Itzel and the Ocelot, written and illustrated by Rachel Katstaller. Kids Can Press, 2022. $21.99 ages 5 and up

 

"That night, as her nana slept deeply, 
Itzel took her flute and left home in 
search of the river and the mysterious
giant snake. 

The full moon cast shadows teeming 
with threatening shapes.

Itzel felt her way through the trees
but then, all at once, 
she lost her footing and plunged down, 
tumbling and tumbling 
deep into the jungle."

Itzel loves to play her flute, and to listen to her nana's stories. In one difficult year, there is not enough rain to germinate the seeds that provide food for the two, as well as market produce. There will soon be nothing to eat. Itzel's favorite story is told of the awakening of a giant snake who brings the rainy season. The story is rarely told anymore, and the snake has disappeared. 

If the snake would return to 'the place where the water is born', perhaps the rains would come. Without her nana's knowledge, Itzel sets off in the night to find the snake. Her flute is her only companion. In the darkness, she falls deep into the jungle where she meets an ocelot. The ocelot is surprised to hear Itzel knows of the snake. Being thirsty in such a dry season, the ocelot decides to accompany the girl. Along the way, they meet an opossum, an agouti, a kinkajou, and more. All need water for many different reasons. 

None know where the water was born; at the end of their quest the riverbed is dry. All hope gone; Itzel plays her flute while tears run from the eyes of all searchers. With a lot of noise and the sight of the snake rising into the sky, water begins filling the riverbed. The water sends the travelers back downstream. Each creature finds their way back home. Finally, there is nana. Together, the three watch the nourishing and vital rain fall. 

Artwork rendered in 'colored pencils, acrylic paints and gouache' are bright and detailed, allowing readers to see Itzel's emotions at all times, and to live in a jungle setting that is home to so many. A glossary lists both Nawat and Spanish words from El Salvador. An author's note tells of the stories she has heard all her life, and invites readers to learn more.