TAJÍN AND THE TWELVE THUNDERS

A rumbunctious child attains new heights of mischief in Morales’ terrific retelling of a pre-Columbian legend.

A force of nature, brown-skinned young Tajín loves to play, but “his kind of fun” doesn’t quite appeal to the monkeys, the jaguar, and the macaws, who all disappear, leaving him alone. “Perhaps the Twelve Thunders can show you how to behave,” the feathered serpent god Quetzalcóatl tells him. So Tajín travels to the Pirámide de los Nichos, the home of the Twelve Thunders, bringers of powerful storms and calm rains. Though initially reluctant, the Thunders take Tajín under their wing, and the spirited boy soon learns to balance his formidable might with a newfound gentleness and focus. After witnessing one of the Thunders’ astonishing demonstrations of storming prowess, Tajín asks them to teach him “to make wind and rain.” They refuse. But when the Thunders head to the market one very hot day, Tajín grabs a pair of boots, a cloak, and a lightning bolt and sets out to have a little fun of his own. Morales’ debut as both author and illustrator projects an infectious sense of delight thanks to a jovial, conspiratorial tone that pulls readers into Tajín’s madcap hijinks. Inspired by murals and architecture from the Mexican city of El Tajín, the energetic, sun-kissed artwork conveys movement through an abundance of curved linework. An edifying author’s note traces this myth’s origins to the Totonac people.

A thunderous gem.