What It Was Like to be … (3) – What it was like to be an Ancient Maya

Embark on a captivating exploration into the rise and fall of the rich and colourful Maya civilisation with Blue Peter Award-winning author David Long. Largely forgotten for centuries, the ancient Maya were incredible. Their cities across Central and South America featured astonishing pyramids and palaces, while they were also successful farmers and highly creative artists. The Maya were the first people in the Americas to learn how to read and write, and they invented things like rubber, chocolate and chewing gum. They had a deep understanding of astronomy, mathematics and timekeeping, though they also had some horrible, bloodthirsty traditions such as making human sacrifices. Find out what life as an Ancient Maya was actually like while also investigating why this mysterious civilisation was close to dying out when the region was conquered by Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century. Embark on a journey through time and place, as you delve into the rich history of the ancient Maya civilisation. This nonfiction book is a top pick for children and teenagers interested in archaeology and social science. For fans of Joe Todd-Stanton (Kew) HarperCollins 2024