The Magic Mound

Sergio and his younger brother, Divino are poor children who live in a favela (slum) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. They go on vacation with their revered teacher, dona Ute (pronounced oo-teh), to the country house of one of Ute’s friends. Once there, they leave the house together to fetch kindling wood. They cross a stream and discover a strange round mound surrounded by white stones. Divino impetuously climbs the mound and convinces his brother to follow. Due to the mound’s magic forces, they fall asleep. They wake up in the land of Maxa. A girl, Mara, leads them through the jungle to her village where they meet the queen, Mamara. She tells them the history of the marvelous juice of immortality, vitaluz. They never grow old or die by drinking vitaluz, but never have children either. Queen Mamara and Princess Mara ask the boys to rescue Mireya, a young girl also from Brazil, who had been kidnapped by King Alaram. The boys agree to try, assisted by Platero, a white donkey as charming as he is stubborn, and a mysterious little man named Tamoshot. The search for Mireya is a dangerous adventure, but also the means of learning many important things about life.

This is the original English edition of La Lomita Magica, by Frank Thomas Smith, with cover art by Ludmila Garcia San Miguel and artwork for The Magic Mound Map by Maria Sol Varela. Edited by James D. Stewart.