When her mother becomes ill, Isabel, a Mayan girl living in contemporary Guatemala, must care for her and continue her search for her own identity in a world fraught with upheaval and change.
Takes readers on a journey back in time in order to experience life during the Maya civilization, describing clothing, accommodations, foods, local customs, transportation, a few notable personalities, and more.
Examines the history of the Maya people of Central America, discussing their culture, beliefs, and daily lives, and looking at how things changed for the Maya after the arrival of Europeans explorers. Includes information about modern-day Maya.
When, protected by the branches of one of the trees she loves to climb, Gabriela witnesses the destruction of her Mayan village and the murder of nearly all its inhabitants, she vows never to climb again until, after she and her traumatized sister find safety in a Mexican refugee camp, she realizes that only by climbing and facing their fears can she and her sister hope to have a future.