Ancient Night by David Alvarez, David Bowles
Published by Levine Querido on March 14, 2023
ISBN: 1646142519
Pages: 40
Genres: Fairy Tale, Folklore
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

Every night, Rabbit gathers glowing nectar from the holy maguey (a sacred agave plant) and pours it into a large vessel in the sky, creating moonlight. When Possum decides he wants some of the nectar for himself, he breaks the vessel, drains it out, and drinks it. The earth is dark. Filled with regret, Possum travels underground to bring back fire. He fills a vessel in the sky, creating sunlight. Together, Rabbit and Possum serve as Guardians of Light, lifting their cups of nectar in friendship. This story is “a twist on several traditional stories of Mesoamerica — what we now call Mexico and Central America.”

David Alvarez’s illustrations are stunning and were I just rating those I would give this book 5 stars. The text is brief and relies heavily on the illustrations to tell the story. So much so that the story is difficult to understand. For example, simply mentioning that the Ceiba is a tree and aguamiel is the nectar from an agave plant would have gone a long way to explain the story. Instead one has to consult the authors’ notes at the back of the book to learn about them. Children will have difficulty translating on their own, “Now, no heavenly light can shine upon the earth,” to there is no longer moonlight. Learning how Opossum lost the fur on his tail was a missed opportunity.

If I were to read this folktale aloud, I would explain the terminology and background, as well as pointing out elements of the illustrations while reading so that the audience understands the story. The illustrations are well-worth the extra effort.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library