  | Xolo : how one good dog saved humankind Author: Higuera, Donna Barba | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
It is said the mighty feathered serpent god, Quetzalcoatl, helped create Earth. He is the hero who stole back the bones of humanity from the evil god of the Underworld. In his quest to bring humans to the earth, Quetzalcoatl's dog-headed twin brother, Xolotl, was present. Not much is known of Xolotl, the god of lightning, death, and misfortune. This is his story.
| Illustrator: | Ruiz Johnson, Mariana |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (08/15/25)
School Library Journal (10/10/25)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (+) (00/11/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 09/08/2025 Newbery Medalist Higuera recasts the Aztec myth of creation, situating Xolotl, the dog-headed god of lighting, death, and misfortune, as a celebrated hero. After Earth "stopped spinning. All life perished, including humans," and the immortal gods must throw themselves into a volcano to make the planet spin anew. While Quetzalcoatl, Xolo’s feathered serpent god twin brother, is the first to leap, Xolo cannot summon the courage to follow. Shunned for his cowardice, Xolo is banished to the Underworld, ruled by the god Mictlantecuhtli, who hoards the bones needed to reanimate humankind. Yearning for the return of his beloved mortals, Xolo approaches his brother with a plan: steal the bones back from Mictlantecuhtli. Pulling inspiration from images in the Codex Borgia, as mentioned in an illustrator’s note, Johnson (Run, Little Chaski) utilizes bright, saturated color to depict expressive characters as they navigate a world full of richly textured flora and fauna. Across Xolo’s measured, perceptive first-person narration, Higuera explores themes of self-worth and bravery, culminating in a winning reflection on what it means to be an underdog. Human characters are depicted with brown skin. Ages 7-10. Author’s agent: Allison Remcheck, Stimola Literary. (Nov.) - Copyright 2025
Booklist - 11/01/2025 *Starred Review* Creation myths of Mesoamerican cultures speak highly of the god Quetzalcoatl and his great adventures to make the earth hospitable to humans, with his dog-headed brother, Xolotl (nicknamed Xolo), an afterthought, if he's mentioned at all. Newbery Medal winner Higuera, inspired by her often scared but relatively brave family dog, Filson, decided to explore Xolotl’s story and reimagine him as an unsung hero. With the help of Johnson’s emotionally expressive illustrations, inspired by the 2-D profile style featured in the full-color restoration of the Codex Borgia, Higuera’s reinterpretation comes to life. Hatch shading adds visual depth to the tale spanning six parts, following both the physical and emotional journey from a timid Xolotl bullied by the other gods to a confident yet unknown hero to humankind, from whom man’s best friend descended. The story opens with the gods descending to earth when it stopped spinning, claiming tasks and elements to bring life back to the planet, before honing in on Xolo’s choice of lightning and his initial struggles with his mom and twin brother. Conflict arises with the god Mictlantecuhtli, but Xolo proves dedicated to humans after initially failing to contribute to their return to earth, and he quietly helps his brother shine as the hero by retrieving humanity’s bones and shepherding souls through the underworld. An impressive, artistic approach to a creation tale as well as the origin of the great loyalty of dogs. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
