Up and Down the Andes (Travel the World)
Grade 1-3–Vibrant folk-style illustrations in rich colors enliven a rhyming text that portrays the journeys made by descendants of the Incas traveling to celebrateInti Raymi, the Inca New Year, in Cusco, the ancient Inca capital. On the winter solstice, when the sun is farthest from the Earth, the people gather to insure its return and the success of their crops. Up and down the Andes, there's excitement in the air,/And everyone is on their way to Cusco's central square./The children all are actors and they've come from far and near/To celebrate the festival that's held in June each year. The object of the celebration, the sun God himself, shimmers off the page in glowing shades of gold, and the faces of the participants are mesmerizing. The story is followed by an explanation of this celebration and other Peruvian festivals. The formidable Andes Mountains are captured in brilliant greens, and facts about them are included. This joyous story celebrates not only an annual holiday, but also the heritage reclaimed by the Andean people of Peru.–Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.