Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary: Before the present time, there were four tonatiuhs or suns.  During each one, the gods created humans, but something always went wrong.  First, the humans were too big, so they were turned into mountains.  Then they were too small, so they became fish.  Finally, after the fourth tonatiuh, the gods gave up, and handed off the sacred bones to the lord of the underworld.  But one of the gods, Quetzalcóatl, or Feathered Serpent, didn’t want to give up.  He decided to travel to the underworld in search of the bones.  His journey was long and dangerous, but his cleverness and strength helped him to overcome all the obstacles, and to recover the bones once again.  He and the other gods created humans that are still alive today, the time of the fifth tonatiuh.  Includes an author’s note, glossary, and bibliography.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Award winner Duncan Tonatiuh uses his distinctive style of illustration to bring to life this Mesoamerican tale filled with interesting mythological creatures and plenty of adventure.  The author’s note gives more details about the story, making this an excellent resource for older readers.

Cons:  You will definitely want to do a practice run-through before trying to read this aloud and encountering words like Itzcuintlán and Mictlantecuhtli.

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