misspentdays's review
Dan Jolley is an Eisner Award nominated author has previously written for DC and Tokyopop. Aside from his work with Graphic Universe, artist David Witt creates commercial art. Both Jolley and Witt studied the myths of the Popol Vul and the art and architecture of the ancient Mayas in order to accurately tell the legend of The Hero Twins.
Bright illustrations tell the story of Hunter and Jaguar Deer, twin brothers who show a remarkable skill at ball—skill so remarkable, it angers the gods. Forced to channel their skill at trickery to outsmart the gods and return to their village, the boys must navigate the god’s trickery. To frame the book, a modern boy provides a little background to the story before the tale of the twins begins.
Just under 50 pages, The Hero Twins is both a good leisure read and a supplement to a unit of folklore or to expand understanding in a cultural studies unit. This is an essential purchase for a public library. If it meets a curricular need, it would be an essential purchase for an elementary or middle school, otherwise it would be supplemental to the collection. ($8.95, 48 pages)
Bright illustrations tell the story of Hunter and Jaguar Deer, twin brothers who show a remarkable skill at ball—skill so remarkable, it angers the gods. Forced to channel their skill at trickery to outsmart the gods and return to their village, the boys must navigate the god’s trickery. To frame the book, a modern boy provides a little background to the story before the tale of the twins begins.
Just under 50 pages, The Hero Twins is both a good leisure read and a supplement to a unit of folklore or to expand understanding in a cultural studies unit. This is an essential purchase for a public library. If it meets a curricular need, it would be an essential purchase for an elementary or middle school, otherwise it would be supplemental to the collection. ($8.95, 48 pages)
mamakass's review
4.0
I bought this at the UPenn exhibit on the Maya calendar end date. It's a cute children's story, a somewhat reliable representation of the Popol Vuh, and certainly easier to understand than the original. It obviously leaves a whole lot out.
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