Amazon.com: The Boy Who Wouldn't Obey: A Mayan Legend: Anne Rockwell: Books

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 4-When the god Chac dives down to earth to steal a child, he gets more than he bargained for. The boy he snatches to be his servant causes endless trouble. One day, after being severely punished, the child seeks revenge. He steals the god's rain-making tools and unintentionally wreaks havoc with the weather. Frightened, he runs away and falls into the sea-to Chac's content. The boy is eventually reunited with his family, who naturally don't believe a word of the dubious tale he tells them. Rockwell's playful watercolors lined in pen fill the pages and mirror the child's mischievous nature. Luminous color and delightful details abound-abundant greenery and flowers, swirling clouds in shades of pink, and a monkey that watches the story unfold from the corner of each double-page spread. There are also many nods to the culture: a scaly, bewhiskered god; jaguar skins; and glyphlike bands of symbols across the top of pages. An entertaining, appealing addition to folklore collections.
Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Chac, the occasionally malicious Mayan god of the sky, comes up against a disobedient human boy. He snatches up the child and orders him to be a servant, punishing him "cruelly" when the boy won't cooperate. Finally, the boy steals Chac's tools, including the bag that holds the winds and the ax that makes lightning, but like Tomie dePaola's Big Anthony, the child can't control the magical tools as well as their owner can. It's difficult to predict how children may react to the story. Some will surely find the duel of wills humorous, but others will be horrified by the boy's predicament. Rockwell's ink-lined watercolors are characteristically cheery as they incorporate elements from traditional Mayan art. A particularly nice touch is the appearance of Monkey on each text page, looking at and reacting to the illustration on the facing page. Sources for art and story are included at the back, and Rockwell gives brief background information on the Maya in an opening note. Susan Dove Lempke
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