatee are featured, including the tale of how National Geographic Explorer Jamal Galves AKA Manatee Man in Belize saved a baby manatee. Did you know a new-born manatee weighs 60 pounds?! His inspiring story tells of how this young man now dedicates his life to saving this endangered species.
The jaguar is the national animal of Belize and has been revered by Maya heritage for centuries. In this enchanting book youngsters learn about the first two years in the life of a baby jaguar. Unlike manatees, baby jaguars weigh less than two pounds when they are born!
Engaging young readers in the wonder of Belizean creatures is a great way to prepare them for an exciting trip. Each story is the ideal length to be read aloud in five minutes, perfect for bedtime, story time, or anytime.

 

Adult Readers

The Fallen Stone
by Diana Marcum
Adult

Chasing Butterflies, Discovering Maya Secrets, and Looking for Hope Along the Way

While vacationing at Hickatee Cottages near Punta Gorda Town in the southern district of Belize, journalist/reporter Diana Marcum and her newish boyfriend “Moody,” seem to be on a rocky road. Fate takes a turn when they visit a nearby wildlife sanctuary supported by the international live butterfly trade at the unique Fallen Stones Butterfly Farm. Marcum is fascinated and discovers a new-found passion for butterflies and the unique process of the trade. After meeting co-founder and owner Clive Farrell, a British millionaire whose childhood passion created the industry, she takes a year off from work (just before the 2020 pandemic) to write about the butterfly farm while living on the property.

Perched on a hill overlooking the Columbia Forest Reserve, Fallen Stones Butterfly Farm is beyond the Maya site of Lubaantun, which inspired the farm’s name, “Place of Fallen Stones.” The couple hesitates about moving into an abandoned house on the compound where bats and other unsavory jungle critters have taken up residence. They are pleasantly relieved when they arrive at a tidy home where the farm staff have worked their magic.

Over the following months, Marcum learns the painstaking process of rearing the butterflies, from matching them with their host plant to cultivating the pupae to packing them for global export. She is enchanted by the softspoken and insightful Maya staff from the nearby San Pedro Columbia village, who befriends the couple and even share a part of village life with them. They enthusiastically explore the surrounding areas and the jungle, teaming with breathtaking, colorful flora, toucans, and stunning waterfalls, each day providing a new, humbling adventure.

This sincere and enlightening story of discovering a new world far from the reality of one in turmoil celebrates nature’s resilience and beauty, the commonality of humanity, and the metamorphosis of life. You’ll never look at a butterfly the same way!

Diana Marcum

  • Diana Marcum is a nationally best-selling author of several books. A feature writer for the Los Angeles Times, she won the Pulitzer Prize in 2015 for her narrative portraits of farmers, field workers, and others in the drought-stricken towns of California’s Central Valley.
  • Only guests of the award-winning Hickatee Cottages, located 1.5 miles from Punta Gorda Town in the southern district of Toledo, can experience the Fallen Stones Butterfly Ranch, which is not open to the public. Visits are subject to the butterfly shipping schedules, availability, and good weather conditions. https://www.hickatee.com/belize-butterflies
  • The Fallen Stones Butterfly Ranch Limited launched its pupae breeding facility in 1991. The operation maintains a weekly breeding count of approximately 4,500 pupae for 14-18 local species. Fallen Stones exports 125,500 pupae yearly from Belize to supply butterfly displays worldwide.

 

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About the Author: Tamara Sniffin

I’m a sucker for a fuzzy face, a feathered face, a face with fins or even one with scales! I am in love with the creatures and the flora that are synonymous with Belize and every opportunity I have to learn more about them and explore their wild habitats I am there! I’m the happiest when I’m snorkeling the reef and swimming with turtles, however my passion is not just limited to critters! Laced throughout this compact jungle gem of a country live the Kriol, Maya, Garifuna, Mestizo and Spanish people, and experiencing each culture, especially their celebrations is one of my favorite pastimes.

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