Xolo

by Barba Higuera, Donna; Ruiz Johnson, Mariana

• ISBN13: 9781646147021
• ISBN10: 1646147022
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2025-11-04
• Publisher: Levine Querido

Summary

It is said the mighty feathered serpent god, Quetzalcoatl, helped create the earth. He is the hero who stole back the bones of humanity from the evil god of the Underworld. In his quest to bring humans to the earth, Quetzalcoatl's dog-headed twin brother, Xolotl, was present. Not much is known of Xolotl, the god of lightning, death, and misfortune. A monster.

This is what really happened.

From Newbery Medalist Donna Barba Higuera and illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson comes a singular reimagining of the Aztec myth of the origin of man—and man's best friend—that is nothing short of a modern masterpiece.

Author Biography

Donna Barba Higuera grew up in Central California and now lives in the Pacific Northwest. She has spent her entire life blending folklore with her experiences into stories that fill her imagination. Now she weaves them to write picture books and novels. Donna's first book, Lupe Wong Won't Dance, won a Sid Fleischman Award for Humor and a Pura Belpré Honor. Her second novel, The Last Cuentista, received the John Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. It was named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and TIME.

Mariana Ruiz Johnson studied fine art and illustration of books for children, and has been published as an author and illustrator on every continent. She currently lives in the outskirts of Buenos Aires with her husband and two children.