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GLORIA AMESCUA
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Available Now
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NEW CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMÉNEZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA...
Award-winning illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh brings to life debut author Gloria Amescua's lyrical biography of an indigenous Nahua woman from Mexico who taught and preserved her people's culture through modeling for famous artists
She was Luz Jiménez,
child of the flower-song people,
the powerful Aztec,
who called themselves Nahua--
who lost their land but who did not disappear.
As a young Nahua girl in Mexico during the early 1900s, Luz learned how to grind corn in a metate, to twist yarn with her toes, and to weave on a loom. By the fire at night, she listened to stories of her community's joys, suffering, and survival, and wove them into her heart.
But when the Mexican Revolution came to her village, Luz and her family were forced to flee and start a new life. In Mexico City, Luz became a model for painters, sculptors, and photographers such as Diego Rivera, Jean Charlot, and Tina Modotti. These artists were interested in showing the true face of Mexico and not a European version. Through her work, Luz found a way to preserve her people's culture by sharing her native language, stories, and traditions. Soon, scholars came to learn from her.
This moving, beautifully illustrated biography tells the remarkable story of how model and teacher Luz Jiménez became "the soul of Mexico"--a living link between the indigenous Nahua and the rest of the world. Through her deep pride in her roots and her unshakeable spirit, the world came to recognize the beauty and strength of her people.
The book includes an author's note, timeline, glossary, and bibliography.
ADD TO GOODREADS
ORDER NOW!
Award-winning illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh brings to life debut author Gloria Amescua's lyrical biography of an indigenous Nahua woman from Mexico who taught and preserved her people's culture through modeling for famous artists
She was Luz Jiménez,
child of the flower-song people,
the powerful Aztec,
who called themselves Nahua--
who lost their land but who did not disappear.
As a young Nahua girl in Mexico during the early 1900s, Luz learned how to grind corn in a metate, to twist yarn with her toes, and to weave on a loom. By the fire at night, she listened to stories of her community's joys, suffering, and survival, and wove them into her heart.
But when the Mexican Revolution came to her village, Luz and her family were forced to flee and start a new life. In Mexico City, Luz became a model for painters, sculptors, and photographers such as Diego Rivera, Jean Charlot, and Tina Modotti. These artists were interested in showing the true face of Mexico and not a European version. Through her work, Luz found a way to preserve her people's culture by sharing her native language, stories, and traditions. Soon, scholars came to learn from her.
This moving, beautifully illustrated biography tells the remarkable story of how model and teacher Luz Jiménez became "the soul of Mexico"--a living link between the indigenous Nahua and the rest of the world. Through her deep pride in her roots and her unshakeable spirit, the world came to recognize the beauty and strength of her people.
The book includes an author's note, timeline, glossary, and bibliography.
ADD TO GOODREADS
ORDER NOW!
ABOUT GLORIA...
Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. She is an educator, poet and children’s book writer. Her debut picture book biography, NEW CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMÉNEZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA is written in verse and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams Books, fall 2021). An earlier version won the 2016 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award. A Hedgebrook alumna and an inaugural CantoMundo fellow, Gloria’s poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt acquired one of her poems for their national textbook literature series. Gloria is represented by Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary.
https://www.gloriaamescua.com
Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. She is an educator, poet and children’s book writer. Her debut picture book biography, NEW CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMÉNEZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA is written in verse and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams Books, fall 2021). An earlier version won the 2016 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award. A Hedgebrook alumna and an inaugural CantoMundo fellow, Gloria’s poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt acquired one of her poems for their national textbook literature series. Gloria is represented by Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary.
https://www.gloriaamescua.com