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Title details for A Land of Books by Duncan Tonatiuh - Available

A Land of Books

Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters

by Duncan Tonatiuh
Duncan Tonatiuh
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Our world, little brother, is an amoxtlalpan, a land of books. In the jungles where the jaguar dwells, the Mayas make books. In the mountains the cloud people, the Mixtecs, make them as well. So do others in the coast and in the forests. And we the Mexica of the mighty Aztec empire, who dwell in the valley of the volcanoes, make them too. A young Aztec girl tells her little brother how their parents create beautiful painted manuscripts, or codices. She explains to him how paper is made from local plants and how the long paper is folded into a book. Her parents and others paint the codices to tell the story of their people's way of life, documenting their history, science, tributes, and sacred rituals. Inspired by the pre-Columbian codices, this story tells how—contrary to the historical narrative that European colonizers bestowed "civilization" and knowledge to the Americas—the Aztec and their neighbors in the Valley of Mexico painted books and records long before Columbus arrived, and continued doing so among their Nahua-speaking descendants for generations after the Spanish Conquest.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    November 24, 2022

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781666620689
      • File size: 12266 KB
      • Duration: 00:25:33

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from October 17, 2022
      In Tonatiuh’s engaging picture book, a Mexihcah child describes intricate wordless volumes created in Mesoamerica before the arrival of Europeans, interweaving Nahuatl words defined in a glossary: “Our parents are tlahcuilohqueh, painters of words. The amoxtin they make tell the stories of our gods, our history, our people.” Riveting spreads detail the objects’ format and make, ample studies behind their content and symbology (“religion, astronomy, warfare, and history”), as well as social norms around their reading, by “only noblemen, priests, and wise elders.” Through a dream sequence, subsequent pages delve into the books’ rich contents, including central deities and methods of governance, calendaring, and healing, all shown in richly hued art that mimics the codices’ detailed format, and leading to a contextualizing author’s note that describes colonizing forces’ devastating effect. Ages 4–8.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Carolina Hoyos expertly and lovingly narrates this astounding audiobook. A Mexihcah girl tells her little brother about the history of book making in Mesoamerica before the arrival of Europeans. Book-making techniques are explored in depth--from the plants used to make the pages to the animals, insects, and rocks used to complete and decorate the books. How these books were read, by whom, and what happened during the Spanish Conquest are discussed. Hoyos narrates clearly, especially the words in Nahuatl, which is impressive. Hoyos's narration brings warmth to this story, which balances nicely with the technical facts about book making. Gentle sound effects and soft music are present throughout the production, enhancing the listening experience. A.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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