Inca: Activities and Crafts from a Mysterious Land »

ARLETTE N. BRAMAN is a former teacher who has written articles for kids in such magazines as W.O.W., The Friend, and Pen & Ink. She is also the author of Secrets of Ancient Cultures: The Maya, Kids Around the World Create!, Kids Around the World Cook!, Kids Around the World Play!, and Traditional Native American Arts and Activities, all from Wiley.

Discover the ancient Inca culture with these fun games and activities!

Make an Inca tunic. Prepare a quinoa snack. Create a royal headdress. You'll have a great time exploring the cultural traditions of these fascinating people as you learn to write an Inca poem, sculpt your own clay portrait in the shape of an Inca jug, and test your bluffing skills as you play Perudo.

This book is filled with activities and projects that will show you how the ancient Inca people lived and played, as well as how they managed to create an empire that extended nearly 3,000 miles! You'll learn about the bravery of Inca warriors as you construct a war shield. You'll discover how the Inca created beautiful music with panpipes and dance bells-and you'll make them yourself! You'll get to prepare a tasty Inca dish called Andean stew. Plus, you'll find lots of amazing Inca facts on topics ranging from history and religion to language, metalworking, and art. So get ready for lots of fun as you discover the ancient secrets of The Inca.

Barbara Troisi - Children's Literature

Mysteries of the ancient Inca civilization are revealed in this title that combines historical information with related activities to allow readers to discover what it was like to live in that society. The book's format includes a basic introduction into the origins, advancements, and destruction of the Inca Empire that began about A.D. 1200 in present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina. It describes everyday life, arts, achievements, and entertainment with detailed text, engaging projects, and black-and-white illustrations and photographs. One gets an intimate perspective of traditional life as the author describes details of the king's daily life, the warriors' weapons, irrigation methods, birth and death customs, major gods, hearty meals cooked for large families, the art of weaving tunics, llamas in designs, portrait jugs, colorful knotted strings, calendar of festival events, and toy balsa rafts. Sprinkled throughout are facts to enrich the content. Thoroughly explained directions for projects are included. The book contains a table of contents, glossary, and index. This fun-to-read book describes an intriguing culture that will capture reader's attention with projects to design a war shield, braid a royal headdress, stir up an Andean stew, weave a cloth, or design dance bells. 2004, John Wiley & Sons, Ages 9 to 12.