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
A 2022 Pura Belpré Award Author Honor Book
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.
