Thousands of years before Europeans set foot in the Americas, humans had already spread from tip to tip and coast to coast; the Aztecs called the two continents "the Sea-Ringed World." These ancient peoples sought to understand their place in the universe, their relationship with the divine, and the origins of their ancestors—wisdom handed down in their sacred stories. More than 50 myths and origin tales, from "Spider Grandmother" of the Hopi to "Zamna" of the Maya, are collected in this evocatively illustrated treasury for all ages, a Batchelder Award Honor Book.

"The language sparkles and the tales beg to be read aloud."—School Library Connection (starred review)