“If You Were Me and Lived in…the Mayan Empire” by Carole P. Roman

IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN…THE MAYAN EMPIRE

Carole P. Roman
CreateSpace (2017)
ISBN 9781535046213
Reviewed by Paola Belloso (age 10) for Reader Views (2/18)

“If You Were Me and Lived in…the Mayan Empire” by Carole P. Roman will take you back in time to 1800 BC to a Mayan city, imagining you were an indigenous and your name was chosen after the moon, the sea, the good spirit, or a good farmer, always having a meaning of what your parents were, what they worked as, either farmers, or potter, etc. You will live in a home that was built on top of a stone and the walls were made of clay and a roof of hay. Having all your relatives living all around, your mom will stay with you cooking in a kitchen with all your aunts and cousins, weaving or maybe washing clothes in the river. Dads will go hunting for food with your brothers.

It is very interesting reading of a historical civilization that grew from the top southeastern part of what it is today the Yucatan Peninsula (You-cah-tan Puh-nins-uh-la) in Mexico down to Guatemala (Gwa-ta-ma-la), Belize (bel-lez), Honduras (Hon-dor-as), and El Salvador (El Sal-vuh-dor), where many of their descendants still live and speak the Mayan language. Even though many years have passed they still maintain their culture in their customs like food, pottery and their colorful weaving.

Once again, this series by Carole P. Roman will teach you so much about a different culture, how everything started and how much we have learned from the past. I loved the fact of how they recorded their accomplishments in stone being the only ancients who left a written history. Excellent illustrations.

A Note from Mom:

In “If You Were Me and Lived in…the Mayan Empire” by Carole P. Roman has once again introduced Paola once to a different culture in a very simple and condensed way. The unique way of writing her series has given information that will help Paola to remember what she’s learned. The glossary is very helpful and I loved the Mayan contributions to the world and the Famous Names in the Mayan Culture section. This series is a must-have in schools.