Description

---

In this mysterious tale set in ancient Mexico, something unearthly happens when a boy enters a forbidden cave. No curandero can change him back. Only the nahual, a shape-changing magic worker, can see beyond the horizon: “You are destined,” he tells the boy, “to show the world something new.” Twenty years later, the boy is a young man, known to village children as “Uncle Snake.” Finally, it’s time to discover the glorious change that awaits him. On this third collaboration, Matthew Gollub and Leovigildo Martínez have woven a captivating story, again set amid the rich folk culture of Mr. Martínez’s native Oaxaca.

Américas Commended Book
Artwork honored by the Society of Illustrators in New York
Paintings and text displayed in over 20 museums nationwide

About the Author

---

Matthew Gollub is a nationally known children’s author, speaker and performer. He has created 18 picture books which together have garnered 25 national awards and distinctions. His musical narrations on audio CDs accompany some of his most popular books including The Jazz Fly and Jazz Fly 2: The Jungle Pachanga. A dynamic drummer and bilingual presenter, he has also performed at over 1,000 elementary schools nationwide, inspiring students and families to read for fun. He lives with his family in Santa Rosa, CA.

Praise For…

---

"A wonderful original folktale…filled with curanderos, snakes and fiesta dances." —School Library Journal


"A captivating tale, the resolution of which will bedazzle even the most impatient readers." —Kirkus Reviews


"Richly complex…illustrations, this pourquoi tale is spooky and dramatically compelling." —Booklist