Lost City: The Discovery of Machu Picchu

My 5 year old was captivated by the story of the search for the lost city of the Incas. We read this book many times before our visit to Machu Picchu. She was thrilled to climb up the steep trail and come out on the hill overlooking the city to find the view "looks just like in my story!" There's enough detail to make the story interesting for adults to read aloud. The inclusion of the little boy who helps Bingham locate the lost city makes the story even more enticing for young readers. My daughter remembered all the facts from the story and was so excited to see the real place and learn that it was a true story. I very strongly recommend this book for young kids interested in Andean peoples or who will be visiting Machu Picchu.

Accessibly written and very beautifully by Caldecott Honor Winner Ted Lewin, Lost City: The Discovery Of Machu Picchu is a picturebook history presentation about a 1911 journey into Peru in search of Vilcapampa, the lost city of the Incas. What was actually discovered was the forgotten city of Machu Picchu, resulting in an extraordinary testimony to archaeological history and a Native American legacy, in this wonderfully illustrated, deftly told, and strongly recommended story.