Xolo

Newbery Medalist Higuera recasts the Aztec myth of creation, situating Xolotl, the dog-headed god of lighting, death, and misfortune, as a celebrated hero. After Earth “stopped spinning. All life perished, including humans,” and the immortal gods must throw themselves into a volcano to make the planet spin anew. While Quetzalcoatl, Xolo’s feathered serpent god twin brother, is the first to leap, Xolo cannot summon the courage to follow. Shunned for his cowardice, Xolo is banished to the Underworld, ruled by the god Mictlantecuhtli, who hoards the bones needed to reanimate humankind. Yearning for the return of his beloved mortals, Xolo approaches his brother with a plan: steal the bones back from Mictlantecuhtli. Pulling inspiration from images in the Codex Borgia, as mentioned in an illustrator’s note, Johnson (Run, Little Chaski) utilizes bright, saturated color to depict expressive characters as they navigate a world full of richly textured flora and fauna. Across Xolo’s measured, perceptive first-person narration, Higuera explores themes of self-worth and bravery, culminating in a winning reflection on what it means to be an underdog. Human characters are depicted with brown skin. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Allison Remcheck, Stimola Literary. (Nov.)