You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice! (You Wouldn't Want To) [Paperback]

Fiona MacDonald (Author), David Salariya (Creator), David Antram (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: You Wouldn't Want To...

A humorous and gory look at the ancient Aztec tradition of sacrificing enemy warriors to the gods.

--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-Uniform, present-tense, "you are there" discussions. These titles are somewhat jovial in their portrayals of ghastly subject matters, downplaying the horrors of human sacrifice, for example. Cartoon characters are about to have a tree fall on them in Railroad and find frozen bodies in the water in Titanic. In Aztec Sacrifice, "you" are a captured warrior and end up having your heart cut out as an offering to the gods. Suggestions are made as to why a warrior would not be too scared, maybe because an herbal potion could make him feel drowsy and peaceful. Every spread offers a "Handy Hint" box. In Railroad, "you" are advised to "Steer clear of the saloons and casinos-." In Aztec Sacrifice, it is suggested that "you" make offers to your city's guardian god for protection. Of the three volumes, Aztec Sacrifice is the most gruesome and will therefore appeal to a certain clientele. Because of its ever-popular topic, Titanic will have no problem finding an audience. Because of its less-gory premise, Railroad might need to follow on the popularity of the other two titles. Heavily illustrated, colorful, and far from dull, these titles will have little trouble grabbing readers' interest.
Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Fiona MacDonald studied history at Cambridge University and at the University of East Anglia. She has taught in schools, adult education and university, and is the author of numerous books for children on historical topics.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Children's Press(CT) (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531162095
• ISBN-13: 978-0531162095
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #224,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best historical series for kids!, June 29, 2004

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice! (You Wouldn't Want To) (Paperback)

The series "You Wouldn't Want To Be..." is the best I've seen for children and for adults. I am teacher and I love them for myself as well. They are short, accurate and have the best color illustrations. Get them all. I love this one on the Aztecs. It is gory but good.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You REALLY Woudn't Want to...But You DO Want to Read This Book!, February 17, 2007

By 

Amy Graham (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice! (You Wouldn't Want To) (Paperback)

Humorous treatment of a ghastly subject...this is our first encounter with the You Wouldn't Want To... Series. You Wouldn't Want to be an Aztec Sacrifice: Gruesome Things You'd Rather Not Know is an over the top cartoonish, yet factual and upfront look at the history of Aztec sacrifice told as if YOU were there...the one being sacrificed to the Gods! This wonderful book has an introduction that gives some basic background on the Rise of the Aztec civilization, including an inset map showing the location (handy for young readers) and then a progression of chapters starting with how you would have lived (being an Aztec noble), paying tribute, being captured in a "flower battle" (nothing to do with actual flowers, heh), the long walk through the desert to the Aztec capital, how sacrifices were chosen, and goes into exactly what happens as the day of sacrifice approaches. This is a ghastly subject that is given a humorous spin, yet still manages to tell the whole story, loaded with interesting facts and tidbits about life in Mesoamerica! Each two page spread features a main narrative in addition to a set of "photo" illustrations along the bottom or side with additional information and in the top right hand corner, each has a "handy hint" to help you along the way...these hints include advice like "make an offering to the city's guardian god - he might protect you from the Aztecs" (offered on the page where the Aztecs are coming for the tribute payments or "Always keep plenty of obsidian (volcanic glass) for weapon blades. If danger threatens you won't have time to climb the volcano to get more!"

Overall, I love the format and humor used to deal with a subject that might otherwise be hard to effectively teach to kids without it becoming really depressing and/or for those subjects that never seem PC, but still really, really need to be taught. I give it five stars and recommend it as part of a larger reading set on the Aztec, after your child(ren) reads some other books on the culture and history of these Mesoamericans!! Excellent text, lots of humor, and the illustrations really bring the message home and include their own humor...they really make the story!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not recommended, May 25, 2009

By 

R. Mills (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice! (You Wouldn't Want To) (Paperback)

This is a picture book for young children, but the content is a bit too much for little ones making human sacrifice seem as a topic for comedy.