Ianna Andréadis, text by Elisa Amado, Sun Stone illustration by Felipe Dávalos,
Sun Stone Days / Tonaltin / Dias de Piedra
Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press, 2007.

Ages 5+

The slightly whimsical-sounding title of this beautifully produced little book is, in fact, straightforwardly accurate. Artist Ianna Andréadis has put together a collection of twenty black ink illustrations, each one representative of one of the days of the Aztec month in their solar calendar, as depicted on the Sun Stone, excavated in Mexico City in 1790.

Each illustration is accompanied by a single, descriptive word in English (red), Nahuatl (black) and Spanish (green): for example, “lizard cuetzpallin lagatija”. At the end, there is Felipe Dávalos’ painting of the “Sun Stone Cuauhxicalli Piedra del Sol”, which merits pulling out a magnifying glass to examine the ring of the days, as depicted not by Andreadis but by some unknown Aztec hand – or hands. Elisa Amado’s explanation of the Aztec Calendar follows, in both English and Spanish. It is both concise and informative, in a way that will be understood by children but is also quite readable for adults. It is particularly important that she gives the source of this background information, while also making it clear that there is still so much we do not know.

The small, square format of the book lends itself well to its content.  The cover itself is appealing, with its tactile, embossed depiction of eight stylised drawings based on Aztec symbolism.  They complement the eloquent, understated brush-strokes used on the inside.  The drawings will appeal to children because of their simplicity: and older perusers will marvel at that very simplicity’s deceptive nature.  As well as the many animals (the intently gazing jaguar or the very toothy crocodile and more), there are abstracts such as death and movement; and I particularly admire “grass”.

Sun Stone Days was a deserving winner of the prestigious New Horizons Prize from the Bologna Children’s Fair in 2006. It provides an engaging introduction to the Aztec interpretation of time and is of universal appeal.