A lomo de cuento por Colombia

K-Gr 2–A lushly illustrated folktale with extensive back matter. Inspired by Indigenous Colombian creation myths, this tale begins with el sol’s creation of the jungle, mountains, and rivers. When he meets la luna, they fall in love, happily traversing across the wide open sky. Eventually, their love bears a child, the jaguar, who is feared and respected by all the other animals of the Amazon but must prove himself against the rival anaconda. Andricaín’s descriptive text, with its natural flow and short length, makes for an ideal bedtime read aloud, while the appealing folk-style illustrations create a timeless feel. The latter half of this slim volume in the “A lomo de cuento” series begins with a map of Colombia featuring illustrated markers for its coffee region, major cities, and notable flora and fauna. The map leads into sections on the nation’s biodiversity and Amazonian region where the story of jaguar unfolds, adding context to the origins of the tale and the real-world setting. Other brief sections, including “Montañas fascinantes” and “Música, letras, y arte,” provide a broad overview of the literature, music, and other facets of Colombia’s rich culture.