The Sea-Ringed World
Sacred Stories of the Americas
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Fifteen thousand years before Europeans stepped foot in the Americas, people had already spread from tip to tip and coast to coast. Like all humans, these Native Americans sought to understand their place in the universe, the nature of their relationship with the divine, and the origin of the world into which their ancestors had emerged.
The answers lay in their sacred stories.
Author María García Esperón, illustrator Amanda Mijangos, and translator David Bowles have gifted us a treasure. Their talents have woven this collection of stories from nations and cultures across our two continents—the Sea-Ringed World, as the Aztecs called it—from the edge of Argentina all the way up to Alaska.
The Em Querido list seeks to introduce the finest books in translation from around the world to an American audience. We feel lucky to be bringing you this book on our inaugural list, which we hope will be a true window and mirror
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Fifteen thousand years before Europeans stepped foot in the Americas, people had already spread from tip to tip and coast to coast." In the preface to this reverently gathered collection of sacred stories from the Americas, Garc a Esper n (A Tortoise Named Harriet) and Bowles (The Rise of the Halfling King) convey their aim to "bring out the faint ancestral voices echoing at the heart of each" presented tale. Preceded by short poems and full of vivid language ("a land of ruddy sunset splendor and deep green night"), the stories fulfill that intention by evoking the unique cadences and traditions of the Indigenous cultures represented. Spanning "north to south, east to west, and back again," the entries cover a range of locales as well as varied topics and themes, including cosmic tales of creation and destruction (" Spider Grandmother,' Hopi tradition") and the heroic trials of twin brothers visiting the underworld (" Xibalba,' K'iche' tradition"). Employing a limited, resonant color palette of blue, black, and white, illustrator Mijangos alternates between decorative headings and full-page depictions to conjure up the world in which each story originates. Visually striking and accessibly written, this book provides readers with a worthy introduction to some enduring Indigenous narratives. Includes a pronunciation guide, culture guide, map, and glossary. Ages 8 up.
