A-Ztec: A Bilingual Alphabet Book

by Emmanuel Valtierra

Overview

Chocolatl
and Axolotl
Guacamole
and Quetzacoatl.
Open up this treasury
Aztec words—
from A to Z!

From singular artist Emmanuel Valtierra comes a spectacular introduction to twenty-six words,
concepts, and gods central to Aztec and Mexican culture, presented in both English and Spanish.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646145676
Publisher:	Levine Querido
Publication date:	09/09/2025
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 9.35(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Emmanuel Valtierra is a Texan Mexican illustrator. He studied graphic design at the Visual Arts Faculty in Monterrey, Nuevo León. Since 2016, he has focused on creating different projects related to the Aztec culture, among which stands out Codex Valtierra that won the Sidewise Award for Alternate History in 2018. Through his work, he intends to instill Mexican pre-Hispanic cultures and to show its ancestral arts to new generations.
Illustrator residence: San Antonio, TX

Editorial Reviews

Valtierra maintains a pleasant cadence from verse to verse thanks to an evenhanded approach, ranging from softly deferential…to dizzily humorous… overall, this alphabet chronicle shares its enthusiasm for language rather generously. Employing an Aztec codex style, the artist injects an anarchic spirit into his colorful artwork. Merrily edifying.

From the Publisher

2025-07-04
Explore the ABCs fromaxolotl tozapata.

Incorporating words in Spanish, Nahuatl, Mayan, and languages from other Mesoamerican cultures, Valtierra’s idiosyncratic alphabetical walkthrough invites readers to engage with the sounds and images found therein. Broadly familiar words such aschocolate,guacamole, andjaguar mingle alongside potentially lesser-known ones, like the active stratovolcano Popocatépetl, the Wixárika people, and yollotl, a Nahuatl word meaningheart. Short, upbeat verses in both English and Spanish accompany each word, generally mirroring each other in mood and tone. Different meanings often emerge between the two verse forms nonetheless, making them more easily accessible to bilingual readers. Valtierra maintains a pleasant cadence from verse to verse thanks to an evenhanded approach, ranging from softly deferential—such as her ode to the Quetzalcoatl (“The Aztecs knew him, kind and true, / With beautiful feathers, green and blue”)—to dizzily humorous, like his entry on a bundle of food known as itacate to take on a journey, which can include “tamales, tacos, anything delicious, / Don’t eat too much or you’ll feel nauseous!” Pronunciation boxes also supplement the concepts and mythological figures showcased in the story. Of course, the occasional word might pose a challenge to readers—for instance, the courageous god of war, Huitzilopochtli (“wee tsee loh POHCH tlee”)—but overall, this alphabet chronicle shares its enthusiasm for language rather generously. Employing an Aztec codex style, the artist injects an anarchic spirit into his colorful artwork.

Merrily edifying. (author’s note, pronunciations and etymology, information on glyphs, QR code linking to more information on the words and artwork)(Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews