Customer Reviews

Up and Down the Andes (Travel the World)

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All the children are excited because it is June and they are going to Inti Raymi, "a majestic Inca festival held each year on June 24 to honor the Sun God." In the Andes mountains children prepare to head to Cusco. José is coming by bus, a long and bumpy ride from Lima. Louisa has been on a boat on Lake Titicaca. Riccardo and his mule are from a place near Manchu Picchu. Consuela is on Arequippa's busy train. Fidel and Tia are coming from Puno in a truck. They carefully tend their clothing along the way. There is lots of excitement to be had at the festival!

"The mountains edge the western coast.
They parallel the sea.
And up and down the Andes.
There are children just like me."

This is a magical little book that imparts the children's excitement as they head to Inti Raymi. The illustrations capture the essence of South America. In the back of the book there is a brief history of the festival and that of four other Peruvian festivals: Virgen de la Candelaria, El Señor de los Temblores and All Saints' Day. There is also a brief history of Peru, an overview of its peoples, the story of Machu Picchu, an overview of the Andes and a few additional, interesting facts. Did you know that Peru's official language is Spanish, but people in the "highlands speak Quechus, the language of the Inca?"

I liked this book for its illustrations and facts. My boys thought it was boring, and one of them has been to Peru. It's better to check it out of the library than to spend money on a book you will look at once.