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Aztec: Kids at the Crossroads
What if kids kept blogs during pivotal moments in world history? The Internet offers modern kids amazing ways to express themselves and learn about the world. Imagine if the same technology had been available to children during dramatic episodes in history. Welcome to the Kids at the Crossroads series. Each book is written as an Internet journal, including illustrated snapshots of the action and "links" to sidebar windows providing facts about and images of the era. This innovative blend of history and high-tech storytelling is sure to capture the attention of web junkies and history buffs alike. Kids at the Crossroads logs you on to the blog of 12-year-old Yoatl, an Aztec living in 1519. Although he's the son of a warrior, Yoatl always figured he'd be schooled as a priest. But when his father is disgraced in battle, Yoatl loses his prestigious spot at school and is sent instead to train as a warrior. From day one, Yoatl struggles with his training. Then, in his first battle, he rescues an enemy Tlaxcalan boy from being trampled. When Yoatl's superiors mistake the move for military heroism, he is celebrated for capturing a victim to be used as a human sacrifice. Desperate to correct the boy's destiny, Yoatl arranges his escape, only to be captured himself by the enemy. Yoatl soon discovers that the Tlaxcalans have allied with pale, hairy-faced strangers who have powerful weapons. At first intrigued by the newcomers, Yoatl is soon alarmed enough to use all his wiles to escape these conquistadors and warn his people of the coming storm... only to find that his emperor already welcomes these newcomers with open arms. The world of the Aztec comes alive through the immediacy of the blog style and fact-filled windows linked to the text. Kids at the Crossroads is historical fiction like you've never seen it before.
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
2 people want to read
About the author
Laura Scandiffio
10 books2 followersLaura Scandiffio was born in Germany but grew up in Ottawa. As a child, she loved reading, drawing, and painting. She and her friends put on plays and created make-believe games in which they could pretend to be someone else. All this imagination came out in the stories Laura wrote when she was young. She has been writing ever since.
Today, Laura lives in an old house in Toronto with her husband and their two children. When not being a mom (and, sometimes, while being a mom!) she spends her time reading and writing books. She loves traveling and talking to people—kids and adults—to gather new ideas.
Laura’s first book with Annick Press shows off her impressive research and writing skills. The Martial Arts Book (2003) offers young readers an unrivaled overview of the history and philosophy of martial arts. Escapes! (2003) is part of the True Stories from the Edge series and offers ten riveting, true stories of dramatic escapes from around the world and throughout history.
Told through gripping storytelling and historical accounts, Laura’s most recent title, Evil Masters: The Frightening World of Tyrants (2005), is a revealing look at history’s most evil rulers, from Nero to Saddam Hussein.
Her latest titles are the first two books in the Kids @ the Crossroads series (2009). Again, Laura uses her extensive research skills to write from the point of view of children who might have lived in the time of the Aztecs or during the Crusades. In a unique twist, the main characters relate their stories in the form of a blog.
To aspiring authors, Laura advises: “Read, and think critically about what you read! Ask yourself, why is it good/bad/clever/engaging?”
Today, Laura lives in an old house in Toronto with her husband and their two children. When not being a mom (and, sometimes, while being a mom!) she spends her time reading and writing books. She loves traveling and talking to people—kids and adults—to gather new ideas.
Laura’s first book with Annick Press shows off her impressive research and writing skills. The Martial Arts Book (2003) offers young readers an unrivaled overview of the history and philosophy of martial arts. Escapes! (2003) is part of the True Stories from the Edge series and offers ten riveting, true stories of dramatic escapes from around the world and throughout history.
Told through gripping storytelling and historical accounts, Laura’s most recent title, Evil Masters: The Frightening World of Tyrants (2005), is a revealing look at history’s most evil rulers, from Nero to Saddam Hussein.
Her latest titles are the first two books in the Kids @ the Crossroads series (2009). Again, Laura uses her extensive research skills to write from the point of view of children who might have lived in the time of the Aztecs or during the Crusades. In a unique twist, the main characters relate their stories in the form of a blog.
To aspiring authors, Laura advises: “Read, and think critically about what you read! Ask yourself, why is it good/bad/clever/engaging?”
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December 27, 2020
Ok this was way better than I thought it would be and was an absolute delight to read. Many of the children's educational books I've come across about Aztecs are extremely biased and oversimplified. This went into far more detail about Mexica life and had great suggestions at the end for further reading. This book is also written in a blog/journal style from the point of view of a fictional character. At first I was worried about that premise because I thought it would make the book cheesy with bad jokes, but it was actually far different from that. The story was gripping, fascinating, and well thought-out. I never thought I would get the pleasure of reading a historical fiction novel from a 70-paged children's book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review