The Prince and the Coyote

Book excerpt: PURA BELPRÉ HONOR WINNER BOOKPAGE TOP 10 BEST BOOK OF 2023 KIRKUS BEST OF THE YEAR Mexico. 1418. Meet Prince Acolmiztli. Puma of the Acolhua People. Heir to his father’s throne. Half Acolhuan, half Mexica. Singer. Warrior. Poet. Sixteen years old. And now, betrayed. A palace plot, placed by the deadly Tepaneca Empire, kills his mother and siblings, puts his father’s army into retreat, and sends Prince Acolmiztli into a treacherous exile. Battling hunger, snow-swept mountains, and the machinations of the city-states all around him, Prince Acolmiztli vows revenge. It will take years, but he will return to seek justice. And he'll do it with a new name: Nezahualcoyotl. Fasting Coyote. One of the most legendary figures in history. From the award-winning David Bowles comes a heart-pounding historical epic that is Gladiator meets the Song of Achilles -- The Count of Monte Cristo set in pre-Columbian Mexico. Illustrated throughout gorgeously by Amanda Mijangos, The Prince & the Coyote brings to life one of Mexico’s most treasured heroes – Nezahualcoyotl – in a story that will thrill readers far and wide. P R A I S E ★ “Riveting…A maelstrom of oscillating joy and tragedy.” —Kirkus (starred) ★ “Bowles adeptly crafts a complex, multi-format, and genre-bending novel for teens.” —School Library Journal (starred) ★ “Weaving history and fiction together, David Bowles fashions a rich story of political intrigue, ferocious battles, beautiful landscapes and the enduring hope of humanity.” —BookPage (starred) “The pre-Columbian world comes brilliantly alive… Striking four-color illustrations by Amanda Mijangos enhance the sense that this is a glimpse into a complex world as it once existed.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “Once again, Bowles expertly builds on Nahuatl heritage through the historical life of the sapient Acolmiztli (Nezahualcoyotl).” —Booklist “Sophisticated… Bowles’s immersive prose makes this a mature novel that never shies away from the ferocious realities of war and death.” —Publishers Weekly “A stunning historical epic set in pre-Columbian Mexico based on the life of Nezahualcoyotl. Not only are there beautiful illustrations from Amanda Mijangos, but David Bowles incorporates Nezahualcoyotl's surviving poetry into the novel as well. The Prince and the Coyote is a rich and layered story about one of the Americas’ greatest heroes. I was mesmerized from beginning to end!” —Jen Steele, Boswell Book Company