THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN

Celestial children establish the first city and nurture a civilization.

In a world born new, the wild, unclothed humans—always at the mercy of the tempestuous Sun god—don’t comb their hair, learn to cook potatoes, or even think about dancing. One day, the Sun creates a rather dapper pair of siblings from the spark of his flame: Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo. Appraising his beautiful children, the Sun chooses to “entrust them with a task: to found the very first city.” And so goes Chirif’s wide-eyed adaptation of a quietly marvelous Inca folktale, originally published in Spain and shared here in a hushed, knowing tone. Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo journey from lake to river to valley, followed by curious humans who observe them from afar. The brother and sister walk as their hunger grows and their shoes fall apart, until they at last arrive at the Wanakawri mountain, where Cusco, the capital of the Inca civilization, comes into being. There, the Sun’s children build houses and teach humans all they can. Accompanied by Palomino’s stark, dramatic artwork—breathtaking in scope and full of life—this story is utterly spellbinding, as soothing in tone as a lullaby. A brief addendum defines potentially unfamiliar terms and provides a just-right splash of context on the Inca and the legend.

An origin epic brilliantly retold.