Juan lives in Guatemala, in the mountains. It is a poor but beautiful place, with volcanoes rising from the shores of a blue lake, and flocks of brilliantly plumed wild parrots living in the trees.

Juan is a shoe-shine boy. Although he’s only seven years old, he works hard every day to earn his keep. He has lived with his grandmother since his parents abandoned him.

But Juan dreams of other things. Most of all, he longs to go to school like other children his age . . .