“Deer, rabbits, / quetzals, doves, / lianas, flowers and low trees. / Ponchos of pure goat wool. / Woven in Momostenango. / Dreaming wrapped in them / is as if you were falling asleep / in the woodlands.” (“In the Woodlands”) Humberto Ak’abal was a Mayan K’iche’ Guatemalan poet who died unexpectedly in 2019. Although he was not a writer for children, many of his brief, beautiful poems are accessible to younger readers. This curated selection in Spanish and English is divided into 12 thematic sections that focus on elements of village and daily life, nature, indigenous identity and language, and more. Full-page, mixed-media illustrations reflecting the details of the poet’s themes appear at the introduction to each section.
(Ages 8-13)