Latin America
Colombia
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent
By Irene Vasco, Lawrence Schimel (Translator), Juan Palomino (Illustrator)
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent. Irene Vasco. Translated by Lawrence Schimel. Illustrated by Juan Palomino. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2023. Originally published as La joven maestra y la gran serpiente in Spanish by Editorial Juventud, Barcelona, in 2019. ISBN 9780802856173. 40 p. (Ages 5-9). Picture book.
As a teacher shares books with her students, they tell her the legends of a great serpent. On the Fundación Cuatrogatos Award list. The author is a prominent Columbian educator; she was recognized by the Colombian Ministry of Education with its “Life and Work” distinction for her long career working with children and teens. [jm]
Mexico
The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas
By María García Esperón, David Bowles (Translator), Amanda Mijangos (Illustrator)
The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas. María García Esperón. Translated by David Bowles. Illustrated by Amanda Mijangos. Levine Querido, 2021. Originally published as Diccionario de mitos de América by Ediciones El Naranjo, Mexico City, Mexico, in 2018. ISBN 9781646140152. 240 p. (Ages 8-14). Nonfiction.
An anthology of stories from native peoples which includes different cultures and nations from across both North and South America. A 2022 Batchelder Honor Book. [jm]