THE HONEY JAR
by Rigoberta Menchú with Dante Liano & illustrated by Domi translated by David Unger
Grandmother Moon, Grandfather Sun, Mother Earth and Father Sun all have a part to play in this collection of a dozen Mayan myths that reveal the nature of events, animals and even humans that inhabit the earth. For example, “The Amazing Twins” tale explains why toads now eat insects, snakes eat toads and how eagles came to eat snakes. The value of work is explained in “The Man Who Became a Buzzard.” Each tale focuses on another phenomenon of Mother Earth or Father Sun. Domi’s richly lush paintings, full of brilliant color, stylistically portray the essence of each tale, adding imagery and visual interpretation. This collection by a Nobel Peace Prize winner is a first-purchase addition to any library that includes African legends and myths, Native-American how and why stories and the literary tales of Rudyard Kipling. (Folktales. 8-10)