Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Places of old: Machu Picchu
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
The Creative Company, 2009 ISBN: 978-1583417096
Long ago, the Incas built the city of Machu Picchu on a hillside high in the Andes Mountains. It was a sacred place where the Incan people could “honor their gods,” and to build the city, the Incas had to transport blocks of granite up steep mountainsides.
At some point in time the rainforests around Machu Picchu grew up to, and then into, the city, and eventually the city was so overgrown that no one knew that it was there. Then in 1911, an American called Hiram Bingham found the city. Though Machu Picchu is in ruins it is still possible to imagine what it once looked like long ago, and every year thousands of people visit the area to see the extraordinary city with their own eyes.
In this Places of Old title, Kate Riggs tells the story of Machu Picchu using language that young children can understand. Young readers will come to appreciate that Machu Picchu is a special place not only for the Incan people, but also for the many visitors who travel to Peru to visit the ancient city.
Throughout the book, beautiful glossy annotated photographs illustrate the narrative, and children can see how beautiful and special Machu Picchu is.
This is a perfect title for children who are interested in far away places and ancient civilizations.
