The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas by María García Esperón – Book Review

Title: The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas Author: María García Esperón Illustrator: Amanda Mijangos Translator: David Bowles Publisher: Levine Querido Release Date: February 23, 2021

The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas tells the sacred stories of the First Nations of North and South America. Spanning across two continents, author María García Esperón, illustrator Amanda Mijangos, and translator David Bowles, tap into the power and beauty First Nations saw in their world and the awe they expressed through their storytelling. These tales provide readers with an intimate look at First Nations cultures from the Arctic to the tip of South America and many, many other cherished, important places in between.

The Sea-Ringed World capably helps fill a glaring void in middle grades and young adult literature. The anthology shines a light on the vast and diverse First Nations cultures of North America and South America. It is a topic that merits more attention. Though the stories are complex and varied, they still consistently draw out universal themes. They raise the big questions all civilizations young and old, large and small grapple with and ponder. How did we get here? Who are our ancestors? What is our relationship with the universe? When the novel’s creators thread together tales to probe these questions, they also create opportunities for readers to make connections between cultures, time periods, and regions. Much time is devoted to the sacred stories of the Ancient Greeks or Ancient Egyptians in elementary and middle grade classrooms. The First Nations possess a literary and oral history equally as compelling, significant, and rich. The Sea-Ringed World not only makes that fact clear but also demands to have those narratives included in any study of the past. For any reader, The Sea-Ringed World will be a deeply inspiring, personal, or illuminating experience. Its presence in a classroom will also contribute to a more inclusive curriculum that centers and celebrates First Nations.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Levine Querido, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-Curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a nonfiction study of the history of Native Americans in North America and South America.
• Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a study of ancient stories.
• Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading books about ancient stories and ancient civilizations.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere
• Native American Stories
• History of Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere

Book Companions

The following are great fiction books to pair with The Sea-Ringed World (nonfiction). In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia(Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Charlie Hernández and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.

Photo by Ilse Orsel on Unsplash