Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Maya

A Question of History: Why were Mayan games so deadly? And other questions about the Maya

Non-fiction

Take a look at the wackier side of history!

Did the Maya really invent hot chocolate? Why did they have pointed heads? And did the Maya civilisation really disappear?

With an engaging question and answer format, this series draws young readers into the fascinating, sometimes gruesome, world of famous peoples and civilisations through history. Each spread opens with a simple question, opening up an exploration of an aspect of the life of a people or civilisation and busting some popular myths along the way!.

The lively lay-out is supported by annotated photos and cartoons, making history fun and accessible for readers aged 9+.

Great Civilisations: The Maya

Tracey Kelly

Non-fiction

Mayans looks at one of the most fascinating and advanced ancient civilisations. Through structures as imposing as a sacrificial pyramid or objects as beautiful and complex as the Mayan calendar, readers aged 9 and up gain a picture of who was whom in ancient central America and how the civilisation in which they lived really worked.

Perfect for Key Stage 2, each book in Great Civilisations approaches its subject through a scene-setting spread Who/where were the… then introduces the achievements of the chosen civilisation through 12 structures or objects, each of which illustrates a key aspect or theme. Writing, architecture, industry, warfare, transport and learning are all covered in the same simple, colourful and engaging way. Fact boxes and panels present incidental information and point the reader to the importance of parallel developments in other parts of the world.

Facts and Artefacts: Mayas and Incas

Anita Croy

Non-fiction

The Mayas and Incas were skilled builders, artists and inventors, and one of the best ways to discover how they lived is by studying the artefacts they made. Just as ancient objects enable us to step back into the world of the people who made them, the stories people told can reveal what they thought about their world. This book combines facts about the Mayas and Incas with photographs of the artefacts they left behind and the stories they shared with each other to present a full picture of life at the time.

History in Infographics: The Maya

Non-fiction

History in Infographics helps children to visualise facts and statistics using a clever and appealing mix of graphics and numbers. The colourful, high-impact design will appeal to a wide range of children, from visual learners to struggling readers, capturing and then holding their attention. Infographics are a really exciting, different way to learn about core historical topics, and are ideal for fact-hungry children, revision work, and to improve the quality of presentations.

History in Infographics: The Maya allows children to explore the Maya civilisation like never before, finding out how people lived, what they ate, what they wore, how they were ruled, the games they played and how the civilisation died out. Children can discover that the Maya were the first people to make hot chocolate, and how they did it, that they went to war to capture prisoners they then sacrificed to their gods, and all about other South American civilisations, including the Aztecs and the Incas.

Ideal for children of 9+, and fact and history lovers of all ages, the Maya have never seemed more exciting!

DKfindout! Maya, Incas, and Aztecs

Non-fiction

Find out about the incredible ancient civilizations of the Americas, right up until the Spanish conquest. Discover the monumental pyramids and mountain cities of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec people. Explore the sites of Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, and Tenochtitlan, learn the pictures of the Mayan language, unearth the history of chocolate, and find out how naughty children were punished with chillis!

Peer into the past with amazing illustrations, see some of the most impressive ancient structures in the world, and stock up on facts to amaze your friends with. Packed with information, artefacts, and colourful illustrations, DKfindout! Maya, Incas, and Aztecs brings their worlds to life.

Daily Life in the Maya Civilization

Nick Hunter

Non-fiction

This book explores what life was really like for everyday people in the Maya Civilization. Using primary sources and information from archeological discoveries, it uncovers some fascinating insights and explodes some myths. Supported by timelines, maps and references to important events and people, children will really feel they are on a time-travelling journey when reading this book.

Rain Player

David Wisniewski

Picturebook

A quality picture book with high visual appeal, with the bold and colourful illustrations that are made using the cut-paper technique. The story of Rain Player centres on a boy who is challenged to save his people from drought by defeating the Rain god at a Maya ball game.

The Chocolate Tree

Janice Lee Porter & Linda Lowery

Chapter book

This is a popular choice of a story based on Maya folktale for KS2, and is useful as an enjoyable basis for exploring Maya folklore rather than for looking at historical details with accuracy. It tells the tale of the Maya king who brings his people the gift of a chocolate tree, much to the displeasure of his brother, Night Jaguar, who plots to rid the people of this special treat and keep it for the gods. The Chocolate Tree has a high appeal to lower KS2 because of its accessible text, fun premise and bold illustrations.

Popol Vuh

Luis Garay & Victor Montejo

Short story collection

This is a children’s retelling of a Mayan sacred book that explains key creation myths including of the coming into being of the universe, the world of Mayan gods and demi-gods and the creation of human beings. Ideal as a story collection to be dipped into with Upper KS2, this richly illustrated book gives an insight into the fascinating world of Mayan mythology.

The Hero Twins: Against The Lords Of Death

Dan Jolley & David Witt

Graphic novel

The Hero Twins: Against the Lords of Death is a graphic novel with a high level of appeal to children in upper KS2. Follow the tale of the hero twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, whose special skills at the Maya ball game Po-ta-Pok cause upset to the rulers of the land of the dead. The illustrations and added text are full of extra details that will keep pupils interested in the Ancient Maya topic.