Navigate through monsters, mysteries, and the will of the gods with two young extraordinary adventurers in fifteenth-century Mesoamerica as they search for a missing father.
Donají is a fearless Zapotec girl who, even though she’s only fifteen, is heralded as a hero by her village. In Codex Black, Donají sets out on an adventure--accompanied by the god that lives inside of her poncho--to find her missing father. Along the way, she meets a 17-year-old winged Mexica warrior named Itzcacalotl, and over time their temporary partnership blooms into an incredible friendship.
The search brings the young pair closer to danger and deeper into mystery than either could have predicted. What exactly was Donají’s father involved with? And how did a simple search for a missing relative lead Donají and Itzcacalotl into a fight with a terrifying bat monster to defend an entire village?!
I LOVED this series opener. As a HS librarian serving a majority Latine population, I'm always looking for books that reflect my students' cultures, and this? This story does that, and does it so well. The story is compelling, funny, and accessible. The pronunciation guide at the end is exceedingly helpful, and the end notes that better explain the setting and it's general culture and politics are a fantastic resources since this is part of world history that isn't often well-covered in schools. I'm really excited to add this to the library's collection, and I'm looking forward to the next books, as there is definitely more to this story!
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
24 March, 2023:
Finished reading
-
24 March, 2023:
Reviewed