Lady of the Lines How Maria Reiche Saved the Nazca Lines by Sweeping the Desert

When scientist and explorer Maria Reiche visited Peru’s Nazca Lines in 1941, she was immediately captivated by the larger-than-life animal carvings. But what were they, and why were they there? This STEAM nonfiction picture book for young readers reveals the story behind one of the greatest indigenous artworks in the Americas, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Maria Reiche wanted to put her curious mind to the test. When visiting Peru in 1941, she trekked across the land and discovered hidden lines covered in centuries of clay and sand. Fasciated, she picked up a broom from her tools and began sweeping for miles and miles to uncover more details, taking time to track her movement and sketch out the precise shapes she followed. Her first discovery was a spider-shaped carving spanning hundreds of feet of desert! Sweeping her way across the land, other shapes followed—a monkey, a condor, and a whale. But in the midst of these discoveries, she found out the land was going to be used for farming. She got to work again, this time demanding a press conference to announce her discoveries and stop the destruction of these ancient works of art—and it worked! Her efforts protected the land, which was later named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 thanks to Maria’s tireless efforts.

Author Michaela MacColl’s lyrical writing and extensive research showcase Maria’s triumphant tale, accompanied by art from Peruvian illustrator Elisa Chavarri, a past recipient of the Pura Belpré Honor.

Michaela MacColl is the author of several books, including View from Pagoda Hill, which received honorable mention from the Grateful American Book Prize and was a NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book, a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year, and a finalist in the Connecticut Book Awards, 2022. Her other books include Promise the Night, which was selected for the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Book List, IRA's Notable Books for a Global Society, and the Bank Street College's Best Books list. Lady of the Lines is her picture book debut.

Elisa Chavarri is an award-winning Peruvian illustrator of several children’s books, including Sharuko, a 2021 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book and the winner of the 2021 Bank Street College Silver Medal for Best Children’s Picture Books of the Year in Spanish. She is also the illustrator of A Crown for Corina by Laekan Zea Kemp, and many other books.