(3) PS An inviting introduction to English and Spanish color names and Mexican/Mexican American celebrations. Each bilingual spread in this board book highlights an item of a different color (“enchiladas rojas,” “blue shawl,” “sombreros negros”) typically found at a fiesta, followed by a cheerful scene of the item in use. The text culminates with “¡Una fiesta de colores! // A festival of colors!” featuring everyone and everything from the preceding pages.

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(2) PS Starting with "una foto / one photo" of their deceased loved one, a group of "diez familiares y amigos / ten family members and friends" count their way through constructing an altar for Día de Muertos. The bilingual text highlights common offerings and decorations for Day of the Dead altars, further explained in an author's note, including traditional foods, candles, and flowers. Tonatiuh's stylized mixed-media illustrations, inspired by the same pre-Columbian art traditions as his cultural and historical retellings (Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns, rev. 11/20; A Land of Books, rev. 1/23), will draw readers in. The photo-collage elements give texture to the bold illustrations: "cuatro tamales" are wrapped with images of real corn husks; "cinco panes de muerto" get their depth from actual golden-baked crust. This clever counting book introduces this important part of Día de Muertos celebrations in an accessible and eye-catching format.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(1) K-3 In his accessibly written picture-book biography of Manoel dos Reis Machado (1899-1974), known as Mestre Bimba, Tonatiuh (A Land of Books, rev. 1/23, and many others) explores the rise of capoeira in Brazil from an illegal activity to a national treasure. Bimba, who lived in the port city of Salvador in the Brazilian state of Bahia, learned capoeira at the age of twelve from a sea captain. He excelled at the sport and created a new style of capoeira, combining various styles, and eventually started an academy to bring structure and legitimacy to the game. Bimba altered the course of capoeira, emphasizing its "celebration of his Bahian culture" as a game played with music, dance, fighting, and flourishes. Tonatiuh's illustrations are hand-drawn and digitally colored in his distinctive, iconic two-dimensional style. Bold lines on colorful spreads show the movement of capoeira; on several pages, Tonatiuh ingeniously uses shadows to acknowledge the characters' connections to the enslaved Africans who were Bimba's ancestors. A superb tribute to an individual and to capoeira. Back matter includes a glossary, an author's note with color photographs, endnotes, and a bibliography. Concurrently published in Spanish as Juego de libertad: Mestre Bimba y el arte de la capoeira.

Reviewer: Yesica Hurd | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(1) K-3 With his signature illustrations that draw from Mesoamerican codex pictographic aesthetics, Tonatiuh introduces a picture-book audience to the role that bookmaking played in ancient Mexihcah culture and cosmology. "Our parents are tlahcuilohqueh, painters of words," explains the young narrator to her brother. She describes their bookmaking process, and a series of double-page spreads shows how organic materials--such as "the bark of the amacuahuitl tree" for the amatl (paper) and "plants, animals, and rocks" for dyes and drawings--are used to create the amoxtin, or wood-covered and decorated accordion-style books made of "long strips of paper with multiple page folds." Mastery in painting and sculpture, as well as philosophical, scientific, humanistic, and spiritual understandings of the world and life upon it, were also required; and Tonatiuh makes clear connections to illustrate how Mesoamerica was an amoxtlalpan, meaning "land of books." The girl also explains to her brother that "noblemen, priests, and wise elders" played important roles in interpreting the complex images, symbols, and designs of the amoxtin, which they would sing and perform for others to "hear the words and admire the images." An author's note provides historical context, centering the importance of preserving Indigenous art ("Sadly, of the thousands--perhaps hundreds of thousands--of books that were made in Mesoamerica before the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, only fifteen survive"), storytelling, and knowledge. A helpful pronunciation guide/glossary for the Nahuatl words used in the text and a robust bibliography are appended.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(1) K-3 The Feathered Serpent, known as ­Quetzalcóatl among Nahuatl-speaking peoples, is a principal figure in ­Mesoamerican cosmology and often features in the origin stories of Olmec, Toltec, Mayan, and Aztec cultures. Here ­Tonatiuh engagingly reimagines ­Quetzalcóatl's journey through Mictlán, the underworld realm of Lord ­Mictlantecuhtli, from whom he must recover the sacred bones needed to create humankind. With staff, shield, cloak, and shell ornament in hand, Quetzalcóatl descends into Mictlán's cavernous "sacred mountains," where his nahual (spirit guide) Xólotl brings him through its nine regions. At each, the resilient duo defies death with quick wit and creativity, employing all of Quetzalcóatl's sacred objects as they advance to their ultimate confrontation with Mictlantecuhtli. Tonatiuh's (The Princess and the Warrior, rev. 9/16; Soldier for Equality, rev. 1/20) distinctive illustration style draws on Nahua visual writing systems, emulating the symmetry, balanced lines, and prominent profile and aerial viewpoints found in Indigenous codices. His bold use of color and expansive spreads enhance these mythic proportions, as palettes transition from golden hues to black-and-white darkness, then return to golden shades, symbolically conveying the cyclical movement of sun eras, or tonatiuhs. The artist's hand-drawn and digitally collaged illustrations reward careful examination as textures pop and engage the viewer. Back matter includes an author's note, glossary, and bibliography featuring Mexican anthropological scholarship.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) K-3 Growing up Mexican American in Texas at the turn of the twentieth century meant racism and discrimination to José de la Luz Sáenz: the first word in the book is "Greaser!" hurled at young Luz by another boy (whom Luz then tackles to the ground). Luz grows up, marries, has children, becomes a teacher, and goes off to fight in World War I, where his facility with languages--he was already fluent in Spanish, and has now also learned French--allows him to act as a translator. Despite his serving his country faithfully, injustice and inequality persist when he returns home, but Luz never stops fighting for what's right. He remains politically active in various organizations and helps create the influential League of United Latin American Citizens. In this informative and inspiring story, Tonatiuh's signature style is on full display: digitally manipulated colors and textures complement thin lines and flat shapes, inspired by the artistic style of Mexico's indigenous Mixtec people. Moreover, Tonatiuh's obvious pride in Latinx heritage, coupled with that heritage's sociopolitical undertones, places his body of work in the broader tradition of Latinx political art--and this fine picture-book biography is the latest iteration. An author's note, sources, timelines, a bibliography, an index, and a glossary are appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) YA Mexico-native Juan and his fellow undocumented workers in the U.S. are not being paid minimum wage or receiving benefits, although they work grueling hours, so they file a legal complaint for just compensation. This profound and timely human odyssey effectively uses an accordion-folded format inspired by Mixtec codices and employs many sequential and Mixtec art conventions. The direct and conversational text includes a smattering of Spanish words throughout.

Reviewer: Monica Tapia Boyer | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) K-3 Amalia Hernández (1917–2000) traveled throughout Mexico learning about regions' unique histories and traditions in order to incorporate them into dance; in 1952, she founded Mexico's most famous dance company, El Ballet Folklórico de México, which still performs today. Tonatiuh's illustration style, inspired by Mixtec art and with well-chosen photo-collage elements, is particularly resonant with a subject who celebrated Mexican arts and culture. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(1) K-3 Returning from battle to find his love, Princess Izta, in a deep sleep, warrior Popoca takes Izta to a mountain top. Soon, "where once there was a princess with her true love by her side, two volcanoes emerged." Tonatiuh's mixed-media art, an homage to the Mixtec codices, is instantly recognizable; with its assured storytelling, this adapted pourquoi story may be his best yet. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(1) K-3 José Guadalupe Posada (1852–1913) didn't invent those iconic Day of the Dead skeletons, but they attained their greatest popularity during the years he drew them. Tonatiuh, in his signature flat illustrative style, digitally layers various colors and textures onto simple, black-outlined drawings; Posada's own artwork also plays a prominent role. The straightforward narrative incorporates biographical highlights and personal anecdotes; extended sidebars illustrate printing processes. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2015

(2) K-3 In 1947 the Mendez family fought for--and won--the desegregation of schools in California. Tonatiuh uses a child's viewpoint to succinctly capture the segregated reality of Mexican Americans. The straightforward narrative is well matched with illustrations in Tonatiuh's signature style, their two-dimensional perspective reminiscent of the Mixtec codex but collaged with paper, wood, etc. to provide textural variation. An author's note with photos is appended. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2014

(4) K-3 Because of a drought, Pancho Rabbit's father heads north for work. When he doesn't return, Pancho goes looking for him, guided by Señor Coyote. What begins as a light allegory becomes a darker tale. Tonatiuh effortlessly employs Spanish words, and folk art–like illustrations complement the story's origin. The author's note on immigration is geared to an older audience. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) K-3 The first half of the book provides background on Rivera's life and the inspiration behind his work. Readers are then asked to imagine how he might paint subjects from life today: "Maybe Diego would paint shops at the mall... / as he painted street vendors selling flores." The accompanying illustrations ably mimic Rivera's style. A creative, discussion-provoking approach to art appreciation. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Two cousins, one in Mexico and the other in America, write letters to each other about their everyday lives. Facing pages demonstrate how their cultural differences are far less important than their commonalities. Take the boys' favorite foods, for example: it's quesadillas for Carlitos and pizza for Charlie. Side-by-side illustrations show similar images: both boys seated, with food in hand. A clever, well-executed conceit.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham