On a visit to their abuelitos
house in California, Carlos and Lucia, worried about the end of the world,
stumble upon the Maya Calendar Museum. There they meet Sr. Julio and a guacamaya named Ocho who begin to introduce them to the world of the Maya. Together
with their new friend Julia and characters like the wizard Smoking Parrot, they
begin their exciting journey back in time to learn all the answers one could
ever wish to know about the Maya- the Long Count, the End Date, and Harmonic
Convergence. Never heard of any of these? That’s ok. You will soon discover all
of the answers deep in the jungle of Chichén Itzá, colorful birds zipping over
your head, as you unearth the secrets of the ancient past.
It is not often that the content for a book uniquely geared
towards young adults is so thoroughly and meticulously researched. However, the father-and-daughter team did
just that to create this book that answers everyone’s questions about the end
of the world and the Maya calendar. The team consulted with leading experts in
the field including Anthony Aveni, Vincent Stanzione, and Marc Zender. They
also supplemented their illustrations with real photographs of Mayan México.
What evolved from this painstaking process is a book as accurate as any first
class university textbook but also as light, funny, and accessible a librito that any child could enjoy.
However, although the text is geared toward young readers, adults looking for a
humorous and exciting read on the Maya calendar might want to sneak a peek and
get their own copy.
In the time when Mexican American cultural books are getting
pulled off the shelves, Mysteries of the
Maya Calendar Museum steps up to the challenge of creating an authentic
look at Maya history through the lens of two smart and spunky Chicano children.
Through charming and authentic dialogue in English, Spanish,
and Spanglish, the brother and sister team embark on a journey through the
museum to get the answers that they need to understand the real truth about the
end of the world. It is a book that does not shy away from the challenges of
explaining the difference between complex ideas such as long counts and end
dates on the calendar, nor is it afraid to tackle theories like addressing the
Pittsburgh Maya. The result is an astounding anthropology lesson packed away in
a short, beautifully illustrated cuentito.
Sure to impress, it is a book that beckons to be read over and over again even
after December 21st, which you learn is not the end of the world.
Mysteries of the Maya Calendar Museum
Authors: Laanna Carrasco and Davíd Carrasco
Publisher: Cruce de Caminos
Date: November 9, 2012
ISBN-10: 0988539209ISBN-13: 978-0988539204
Find it on Amazon.
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