Review by Booklist Review
Vibrant illustrations and a detailed bilingual text come together to tell the inspiring story of Julio C. Tello, the first Indigenous archaeologist of the Americas and an important figure of Peruvian history. Following Julio--known as Sharuko, which means "brave" in his native Quechua language--from his roots as he explored caves near his home, through his studies in Lima, where he attended medical school, and on to Harvard and Europe, where he studied archaeology, readers will be turning pages with fascination at Tello's many accomplishments. As Tello returned to Peru once more, he made amazing archaeological discoveries and ultimately became the director of the Museum of Anthropology, which helped him accomplish his greatest wish: to preserve Peruvian culture along with the rich heritage and history of the Indigenous peoples who created it. Chavarri's gorgeous watercolor-and-gouache illustrations bring to life Tello's family, his ancestors, moments--both beautiful and dark--from the history of Peru, and the inspiring events of his own life. The bilingual Spanish/English text, neatly laid out in parallel, provides detailed information that will have young readers yearning to learn more, and it's sure to inspire young archaeologists-to-be. A detailed afterword, illustrator's note, and author's sources provide additional information.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--6--Julio C. Tello dreamed of documenting Indigenous history through an Indigenous perspective. Growing up in the shadow of the Andes mountains in the late 1800s, Tello heard about the glorious history of Peru from his father. The widespread death and destruction that followed in the wake of the Spanish invasion nearly erased thousands of years of pre-European history, but Tello was determined to discover it all. His fearless curiosity earned him the nickname Sharuko, which means brave in his Quechua language. He graduated from medical school in Lima, Peru, in 1909 and earned a graduate degree in anthropology from Harvard in 1911. Upon returning to Peru, he made many important archaeological discoveries and became known as the "founder of modern Peruvian archaeology." From the discovery of ancient skulls in his youth to his appointment as director of Peru's Museum of Anthropology in 1939, Tello's drive to uncover the heritage of his people helped him become Peru's first Indigenous archaeologist. Brown's bilingual narrative is clear and straightforward, making Tello's life and achievements easily accessible. Chavarri's colorful and upbeat illustrations highlight Tello's discoveries, from the endpapers featuring stone heads extracted from the Chavín de Huántar site to the motifs of Paracas textiles. VERDICT A highly recommended and inspiring portrayal of dedication and perseverance for today's generation of explorers.--Mary Margaret Mercado, Pima County P.L., Tucson, AZ
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Review by Horn Book Review
This picture-book biography of Peruvian archaeologist and educator Julio C. Tello (1880-1947) forefronts Indigenous Peruvian science, knowledge systems, and art. Brown centers Tello's indigeneity from the opening spread. Born in 1880 "in the shadow of the Andes mountains," Tello spoke Quechua, the language spoken across generations of Indigenous Peruvian people. Nicknamed Sharuko for his brave disposition ("not even the skulls he and his brothers uncovered in ancient tombs" scared him), twelve-year-old Tello left the highlands for Lima to commence his studies, initiating a prolific and multi-continent educational journey. He returned to Peru in 1913, where at the Museum of Natural History in Lima he conducted groundbreaking excavation and fieldwork investigating the daily life of ancient Peruvians. Brown's text, usually appearing in Spanish on the left-hand pages and in English on the right (expertly translated by Dominguez), is informative and engaging. Chavarri's gouache and watercolor illustrations show panoramic Andean vistas, with saturated yellows balancing muted green hues; vignettes focus on resplendent brown faces; details in the art invite visual inquiry into renderings of colorful Paracas textiles and sculpted cabezas clavas from the archaeological site Chavin de Huantar. Author and illustrator notes affirm Brown's and Chavarri's (both of Peruvian descent) commitment to perpetuating Peru's Indigenous culture. A bibliography is appended. Lettycia Terrones July/August 2020 p.148(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An introduction to the life of Julio C. Tello, one of the most important Peruvian archaeologists and the first Indigenous archaeologist in the Americas. Born in the highlands of Peru in 1880, Julio and his family were Quechua-speaking Indigenous people. His fearlessness and curiosity as a child earned him the nickname Sharuko, the Quechua word for "brave." Presented in both Domínguez's Spanish translation and in English, Brown's account goes on to tell about Tello's childhood and eventual move to Lima to further his education, ultimately in medicine. Pride in his heritage and a curiosity sparked by childhood discoveries of skulls and artifacts led him to apply his medical skills to interpreting the Indigenous history of Peru. Brown's account of Tello's life and achievements is compelling and engaging, and the accompanying artwork goes a long way toward giving a real sense of place to the narration, starting with the endpapers that show carved stone heads from the Chavín de Huántar, one of the sites explored by Tello. Children unfamiliar with Peru and its geography will find a helpful map at the beginning that not only indicates the places mentioned in the narrative, but also helps them locate Peru within South America. An engaging account of a man who dedicated his life to telling Peru's long history. (afterword, illustrator's note, author's sources) (Picture book/biography. 6-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
