Ancient Night

In this twined variation of several Mesoamerican stories, the earth's firmament is lit every evening thanks to Rabbit, who climbs down the Great Ceiba's trunk and treks across the "sea-ringed world" to gather aguamiel, the "precious, glowing nectar... of the first and holy maguey." Rabbit then pours the gleaming liquid into the moon, portrayed as a double-handled gourd. But when crafty Opossum cracks the moon and steals the aguamiel for himself, the orb loses its radiance, and the now-regretful animal must find a way to illuminate the world. Having been caught out by Rabbit, Opossum makes a trek of his own: "searching for that fire/ prepared by mighty gods/ as a gift for future humans/ who might shiver in the dark." Bowles's unhurried lines offer a playfully elegant feel to the telling, while Álvarez's saturated digitized paintings use a limited palette to imagine long-eared, gray Rabbit and pointy-nosed, rust-hued Opossum against luminous leafy landscapes. Together, the collaborators create a dreamlike story variation that truly shines. An authors' note details the story's roots. English and Spanish versions publish simultaneously. Ages 4-8. Agent: (for Álvarez) Janet Soto Centeno and Susana Figueroa, Fondo de Cultura Económica. (Mar.)

Mesmerizing illustrations combine with poetic text to share this Mesoamerican-inspired story about how the sun came to be high in the sky. Rabbit takes care to watch over the moon, ensuring it never stops glowing and refilling it often with aguamiel. When Opossum sees this, he wishes to have some of the aguamiel, but as he takes for himself, the moon grows darker. Ashamed, Opossum hides until he decides to obtain the fire of the gods, singeing his tail in the process, and places the fire high in the sky—now the new sun. Luminous acrylic and oil illustrations bring the night to life, with the glow of the moon and the aguamiel lighting up the world for Rabbit and Opossum, and dark blues, greens, and reds adding to the captivating atmosphere. Enchanting text presents the tale in short, clear sentences that convey a sense of timeless mystery and beauty. A note from the creators shares some of the traditional stories that inspired the picture book. VERDICT An excellent choice for picture book collections that uniquely explores traditional Mesoamerican tales and is sure to inspire the wish for further discovery and appreciation.—Selenia Paz