Fiction

The Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads. (Puffin, 1993)
Tigre, a 12-year-old Mayan boy living in a modern day village in Yucataan, must learn to be a man when his father is injured.

Heart of a Jaguar by Marc Talbert. (Aladdin, 1997)
Set just after the great city Chichen Itza was deserted, 14-year-old Balam struggles with his family and community to cope with drought. For older readers.

The Hummingbird King: A Guatemalan Legend by Argentina Palacios. (Troll, 1993)
An evil uncle plots against his nephew is this illustrated folktale.

Lady of Palenque by Anna Kirwan. (Scholastic, 2004)
The Royal Diary series. Set in Chiapas, A.D. 749, this is the story of 13-year-old Princess Green Jay, who is betrothed to an older man partly because she can read and write.

Me Oh Maya by Jon Scieszka (Puffin, 2005)
The Trio land in the middle of a ball game in ancient Mexico — will they be sacrificed to the gods?

Rain Player by David Wisniewski. (Clarion, 1995)
Inspired by ancient Mayan culture, this folktale tells the story of Pik, who challenges the god of rain to a ball game. For younger readers.

The Well of Sacrifice by Chris Eboch. (Clarion, 1999)
Eveningstar Macaw, who lives in a 9th century Mayan city, must confront the evil High Priest to rescue her family and save her own life. For older readers.

Nonfiction

Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Maya by Leonard Everett Fisher. (Holiday House, 1999)
A description of the 12 most important deities, with full-page paintings inspired by Mayan glyphs.

Hands of the Maya: Villagers at Work and Play by Rachel Crandell. (Holt, 2002)
Traditional Mayan life and culture are conveyed through photographs of people at work, making tortillas, carving stone, weaving, washing, etc.

A Maya by Frederico Navanete Linares. (Lerner, 1999)
Accompanied by detailed illustrations, the Mayan civilization is portrayed through historical text and a fictionalized account of a Mayan artisan's day

The Maya by Peter Chrisp. (Raintree, 1999)
Look into History series. An illustrated examination of the Mayan civilization.

The Maya by Charles George and Linda George. (Blackbirch Press, 2004)
A detailed overview of the history and culture of the Maya.

Mayeros: A Yucatec Maya Family by George Ancona. (Lothrop, 1997)
This photo documentary presents the life and customs of the descendants of the Maya now living in the Yucatan.

The Mystery of the Maya: Uncovering the Lost City of Palenque by Peter Lourie. (Boyds Mills, 2001)
This photo essay recounts details of the archaeological dig at a Mayan city and provides a history of the Maya.

Tikal by Elizabeth Mann. (Mikaya Press, 2002)
An illustrated guide to this important city, home to palaces, plazas and stone pyramids.