The Girl from Chimel

The Girl from Chimel by Rigoberta Menchú with Dante Liano
Illustrations by Domi
Publisher: Groundwood Books
ISBN: 0-88899-666-7

Human rights activist, 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú, with Guatemalan National Literature Laureate Dante Liano’s assistance has written a beautiful memoir of her childhood in Guatemala in a children’s book. The book is a series of stories of Señora Menchú’s parents, grandparents and of her village. There is a strong emphasis on nature, the importance of it and on her culture. Her love for her country shines though and there is a longing wistfulness for the lost childhood. The stories in the book take place before the 36-year war in Guatemala that devastated the country and made exiles of many, including the author.

Each story is short, perfect for small children who are a bit impatient like my three year old granddaughter who can’t wait to turn the pages. Though they are short little stories, they pack a big impact and say much. There is much detail on daily village life, the beliefs of the people and great details. I loved the story of the grandfather sweeping the grandmother off and running away to found the village. The story resonated for me since I grew up hearing the tales of women who were stolen (robada) in Mexico during the revolution.

The indigenous beliefs of the Maya, their spirituality and oneness with nature are clearly defined in each story. There is a joy in the book that comes from living life at one with Mother Earth. This is another one of those books that make a great gift and will be read over and over again. I know that my granddaughter and grandson love looking at the beautiful illustrations and they love hearing the little stories over and over again. This book and The Honey Jar have both become enduring favorites with them.

Domi’s illustrations are primitive, colorful and beautiful. They capture the feel of the village, the stories and the life in nature. I love her work, it always makes me smile to see Domi’s name on a book because I know I’m in for a treat. She seems to capture the essence of nature, childhood and indigenous art in a way that is lyrical. Her paintings of animals and fish are astounding.

Groundwood Books is a publisher in Canada, established in 1978. They are dedicated to the production of children's books for all ages, including fiction, picture books and non-fiction. I love their large multi-cultural selection. Check them out at http://www.groundwoodbooks.com/

Review - The Honey Jar

The Honey Jar by Rigoberta Menchú and Dante Liano
Illustrations by Domi
Publisher: Groundwood Books – www.groundwoodbooks.com
ISBN: 0-88899-670-5

The Honey Jar is another collection of stories from 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Maya activist, Rigoberta Menchú and Guatemalan National Literature Laureate, Dante Liano. These stories are re-tellings of ancient Mayan folktales and legends that the author grew up hearing from the storytellers in her village in Guatemala.

I loved the story of Grandfather Sun and Grandmother Moon who were lonely in the sky, a creation tale. It was very tender and sweet. The story tells of how Grandfather Sun and Grandmother Moon created the stars and how Grandmother Moon’s face became marked. There’s another tale called Where It’s Revealed That Each Thing Has A Spirit that I loved as well. Each of the 12 stories in this book entranced me and made me smile. They have a dreamy feel that makes me think of my indigenous ancestors and the storytelling tradition – the one I carry on to my grandchildren.

This book is an important one in that it not only preserves ancient tales, it brings them to a new audience and teaches the ancient love of nature. Any book that teaches and brings old tales to the light of the modern day is a treasure. We’ve lost so much of our history, our folklore and traditions that I really stand up and take notice when someone writes of these things, reclaims them if you will. It helps when the writing is as excellent as in this book, when you can almost feel you’re back in time, sitting with the elders at a fire listening to these stories as the night envelopes you. My favorite quote from the book is this one, “They will know that the earth does not belong to them, but that they are part of it. The earth will be a sacred place, a place created for the dreams of all generations. Chuchu’ib, Tata’ib! Thanks to your counsel, people will plant their dreams on the earth, and their dreams will blossom as if they were magic flowers”.

Domi’s illustrations add to the sense of fantasy, of being swept away in time. The colors of her palette are robust and vibrant, bringing to mind the rainforest, tropical jungles and the smell of the mountains. My favorite of her paintings in this book is the one on page 27 where the eyes in the forest seem are patterned in just such a way that they remind me of the glorious tails of the peacock.

The Queen Jade - Yxta Maya Murray

The Queen Jade is a story of the love between a mother and daughter, Lola and Juana Sanchez. Juana, the mother is an adventurous archeologist, while Lola, her daughter is content to read her books and supervise D&D tournaments in her quiet little bookshop, The Red Lion.

When Juana turns up missing during a hurricane in Guatemala, Lola, along with Eric Gomara, Juana’s colleague and rival begin to search for clues. They discover that Juana has gone off in search of The Queen Jade, a mythical blue jade stone of the ancient Maya said to impart its possessor with incredible power.

Lola and Eric set off to Guatemala in search of Juana, but to find Juana they must unlock the clues to finding the Queen Jade. The book takes the reader on a gorgeous tour of Guatemala and into the mind of the ancient Mayan. This is post-civil war Guatemala and there are still tensions between the soldiers and the people and the author touches this in such a way that it leaves an indelible mark on the reader.

This is a story of love and loss, of friendships broken and repaired, of secrets and lies, of discovery of ones self as well as of a country and a legend. The women in this book are strong, intelligent problem-solvers. They are multi-faceted and complicated, funny, loving and true. The book is riveting and fun. There are puzzles and riddles, poetry and legend. I found this book to be marvelously written and well researched. Yxta Maya Murray has outdone herself.