The Hero Twins and the Magic of Song

The Hero Twins and the Magic of Song

(Tales of the Feathered Serpent #2)

Written by David Bowles

Illustrated by Charlene Bowles

Publisher: Lee & Low Books; Standard Edition 

Language: ‎English

Paperback: 80 pages

ISBN-10: ‎1947627694

ISBN-13: ‎978-1947627697

Reading age: ‎8 - 12 years

Grade level: ‎3 - 7

 

In the age when Maya demigods lived among us, two carefree brothers, One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu, are foolishly lured to Xibalba, the Land of the Dead, to play a game. Unfortunately, it was a one-way trip. Unable to return to the sea-ringed world above, One Hunahpu’s firstborn sons must be raised by their grandmother.

 

Yet all hope is not lost. Down in Xibalba, One Hunahpu meets the rebellious Lady Blood, and their love leads to another set of twin sons, destined to save their father and uncle and restore balance to the cosmos. But won’t be easy! Lady Blood is shunned in the world above, and the twins are taunted by their half-brothers’ cruel pranks. If they choose to use a little trickster magic, maybe… just maybe… they might succeed.

 

Adapted from author David Bowles’s retellings and translations of essential pre-Columbian texts like the Popol Vuh, the Tales of the Feathered Serpent series bring Indigenous Mesoamerican stories alive for young readers!

 

 

Los héroes gemelos y la magia de la canción

(Leyendas de la serpiente emplumada #2)

 

 

En esta novela gráfica que reinventa un cuento indígena mexicano, los gemelos semidioses usan la magia de la canción para rescatar a su padre y a su tío de la peligrosa tierra de los muertos. Una aventura suprema de grado medio!

 

In this graphic novel retelling of an Indigenous Mexican tale, demigod twins must use their magic of song to rescue their father and uncle from the perilous Land of the Dead. A supreme middle-grade adventure!

 

En la época en que los semidioses mayas vivían entre nosotros, dos hermanos despreocupados, Uno Hunahpu y Siete Hunahpu, son atraídos a Xibalbá, la Tierra de los Muertos, para jugar. Desafortunadamente, fue un viaje sin regreso. Incapaces de regresar al mundo rodeado de mar, los hijos primogénitos de Uno Hunahpu deben ser criados por su abuela.

 

Sin embargo, no toda esperanza está perdida. En Xibalbá, Uno Hunahpu conoce a la rebelde Lady Blood, y su amor conduce a otro par de hijos gemelos, destinados a salvar a su padre y a su tío y restaurar el equilibrio del cosmos. ¡Pero no será fácil! Lady Blood es rechazada en el mundo de arriba, y los gemelos se burlan de las crueles bromas de sus medio hermanos. Si eligen usar un poco de magia engañosa, tal vez… sólo tal vez… puedan tener éxito.

 

Adaptada de los recuentos y traducciones del autor David Bowles de textos precolombinos esenciales como el Popol Vuh, la serie Cuentos de la serpiente emplumada da vida a las historias indígenas mesoamericanas para los lectores jóvenes.

 

 

 

David Bowles is a Mexican American author from south Texas, where he teaches at the University of Texas Río Grande Valley. He has written several award-winning titles, most notably The Smoking Mirror and They Call Me Güero. His graphic novels include the Clockwork Curandera trilogy and the Tales of the Feathered Serpent series, based on stories from his critically acclaimed Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky. His work has also been published in multiple anthologies, plus venues such as The New York Times, School Library Journal, Strange Horizons, English Journal, Rattle, Translation Review, and the Journal of Children's Literature. In 2017, David was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters. He is online at davidbowles.us and on Twitter at @DavidOBowles.

 

 

Charlene Bowles is a comic artist and illustrator based in Texas. She graduated from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2018. Rise of the Halfling King is her debut graphic novel and her work has also been featured on the covers of the award-winning Garza Twins books. She is currently developing many of her own comic projects.