Today, we are singing out our joy at the release of The Hero Twins and the Magic of Song (Tales of the Feathered Serpent #2) by David Bowles & Charlene Bowles!
This action-packed series draws from David Bowles’s book Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky to immerse young readers in some of the legendary tales of ancient Mesoamerican cultures, exploring tales of magical children who outwit evil kings, clever twins who conquer the underworld, lakes that come to life and fall in love, heroes who fight the very sun, and more.
Of the book, author David Bowles says, “We hope that you will also find Hunahpu and Xbalanke as funny and wise and courageous as other children have for thousands of years. By telling their story in graphic novel form, we have attempted to preserve a little of what it must have been like to peruse those ancient manuscripts, back before the Spanish bonfires: images of demigods woven throughout hieroglyphic descriptions of their deeds, a visual delight that nourished hearts and minds.”
In this graphic novel retelling of an Indigenous Mexican tale, demigod twins must use their magic of song to rescue their father and uncle from the perilous Land of the Dead. A supreme middle-grade adventure!
“Immersive, magical, and undeniably clever.” — J.C. Cervantes, New York Times bestselling author
“This book has it all! Magic, music, and mayhem. . . . David Bowles and Charlene Bowles are masters at bringing these ancient stories to life with contemporary comedic pacing and beautifully crafted artwork.” — Pedro Martín, award-winning author-illustrator of Mexikid
Read More Indigenous Mesoamerican Stories
⭐ "David Bowles pairs up with illustrator Charlene Bowles to bring Mesoamerican heroes to life. With seemingly simple yet vivid illustrations characterized by strong, dynamic lines, the illustrator develops cunning and endearing characters to populate this enticing tale. . . An unmissable adventure of mythical proportions." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
This stunning collection of Aztec folklore and myths passed from generation to generation is the basis for the Tales of the Feathered Serpent series.
⭐ "Vibrant and vital, this collection is an essential addition to library collections." —School Library Journal, starred review
David Bowles is a Mexican American author from south Texas, where he teaches at the University of Texas Río Grande Valley. He has written several award-winning titles, most notably The Smoking Mirror and They Call Me Güero. His graphic novels include the Clockwork Curandera trilogy and the Tales of the Feathered Serpent series, based on stories from his critically acclaimed Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky. His work has also been published in multiple anthologies, plus venues such as The New York Times, School Library Journal, Strange Horizons, English Journal, Rattle, Translation Review, and the Journal of Children's Literature. In 2017, David was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters. He is online at davidbowles.us and on Twitter at @DavidOBowles.
Charlene Bowles is a comic artist and illustrator based in Texas. She graduated from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2018. Rise of the Halfling King was her debut graphic novel and her work has also been featured on the covers of the award-winning Garza Twins books. She is currently developing many of her own comic projects.
