Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello / Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello

by Monica Brown, Elisa Chavarri;Elisa Chavarri (Illustrator)

A bilingual picture book biography of Peruvian archaeologist and national icon Julio C. Tello, who unearthed Peru's ancient cultures and fostered pride in the country's Indigenous history.

Growing up in the late 1800s, Julio Tello, an Indigenous boy, spent time exploring the caves and burial grounds in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. Nothing scared Julio, not even the ancient human skulls he found. His bravery earned him the boyhood nickname Sharuko, which means brave in Quechua, the language of the Native people of Peru.

At the age of twelve, Julio moved to Lima to continue his education. While in medical school, he discovered an article about the skulls he had found. The skulls had long ago been sent to Lima to be studied by scientists. The article renewed Julio's interest in his ancestry, and he decided to devote his medical skills to the study of Peru's Indigenous history.

Over his lifetime, Julio Tello made many discoveries at archaeological sites around Peru, and he worked to preserve the historical treasures he excavated. He showed that Peru's Indigenous cultures had been established thousands of years ago, disproving the popular belief that Peruvian culture had been introduced more recently from other countries. He fostered pride in his country's Indigenous ancestry, making him a hero to all Peruvians. Because of the brave man once known as Sharuko, people around the world today know of Peru's long history and its living cultural legacy.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Latinx, Childrens, Biography Memoir

40 pages, Hardcover

Published August 18, 2020

About the author

Monica Brown, Ph.D. is the author of awardwinning bilingual books for children, including My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz (Luna Rising), a recipient of the Américas Award for Children's Literature and a Pura Belpré Honor. Her second picture book, My Name Is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/Me llamo Gabriela: La vida de Gabriela Mistral (Luna Rising) shares the story of the first Latina to win a Nobel Prize.

Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. "I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience. I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!"

Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins).

Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature; and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona.

To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.

Reviews

[Gwen Bumpers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last sentence in the book is the best! "And now Peruvians tell their own stories."

[Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this newly released bilingual biography of Julio C. Tello reviewed on Kirkus Reviews website. It states that "Brown's account of Tello's life and achievements is compelling and engaging, and the accompanying artwork goes a long way toward giving a real sense of place to the narration."
Julio grew up near the Peruvian Andes, where he explored caves and burial grounds in the foothills of Pariacaca. He was a brave boy and an excellent student who moved to Lima to study in medical school. Julio traveled to America to attend Harvard, and later, he continued his education in Europe. Julio worked at many archaeological sites and discovered that the Indigenous Chavin and Paracas cultures were more than three thousand years old.
I recommend this book for upper elementary and middle school grades; it is an excellent addition to a classroom library and a great mentor text for the biography unit.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This inspiring and informative biography by Monica Brown, who identifies as Peruvian-American, tells the hopeful story of Julio C. Telling, or Sharuko, the important indigenous Peruvian archaeologist who persisted to study the artifacts of his people and celebrate their history. Colorful illustrations by Elisa Chavarri lend to a strong sense of place and balance the blocks of bilingual (English/Spanish) text. A great biography for elementary-aged kids.

Electronic ARC provided by the publisher for review.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about this book is that it grabs the general readers attention right away. A young boy is know by the nickname of brave in his native Quechua - Sharuko. He loves exploring caves and uncovering the history and mysteries of the pottery, artifacts and human remains. Nothing captures the attention like an illustration of a young child holding a skull. Sharuko goes on to extensive education and helps to create a new understanding of the depth, complexity and history of the native Peruvians. I loved the sentences that explained "Sharuko felt proud of his heritage. He thought everyone in Peru, not just Indigenous people, should know these stories and be proud too." All of this is excellent. On top of intrinsic interest, I know, as a grade school librarian, there is a shocking dearth of Latinx and Asian biographies. Librarians always want more. What bums me out is there is not enough context provided early on, for the young readers this biography is marketed to. Indigenous should be clearly defined right away. The context indicates it means 'living in an area for many generations' but that is clearly not a complete definition nor is it particularly meaningful to the third grade audience. We are told that it was a great accomplishment that Sharuko proved Peruvian Chavin culture was 3,000 years old but it would have been great to have added an extra sentence to let kids know why it was so important to prove that the accomplishments of the Chavin were homegrown and NOT introduced from other areas. Those issues of history and cultural pride and bias against native culture are only made explicit on the final pages. I wish the author had crafted a plain spoken forward.

[Sunday · Rating 4 out of 5]

AMAZING how one individual can reclaim the (hi)storyline of a country for his fellow citizens and himself. Dr. Julio C. Tello, a Peruvian archaeologist, researched and made a clear case that his Indigenous ancestors were "gifted and resourceful healers" and much much more. This was not the popular belief of the time and most of the "history" or stories told were about the Spanish conquest and later. Dr. Tello successfully endeavored to change people's beliefs and the world's understanding of Peruvian history. This book is a powerful contribution to conversations about de-centering a particular way of thinking (typically Eurocentric), about questions related to "Who gets to write a peoples' history?"

A little disappointed (and surprised) that Brown does a lot of the work for the reader, telling the reader that Dr. Tello was "brave and curious," "proud of his heritage," "leaving his family and home was difficult," "brave and unafraid," etc etc etc. There are plenty of details that reveal the kind of person he was or how he must have felt; wish Brown had let the reader draw these conclusions. Not a deal breaker. I'd still read aloud to students or encourage small groups to read and discuss on their own.

Chavarri's beautiful illustrations reveal not only the major events in Dr. Tello's life, but the glorious magnificence of the Indigenous peoples of Peru. I'd encourage students to pause with a prompt like, "What do you notice?"

Thank you to Lee and Low for making this available in a SPANISH/ENGLISH edition and for positioning Spanish FIRST on each page.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello is a children's picture book written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. It is an introduction to the life of Julio C. Tello, one of the most important Peruvian archaeologists and the first Indigenous archaeologist in the Americas.

Julio César Tello was a Peruvian archaeologist. Tello is considered the "Father of Peruvian Archeology" and was the first indigenous archaeologist in South America.

Brown's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Presented in both Domínguez's Spanish translation and in English, Brown's account goes on to tell about Tello's childhood and eventual move to Lima to further his education, ultimately in medicine. Backmatter includes an afterword, illustrator's note, author's sources. Chavarri's memorable illustrations give a real sense of place to the narration and depict the text rather well.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Born in the highlands of Peru in 1880, Julio and his family were Quechua-speaking Indigenous people. His fearlessness and curiosity as a child earned him the nickname Sharuko, the Quechua word for brave. Pride in his heritage and a curiosity sparked by childhood discoveries of skulls and artifacts led him to apply his medical skills to interpreting the Indigenous history of Peru.

All in all, Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello is an engaging account of a man who dedicated his life to telling Peru's long history.

[Hailed P-T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharuko fue escrito por Monica Brown e ilustrado por Elisa Chavarri y cuenta la historia de Julio C. Tello. Este libro híbrido es un relato que parece ser ficción debido a sus ilustraciones y su estructura narrativa pero en realidad es una biografía. Esta biografía relata la vida de Julio Trello en orden cronológico empezando por su niñez. Trello fue uno de los arqueólogos más importantes de todas las Américas e hizo descubrimientos que revolucionaron la arqueología peruana. De niño, siempre exploraba las cuevas y antiguos cementerios en su tierra natal de Perú. Al hacer esto, se ganó el apodo de Sharuko el cual significa valiente en la lengua nativa Quechua de Perú. El contenido de este libro refleja una amplia gama de escenarios, lenguajes y culturas y sus ilustraciones mejoran y amplían el significado del texto. Sus ilustraciones son estilo acuarela y gouache, son detalladas, coloridas e interpretan la cultura indigena Peruana plenamente.

Este libro puede ser usado en una variedad de lecciones pero especialmente en un estudio biográfico de personas de latinoamérica que han hecho contribuciones significativas.

Este libro lo encontré en la lista de libros ganadores del premio Pura Belprè.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/...

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello, in this 9 star Biography for Art, Language and Cultural Exploration!
Did you know that...
-his nickname, Sharuko, means brave?
-that he uncovered multiple Indigenous cultures, some over 3000 years old?
-that he became a museum director?

#OwnVoices Peruvian Author Monica Brown and Peruvian Illustrator Elisa Chavarri do a fantastic job of melding story and imagery about Tello's life and discoveries.

The book is perfect for bilingual learning too as the text are separated on opposite pages, one in English and one in Spanish.
Tello, in my book, may be cooler than Indiana Jones. He genuinely cared about his Identity and the ideas of sharing Indigenous cultures with the rest of the world to prove that Peru was its own nation, even before Spanish Conquistadors came to invade.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bilingual picture book biography of Peruvian Indigenous Archaeologist and national icon, Julio C. Tello. At the end of the book is a photograph of Tello that was taken in 1926, along with an Afterward, Illustrator's Note, and a list of the Author's Sources.

Bold and Beautiful color illustrations accompany this story.

Outstanding and Educational!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter is very into Archaeology at the moment (thank you Indiana Jones). When we found this picture book biography at our local library, it was like finding buried treasure. She loved this book. Peruvian Indigenous Archaeologist Julio C. Tello's life wand work is fascinating and informative. A great read for kids interested in science and history.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belpre Honor Award

Biography of Peruvian archeologist and national hero. Tello proved that Peru's history did not begin with the Spanish conquest, but included great civilizations from thousands of years before.

Maybe more of a 4.5 due to Tello's importance in shattering or at least cracking of the western lens bias in archeology and proving the importance of living experts in cultures.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated bilingual picture book biography of a Peruvian archeologist whose work led others to rethink colonial viewpoints around indigenous cultures. Bilingual text will extend the book's reach. (Formatting on the DRC was off and I look forward to seeing the text layout on the final version.)

Exploring the foothills of the Peruvian Andes in his youth, Tello found ancient skulls that later piqued scientific curiosity. Tello dedicated his medical training to researching the Indigenous history of Peru, including those skulls, and his subsequent archeological discoveries informed and preserved Peruvian culture. This fully bilingual biography should appeal to young explorers, STEM enthusiasts, and to anyone looking to celebrate the cultural legacy of Indigenous or Peruvian heritage.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Mandi Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the words of illustrator Elisa Chivarri about the national pride of her fellow Peruvians, this book takes advantage of an excellent opportunity to “rave about [the] country and culture.” Sharuko celebrates a man who advanced the #ownvoices movement long before it hit the social media zeitgeist. The story, told in Spanish on the left page of each opening and in English on the right, recounts the life of Julio C. Tello. Beginning with his earliest encounters with human skulls in the caves of his childhood, it relates the milestones that led to his eventual discovery of the indigenous Peruvian roots of the Incan Empire and beyond. The watercolor and gouache illustrations pay visual homage to the artistic traditions of indigenous Peru and the afterward, illustrator’s note, and bibliography show loyalty and deference to the reality of the historical subject matter.

It’s difficult for a picturebook, having limited space, to adequately convey all of the milestones in a life so rich with twists and turns as that of Sharuko. The limits are even tighter since the text is printed twice! However, the author makes a wise choice in spending more time on the subject’s childhood, laying the groundwork and showing the roots of his passion, than on the young adulthood which would likely fascinate a more adult audience. The text demonstrates an awareness of audience by establishing the subject as devoted to his passion even as a young boy, encouraging the child readers to visualize themselves in similar adventures. The illustrations do the work of showing Sharuko’s philosophies much more effectively and efficiently than the text could have. The contrast between the bright, vibrant greens and yellows of the indigenous people and the stiff, regulated browns and grays of the Spanish empire on the third opening show clearly Sharuko’s positive emotional association with the pre-colonial culture. The fifth opening clearly communicates Sharuko’s fascination with the past as human skulls are prominently displayed against a backdrop of shocking yellows, oranges and pinks, contrasting with the dark and foreboding mood the skulls alone might suggest. The ending of the book is also worthy of special note. The author chooses to end, not at the highpoint of the subject’s life as do many other biographies for children, but with the author’s death and legacy. Again, the text demonstrates a respect for the child audience and does not shield them from the reality of death, supporting once again the motif of death and the past as a friend instead of a fear. The illustration on this final opening is once again a brilliant and celebratory yellow, with many Incan symbols surrounding the figure of Sharuko, tokens of his accomplishments and of his connection with his heritage. This is an excellent biography for igniting passion, encouraging and inclusive culture, and addressing complex emotions about national heritage.

[Natalie Leon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharuko is a bilingual picture book that is a biography about the life and work of Julio César Tello, a man famously known to Peruvians as the father of Peruvian archeology. I think the author really does a good job of making it a story that is engaging for kids, despite being nonfiction, as she starts with Tello’s childhood, and then moves into his adult accomplishments. I think the illustrations also really make Tello’s story interesting, as the bright colors of Peruvian culture are used throughout. As a kid, Tello gets the quechua nickname “Sharuko” because he was brave when he went seeking out the things that made him curious, even when it was the skulls of his ancestors. As Tello got older, with the support of his aunt, he left home to go to a medical school in Lima, Peru. Once there, Tello comes across an article about the skulls that he and his brother had found when they were kids, and he is inspired to learn about the indigenous history of Peru. He then learns a lot about how intelligent his indigenous ancestors were, and tries to spread knowledge of this ancient history throughout Peru. One of the big discoveries he makes later in his life is proof of an ancient beginning of the Peruvian culture, proving that Peruvians culture was its own. One thing I really appreciate about this book is that it doesn’t sugarcoat the history with Spanish colonization. I especially love the illustration on the page that talks about Spanish colonization because you can actually see the contrast between the colors of the indigenous people, and the grey of the destruction that the Spanish caused. The illustrations in general are very beautiful and I think kids would really like the use of color. At first I thought I would have liked to see the cover as colorfully done as most of the illustrations in the book, but I think the yellow suits it better after all. In a way it also sort of looks like Tello is surrounded by the real riches that the Spanish overlooked in the culture of Peru. I also really appreciate that the artist is Peruvian because it shows in the illustration of the people. Tello keeps his indigenous features in this illustration, and I think that’s really important to the message of the story! Before I read this, I had never heard of Julio C. Tello, but it intrigued me because there are unfortunately not a lot of stories I hear about indigenous people telling their stories for themselves, especially not as far back as when Tello was alive. However, I think its necessary that kids learn the history and that archeology is ideally the job of the descendants of the people you are trying to study. I think this book is best suited for somewhat older elementary aged kids because there is quite a lot of words on the pages, and at the same time it could serve as a supplement to language learning since it is printed in both English and Spanish.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello illustrated by Elisa Chavarri and written by Monica Brown, and translated by Adriana Dominguez was the 2021 Pura Belpe Award Honor Book for Youth Illustration.

I found this book on youtube. I used the video that is 20 minutes, 34 seconds long. The book and the reading of it in this video are in Spanish on each page, then English on each page. The reading is done by a native Spanish speaker so the Spanish is pronounced correctly, as is the English. The reading is at a good pace.

This book tells the true story of a Peruvian explorer, Julio C. Tello, an indigenous Peruvian archeologist who lived in the late 1800s. His childhood nickname Sharuko is Quechua for brave. The book details his life from his childhood where he lived with his indigenous family in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, to his studies in Peru at 12 years old, to studying medicine at the National University of San Marcos, where he found an article about the skulls he and his brothers had found as children. Then the story continues to tell how he studied Archeology and Anthropology at Harvard in the United States. Then it tells of his work as an archeologist and his many discoveries that changed what people all over the world knew about the indigenous cultures of Peru.

Author Monica Brown said, “For centuries, the Indigenous people of Peru were treated unfairly and faced discrimination. This started in the 1500s when Spanish soldiers invaded Peru.” (Brown, 2020, 4:35) I like this paragraph because it is truthful. Much of the history taught in of the United States to school children through picture books of its own invasion by Europeans does not come close to using direct language like this.

I have used several of Monica Brown’s other books in 2nd grade for narrative writing. I have not seen this book before, probably because it’s new. My school library doesn’t have it yet. I would use this book with grades 4 and up. It’s a picture book, but there is so much information, and the language Brown uses is not at all childish. Even older grade students will learn so much about an archeologist who changed what the world knew about his people. “Before him, stories of Peru’s history were told by outsiders and focused on events following the Spanish conquest. But Julio proved that Peru’s history began long before that. … And now Peruvians tell their own stories.” (Brown, 2020, 19:36) I would use this story to continue the conversation that history comes from a perspective. As learners, we want to seek out the history of people as told by members of that culture, rather than stories told by outsiders.

[Christine Turner]

School Library Journal recommends this book for grades 3–6.

A fascinating bilingual picture book biography of Peruvian archaeologist and national icon Julio C. Tello, who unearthed Peru's ancient cultures and fostered pride in the country's Indigenous history.
Growing up in the late 1800s, Julio Tello, an Indigenous boy, spent time exploring the caves and burial grounds in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. Nothing scared Julio, not even the ancient human skulls he found. His bravery earned him the boyhood nickname Sharuko, which means "brave" in Quechua, the language of the Native people of Peru.

At the age of twelve, Julio moved to Lima to continue his education. While in medical school, he discovered an article about the skulls he had found. The skulls had long ago been sent to Lima to be studied by scientists. The article renewed Julio's interest in his ancestry, and he decided to devote his medical skills to the study of Peru's Indigenous history.

Over his lifetime, Julio Tello made many revolutionary discoveries at archaeological sites around Peru, and he worked to preserve the historical treasures he excavated. He showed that Peru's Indigenous cultures had been established thousands of years ago, disproving the popular belief that Peruvian culture had been introduced more recently from other countries. He fostered pride in his country's Indigenous ancestry, making him a hero to all Peruvians. Because of the brave man once known as Sharuko, people around the world today know of Peru's long history and its living cultural legacy.

Subject: Archaeologists -- Peru -- Biography -- Juvenile literature.
Archaeology -- Peru -- History -- Juvenile literature.
Indians of South America -- Peru -- Antiquities -- Juvenile literature.
Spanish language materials -- Bilingual.
Arqueólogos -- Perú -- Biografía -- Literatura juvenil.
Arqueología -- Perú -- Historia -- Literatura juvenil.
Indígenas de América del Sur -- Perú -- Antigüedades -- Literatura juvenil.
Bilingual books.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book biography about the first Peruvian archaeologist to compare artifacts from the past to those cultures of today does what Lee & Low Books do best: lets #OwnVoices show and tell their own stories about their own cultures. It is told in a bilingual format, first in Spanish and then in English.

Brown, the daughter of a Peruvian immigrant, does an exceptional job of detailing the life of this indigenous archaeologist from Peru who broke barriers while studying artifacts of and learning the history of indigenous Peruvians. While I am not qualified to evaluate the Spanish text, I can attest that the English reads smoothly, almost like a storybook. Brown includes a few dates to put things in perspective for today's readers. She includes just enough details in scenes for readers to begin to imagine what it was like to live and work during those more primitive times and the insurmountable obstacles that Tello experienced.

Watercolor and gouache illustrations by Peruvian immigrant Elisa Chavarri are bright and colorful, visually set in Peru. Chavarri includes samples of fabrics, sculptures, and cultural touchstones not only in the antiquities, but also in the images of Tello and his contemporaries (1800's-1940's). Seeing the children lined up as they proceed through the Museum of Anthropolgy is priceless. Another highlight is Tello's "Indiana Jones" moment, where he is garbed in his exploring/work clothes, one leg propped up on a rock as he casually poses near a stack of cabezas clavas (carved stone heads). The endsheets really set this one up, as each features over 2 dozen unique cabezas clavas.

Perfect for studies about Peruvian history and its indigenous culture. It makes one want to trek to Paracas, or better yet - Chavín de Huántar, a major pre-Incan cultural site on the list of World Heritage Centre sites.

Highly Recommended for grades K-5.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this bilingual biography on Publisher's Weekly and it looked fascinating, so I asked my library to get a copy and thankfully they did. Sharuko, which means brave in Quechua (the native language of Peru), is a nickname earned by Julio C. Tello, because he was an adventurous young indigenous boy who liked to explore the burial grounds in the Andes with his brothers. The name stuck with him. He was able to continue his education past the age of twelve in Lima, first with the help of his aunt, and then with his own hard work and determination, he put himself through medical school. He studied the skulls he had found with his brothers as kids and decided he wanted to become an archaeologist, so he could share Peruvian history with everyone. He did his graduate work at Harvard University and in Europe, and then came back home to Peru. He eventually made many important discoveries about Peruvian indigenous culture and how it originated in the country vs being brought in from Central America like originally thought. He was eventually made the head of the Peru's Archaeological Museum in Lima. I discovered this bilingual biography on Publisher's Weekly and it looked fascinating, so I asked my library to get a copy and thankfully they did. Sharuko, which means brave in Quechua (the native language of Peru), is a nickname earned by Julio C. Tello, because he was an adventurous young indigenous boy who liked to explore the burial grounds in the Andes with his brothers. The name stuck with him. He was able to continue his education past the age of twelve in Lima, first with the help of his aunt, and then with his own hard work and determination, he put himself through medical school. He studied the skulls he had found with his brothers as kids and decided he wanted to become an archaeologist, so he could share Peruvian history with everyone. He did his graduate work at Harvard University and in Europe, and then came back home to Peru. He eventually made many important discoveries about Peruvian indigenous culture and how it originated in the country vs being brought in from Central America like originally thought. He was eventually made the head of the Peru's Archaeological Museum in Lima. I did like that both the author and illustrator were from Peru, and had a personal connection to the story. Recommended for ages 8-11, 4 stars. 

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This bilingual picture book--Spanish first and then English--tells the story of Julio C. Tello, a Peruvian archaeologist who used his discoveries of artifacts to prove that the country's indigenous population had its own culture, 3,000 years old, complete with art and various structures while another indigenous group that lived 2,500 years ago used irrigation systems, crafted gorgeous textiles, and had specific burial practices for those who died. His discoveries put the lie to those who had conjectured that Peruvian culture came from other countries and wasn't home grown. Tello's influence is unmatched since it fostered cultural pride and encouraged Peruvians rather than cultural outsiders to tell their stories. As was the case with other countries and cultures, Peru's history did not begin with the Spanish conquest of the area but long before that. Colorful illustrations created with watercolor and gouache pay tribute to the indigenous cultures whose artifacts Tello found with even the endpapers consisting of drawings of the carved stone heads found at one archaeological dig. Before reading this book, I'd never heard of this man, known as Sharko as a child, and what he found during his field work. This picture book biography brings much-deserved attention and recognition to him as well as serving as a reminder to me that I still regard history through white, Western eyes and must forget some of the biased history that I learned in my own schooling.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bilingual picture book biography. Monica Brown once again takes a Hispanic subject and brings them to life in a bilingual format. This one focuses on Julio Tello, nicknamed Sharuko, who was an Indigenous Peruvian archaeologist and anthropologist. As a child, Tello found skulls while exploring and his father sent them off to be studied. This discovery paved the way for a lifelong interest in the history of the Indigenous Peruvians. While on an archaeological dig, he found evidence of an Indigenous culture that was over 3,000 years old. He was able to argue that Peruvian culture "had grown from its own soil." On a later dig he discovered beautiful textiles and a cemetery filled with mummy bundles. He became the director of the Museum of Anthropology and helped the people of Peru tell their own stories.

This book has a lot going for it-- the Indiana Jones look of the cover, mummies that weren't from Egypt, a message of empowerment, beautiful detailed illustrations, and the broader audience due to both Spanish and English text. It inspired me to learn more about Peru, especially the mummies found there. Another well-done biography by Monica Brown.

[LaVonne Hanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monica Brown adds to her lengthy list of award-winning Latino biographies with this captivating Spanish/English tale about Julio Tello, the father of Peruvian archaeology. Nicknamed Sharuko, or “brave,” Tello grew up exploring caves and burial grounds with his brothers, Quechuan-speaking members of Peru’s Indigenous peoples. Once grown, Tello, who was immensely proud of his family’s ancestry, spent his career researching the history of the country’s Native people, using ancient relics and observation of current practices to understand their way of life – and showing the rest of the world how Peruvian culture sprang from its roots. The author, whose mother immigrated from Lima, extends details in an afterward and source notes, while Peruvian-born illustrator Elisa Chavarri adds authenticity with accurate depictions of burial artwork and textiles. Learn more about Brown and her books at http://www.monicabrown.net/

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

For too many years, the archaeology of other countries has been interpreted by people of other cultures. Julio C. Tello sought to change the way that Peruvian archaeological finds were being interpreted. He looked at the items he and other archaeologists found through the cultural lens of the Indigenous people of Peru. He also wanted to ensure that people in Peru were aware of their past and could understand the different items that were found along with what they represented. This book sheds light on his many accomplishments.
Elisa Chavarri also created fantastic illustrations for this book. I especially liked the cabezas clavas (carved stone heads) which appear on the endpapers. I think kids would love creating their own cabezas clavas! Or the examples of ancient textiles that appear throughout the book.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book biography of Julio C. Tello, Peru's first Indigenous archaeologist, who made incredible discoveries about Peru's ancient past and the people who lived there way before the Spanish set foot on the continent.

A very interesting picture book biography looking at how those who grow up in a culture have a unique ability to make connections from archaeological finds of cultures that predate that one. Definitely read the illustrator's note about her inspiration from Tello's finds for the artwork. The research alone is well worthy of the Belpré sticker. I don't know of any other medical doctor/anthropologist/archaeologist picture book biographies out there and this gives a great little survey of what education and training it takes to become an expert in such fields.

Notes on content: Discussions about finding skulls and examining bones and mummies, though no gory details.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using bilingual language, Brown uses this picture book biography to share the amazing Peruvian archeologist Julio Tello who brought the curiosity and science of studying the burial sites of Peruvian's to be able to explain and tell their own stories and history rather than what stories were being told post-Spanish colonization.

His thirst for knowledge brought out the best in Tello as an adventurer and learning which as an adult reader I was inspired by deeply. This book hit some feelings and pride in a person's heritage: culture, land, stories.

The images and artwork were more spartan because of the bilingual text on each page but it wasn't distracting nor did it take away from the story. The choices for art to use complimented the story well.

[Tea73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always wondered who the audience for picture books like these might be. I feel most kids who found the subject interesting wouldn't be caught dead reading picture books. That said, it was pretty much the perfect book for me as an adult Spanish language learner. It was a lot meatier than most of the children's books I've tackled so far, but thanks to the page of English/page of Spanish format, I didn't need to sit with a dictionary. I read the Spanish page, skimmed the English page and reread the Spanish page. I learned something about Peru and I know even more now as the book sent me off checking out Wikipedia pages to see photos of the things (quite well illustrated) by the drawings.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the true story of the life of Peruvian archaeologist, Julio Tello, who made great contributions to the fields of ancient and Peruvian history, and archaeology. Among his many accomplishments, Tello proved that Peruvian culture was much older than previously thought, and he was the first Peruvian to study the archaeology of his own country. The story reads a bit like a textbook from time to time, but the illustrations introduce the reader to the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Peru.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written and illustrated by Peruvian women, Sharuko: Peruvian Archaeologist is a brief biography of Julio C. Tello, the man who discovered much about the ancient history of many of the indigenous people in the South American country of Peru. Monica Brown’s text reveals a man with admirable drive and dedication and Elisa Chavarri’s gouache paintings are detailed and illustrate even more than the text states. Wonderful book for use in art classrooms as well as ELA and Social Studies.

A Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.

[Mikaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Biography
Grade Level: 3rd-5th

I found this book when trying to expand my Goodreads bookshelf to have more diversity in it. What was fantastic about this find was that each page has both English and Spanish. This would allow any students in the future who speak Spanish as their native language would have a chance to read the book in their language with the English translation right next to it. For students with the native language of English, it would allow them to look into another language.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man did i love this! A. It was bilingual, and not one of those super easy books that just are individual words (I haven't come across too many at this level, but maybe I haven't looked hard enough). B. It affirms the culture and strength and intelligence of indigenous people. C. the art was beautiful and it showed off some lovely scenes of Peru.

Go check it out if you or your child are learning Spanish and need a good story to practice with!