Book Review - 'Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc' by Joe Todd-Stanton

'Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc' - the final (?) book in the 'Brownstone's Mythical Collection' picture book and comic series, and it is indeed a treasure. Something different, unique, and sparkling.

It revolves around Aztec and Mexican mythology, which I am wholly unfamiliar with compared to some other myths and folklore around the world. It is about one of the rogue Brownstone family members - a Brownstone gone bad, as it were, so not all of them were saints, which is surprisingly realistic for a kids' fantasy series - Luna (who is "the most devious Brownstone", according to the blurb... er, okay... odd way to describe a thirteen-year-old, and someone who will obviously be redeemed by the end of this children's book that tells her story).

Luna is a thief (now that I think of it, do the "good" Brownstones ask for or earn the treasures they take to add to their mythical collection, thus making them different to the selfish, greedy Luna?), who works alone, who is only out for herself; defying her adventurer parents and everything they believe in, after a trap on an adventure left them devastated. Luna ends up going on a quest to steal Aztecan treasures from the rain god Tlaloc, tagging along with a young girl, Atzi (what is with the adults in these books being okay with little children going on dangerous quests, and often alone no less), whom she is tricking into helping her, and who just wants to save her people from draught and starvation by appealing to Tlaloc.

You can guess where this is going. Luna - antiheroine and whitehaired Carmen Sandiego - will eventually have a change of heart as she spends more time with Atzi on the epic journey and its many challenges. She will learn many lessons, some more surprising, and subtle, than others.

But apart from the protag's character development, 'Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc' is an action-packed, high-octane, tense, grand adventure story. It's like an 'Indiana Jones' movie meets a modern Disney movie meets a Studio Ghibli movie. Hm, the overall 'Brownstone's Mythical Collection' could easily be compared to Studio Ghibli, actually.

Luna and Atzi - two girls, two heroes, polar opposites, and they work great together. This book is a feminist masterpiece.

I wish we could have gotten to know Azti better, however; equal to how much backstory and characterisation Luna receives. Atzi is a goodhearted, altruistic, trusting little girl, and that's all I can say about her.

I think the last page, showing her with her parents, implies she has two mothers, as both parents appear to be female. Atzi belongs to a big community and family, and the two women standing with her at the end are shown to be the most important to her. Speculative, squinty, barely-there LBGTQ+ rep in a children's picture book isn't good enough nowadays - it should never be good enough, to be left at that - but in this case, I can graciously forgive it, as everything else is so good.

Beautiful illustrations, deep, clever, witty writing, and awesome female rep, action, fantasy and exploration, 'Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc' is a treat for all ages, like the other 'Brownstone's Mythical Collection' books I've read, 'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx' and 'Kai and the Monkey King'.

Now I wish I could read about the stories of the other "rogue" Brownstones in Professor Brownstone's gallery. The pictures of people on the walls look extremely interesting. Such colourful, eclectic characters are drawn in! Some appear to be witches, as well as action heroines - I'd like for there to be books about them! And are there vampires?! Why nothing on them?!

But I'm afraid that's it for the series, for now. Darn.

Relevant closing quote from the end of 'Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc':


'This is the story of Luna Brownstone. I hope she has shown you that no matter who you think you are, you always hold the power within you to change. And that helping others and being kind to those you love is a reward much more valuable than the rarest treasure [...]'


Links to my reviews of:

'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx'

'Kai and the Monkey King'


Final Score: 4/5