The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes by Duncan Tonatiuh (review)

Southeast of Mexico City rise a pair of volcanoes—the dormant Iztaccíhuatl and the active Popocatépetl—that have inspired ancient folktales. Tonatiuh offers his own version, based on previous tales and figures from several codices, of how a princess lost her one chance at love through the fatal trickery of the enemy, Jaguar Claw, who poisoned her just before her warrior lover returned from victorious battle. To this day the heartbroken warrior, Popoca, keeps vigil over his sleeping Izta. There is a solemn tone to the simple storytelling, which simultaneously evokes the antiquity of the tale and makes it accessible to younger independent readers. The strong linearity of the compositions, which is interrupted only in the more chaotic battle scenes between Jaguar Claw and Popoca’s forces, complements the formal text, while the warm and dusky hues of earth and sky control the mood for the tragic love story. Children too young for the complexities of Romeo and Juliet will be touched by the legend’s enduring theme and intrigued by its vulcanism connection, which Tonatiuh explains in a closing note. A bibliography and a glossary with pronunciation guide are also included.