Zawa + The Belly of the Beast

The guardian spirit of a revered mountain has been secluded and hidden away, with nothing to feed on but sludge and garbage. Meanwhile, the people of Mesa’s Boon are obsessed with industrialism’s decay, with the mayor forbidding the planting of trees. An urban legend about monsters hiding in the bowels of the mountain has been around for a while.

Few things nourish the heart and spirit more than meals created with love and shared with friends. Siblings Bandit and Thatcher Blackbird stumble upon the guardian, Zawa, who is derelict and unrecognizable after a long period of neglect. She regains her strength through food lovingly prepared by Chef Bandit. Soon, the accomplices learn of Zawa’s true nature and the lies they long believed to be the truth. Helping her escape will mean defying powerful leaders and convincing others to change their ways.

Zawa and the Belly of the Beast is a vibrant and compelling tale that warns against the spoils of unchecked development and industrialization. The story instills hope by showing how young people can make a difference by being smart and relying on each other. Writer and illustrator Michael Dialyna builds upon myths of mountain deities as protectors of the land. The bright and vivid colors bring out both the disgusting wasteland of urbanization and the inviting beauty of the wilds. The metaphor of food and feasting figures prominently in the story, as nourishing the environment back to health requires intentional offerings.