Rigoberta Menchú & Dante Liano, The Girl from Chimel, 2000

Rigoberta Menchú won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 for her work on the human rights of indigenous peoples, and here she combines her family history with an illumination of ancient Mayan fables. These short tales have a gentle simplicity as seen through childhood eyes, capturing the innocence of her rural life before Guatemala descended into its 36-year civil war. A brief but refreshingly positive read.   PY