Utterly indispensable.
Explore how intricate storytelling and painted books arose in Mesoamerica before the arrival of the Europeans.
Told from the perspective of a child speaking to a brother, this trip through Mesoamerican bookmaking begins with a summoning: “Our world, my brother, is an amoxtlalpan”—a “land of books.” There are nods to other Mesoamerican civilizations—the Chontaltin, the Mixtecah—before the narrator proclaims, “And we, the mighty Mexihcah who dwell in the valley of the volcanoes, make books too.” From there, readers follow along through a breakdown of how the Mexihcah (referred to as Aztecs in English) created books. The child explains how their parents, tlahcuilohqueh (“painters of words”), work in the amoxcalli (“house of books”). Tonatiuh deftly outlines the lengthy processes devoted to the creation of the multipaged, colorfully rendered amoxtin, from decorating book covers with feathers and precious stones to making paint out of insects. Tonatiuh probes deeper into Mexihcah culture as the narrator discusses education, literacy, and religion, describing how the four Tezcatlipocah, or gods, created the world and the god Blue Hummingbird sparked a great migration. Throughout each shift in focus, Tonatiuh’s respect and reverence for the subject shine through loud and clear as he shares knowledge of Mesoamerican books almost lost to the past (a detailed author's note states that, following the Spanish conquest, many of the books were destroyed). As always, the author/illustrator brilliantly conveys emotions and atmosphere with his colorful visuals—an inspired offspring of pre-Columbian art. A glossary defines the Nahuatl words used throughout. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Utterly indispensable. (bibliography, websites) (Informational picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Nov. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4942-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
Warp back in time for a prehistoric spinoff adventure with Geronimo Stilton’s ancestor, Geronimo Stiltonoot, in Old Mouse City.
Readers will find Geronimo Stiltonoot a familiar character, outfitted differently from descendant Stilton yet still running a newspaper and having wild adventures. In this introduction to prehistoric mouse life, someone has stolen the most powerful and important artifact housed by the Old Mouse City Mouseum: the Stone of Fire. It’s up to Stiltonoot and his fellow sleuth and friend, Hercule Poirat, to uncover not only the theft, but a dangerous plot that jeopardizes all of Old Mouse City. As stand-ins for the rest of the Stilton cast, Stiltonoot has in common with Stilton a cousin named Trap, a sister named Thea and a nephew named Benjamin. The slapstick comedy and design, busy with type changes and color, will be familiar for Stilton readers. The world is fictionalized for comedic effect, featuring funny uses for dinosaurs and cheeky references to how far back in time they are, with only the occasional sidebar that presents facts. The story takes a bit long to get started, spending a lot of time reiterating the worldbuilding information laid out before the first chapter. But once it does start, it is an adventure Stilton readers will enjoy. Geronimo Stiltonoot has the right combination of familiarity and newness to satisfy Stilton fans. (Fiction. 6-10)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-44774-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
Innocuous adventuring on the smallest of scales.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965) upgrades to The Mice and the Rolls-Royce.
In Windsor Castle there sits a “dollhouse like no other,” replete with working plumbing, electricity, and even a full library of real, tiny books. Called Queen Mary’s Dollhouse, it also plays host to the Whiskers family, a clan of mice that has maintained the house for generations. Henry Whiskers and his cousin Jeremy get up to the usual high jinks young mice get up to, but when Henry’s little sister Isabel goes missing at the same time that the humans decide to clean the house up, the usually bookish big brother goes on the adventure of his life. Now Henry is driving cars, avoiding cats, escaping rats, and all before the upcoming mouse Masquerade. Like an extended version of Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904), Priebe keeps this short chapter book constantly moving, with Duncan’s peppy art a cute capper. Oddly, the dollhouse itself plays only the smallest of roles in this story, and no factual information on the real Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is included at the tale’s end (an opportunity lost).
Innocuous adventuring on the smallest of scales. (Fantasy. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6575-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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