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A meia lua whooshed in the air. The strike was evaded and followed with an aú. Two young men were playing capoeira in the middle of the roda. Bimba wanted to play too. Although it is debated when and where capoeira--an art form that blends martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality--originated exactly, one thing is certain: in the early 20th century, Brazil was the only country in the world where capoeira was played, and it was mainly practiced by people of African descent. In 1890, two years after Brazil officially abolished slavery, the game was outlawed. Wealthy, lighter-skinned society feared and looked down on capoeira, seeing it as a game for malandros--what people in power called the poor Black communities they disdained. But in the early 1920s in the city of Salvador, a man called Bimba would advocate for capoeira, and those who practiced it, to be treated with dignity and the respect it deserved. Duncan Tonatiuh's lyrical prose and beloved illustration style, inspired by pre-Columbian codices, tell the story of arguably the greatest capoeirista of all time, who fought to turn a misunderstood, persecuted Afro-Brazilian activity into a celebrated art practiced by millions around the world.

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Sales Points

• Many capoeira songs immortalize his life and accomplishments, which deserve even wider public recognition.
• Teaching thousands of students and achieving mythical status among those who play the game, Mestre Bimba is widely regarded as the most legendary capoeirista, renowned for his physical and artistic skill while preserving a marginalized practice.
• Today, capoeira is played by millions of people in Brazil, the United States, and Canada, as well as in more than 160 other countries. The combination of martial arts, dance, acrobatics, and music attracts children and adults of all ages.
• With his engaging, beautiful, and informative books that fill a gap in the market, Tonatiuh reliably gets strong support from schools and libraries.
• Celebrates Afro-Brazilian culture and its legacy of pride and perseverance after more than 300 years of the slave trade that brought African peoples to Brazil.
• Tonatiuh’s books consistently backlist well, selling more than 750,000 copies combined.
• Tonatiuh’s books have received numerous accolades, including the Sibert Award and multiple Pura Belpré Medals and Honors.