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Summary
Summary
A stunningly rendered mystical novel, set in the remote mountains of Mexico in the 1950s, illuminates the power of an unlikely friendship that blends cultures, magic, and possibilities.Nothing exciting happens on the Hill of Dust, in the remote mountains of Mexico in the 1950s. There's no electricity, no plumbing, no cars, just day after day of pasturing goats. And now, without his sister and mother, eleven-year-old Teo's life feels even more barren. And then one day, the mysterious young Esma, who calls herself the Gypsy Queen of Lightning, rolls into town like a fresh burst of color. Against all odds, her caravan's Mistress of Destiny predicts that Teo and Esma will be longtime friends. Suddenly, life brims with possibility. With the help of a rescued duck, a three-legged skunk, a blind goat, and other allies, Teo and Esma must overcome obstacles-even death-to fulfill their impossible destiny. Inspired by true stories derived from rural Mexico, The Lightning Queen offers a glimpse of the encounter between two fascinating but marginalized cultures--the Rom and the Mixtec Indians--while telling the heart-warming story of an unlikely friendship that spans generations.
Author Notes
Laura Resau is the author of several acclaimed novels, including Star in the Forest , The Queen of the Water , Red Glass and What the Moon Saw . She is also the author of the acclaimed notebook series, which includes: The Indigo Notebook , The Ruby Notebook , and The Jade Notebook . Laura's books have gathered many state and library awards, as well as multiple starred reviews. The Lightning Queen is drawn from Laura's experience of living in rural Mexico. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7-Mateo visits his grandfather, Teo, in rural Mexico every year. Usually the visits follow the same old routine, but not this year. Instead, Teo tells the boy a story about friendship, life, and a bit of magic. His grandfather's life wasn't easy. He lost his father and sister when he was 11, and his mother fell into a deep depression. Then Esma comes into Teo's life like blue skies after a storm. She calls herself the Gypsy Queen of Lightning and arrives in town with a caravan of other Romani. The fortune-teller, Mistress of Destiny, predicts that Esma and Teo will be lifelong friends and will save each other. Throughout their story, they help each other achieve their dreams and find purpose in their lives. Thom Rivera and Christian Barillas perfectly perform the lyrical prose. The characters are part of marginalized cultures within Mexico-the Romani and the Mixteco Indians. Resau describes the time and place but also the cultures, exploring the lives of children who are outsiders in their own land. -VERDICT Powerful and wonderful. The lush sentences and endearing characters make this audiobook an essential purchase. ["The diverse characters, heartbreaking events, and historical and present-day backdrops are excellently executed": SLJ 9/15 starred review of the Scholastic book.]--Katie Llera, Bound Brook High School, NJ © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Resau's (the Indigo Notebook series) story of the adventures and growing friendship between a sensitive Mixteco boy and a daring Romani girl is set amid the harsh discrimination and struggles both their peoples faced in Mexico due to cultural, racial, and language barriers. Esma, an enigmatic and enthusiastic Romani girl who calls herself the Queen of Lightning, shows up when Teo needs her most-he's grieving the death of his sister. "Somehow, the Queen of Lightning put the spark of life back inside you," Teo's grandfather marvels, and Teo throws himself into fulfilling a prophecy that predicts he and Esma will be lifelong friends and one day save each other. Told using a Princess Bride-style framing device, with an adult Teo sharing a magical story with his grandson, the narrative is interrupted by their occasional comments, reminding readers of the storyteller and listener. As the lives of Esma and Teo catch up to the present, readers will appreciate how this story comes full circle, and many may find themselves wiping away tears. Ages 8-12. Agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
In present-day Oaxaca, Mexico, Mateo listens to his abuelo Teo tell of his childhood in a tight-knit Mixtec community and of his foretold "lifelong friendship" with Rom girl Esma, Queen of Lightning. Teo and Esma's tale is one of true friendship, despite cultural differences and opposition from society, and of loves lost and found. Resau's sensory descriptions heighten the tale's sweeping romanticism. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A celebration of grandparents' wisdom, cross-cultural friendship, and the idea that nothing is impossible. In present-day Oaxaca, young Mateo visits his Grandpa Teo in his ancestral Mixteco hometown, the Hill of Dust, for the summer. Grandpa Teo shows Mateo a shiny string of coins and begins a story "of marvels. Of impossible fortunes....Of a girl who gathered power from storms and sang back the dead." The lyrical narrative then rewinds to the 1950s, when a young Teoa grandson of the village's healerfirst meets "Gypsy" girl Esma, who arrives with her family's caravan to sing, show movies, read fortunes, and change his life. Taken with her beautiful voice and "aliveness," Teo strikes up a friendship with "Queen of Lightning" Esma that her fortuneteller grandmother predicts will not only last a lifetime, but also extend to their own grandchildren. Each year, the Romany return, and Teo and Esma resume sharing secrets, rescuing wounded animals, and even saving each other's lives. Inspired by the author's time living among the Mixteco, the heartfelt story shifts between timelines to reveal how Teo and Esma form a bond on the Hill of Dust that neither prejudice, time, nor distance can break. Backmatter includes a lengthy note that discusses the Mixteco and the Romany as well as glossaries and pronunciation guides for Mexican Spanish, Mixteco, and Romany words and phrases used in the text. This vibrant, intergenerational tale is nothing short of magical. (Magical realism. 8-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Mateo is fascinated by the story of his Mixteco grandfather Teo's lifelong friendship with the gypsy girl known as Esma, the Lightning Queen. Years later, when his healer grandfather feels called to Esma's side, Mateo is able to help reunite the two friends, who are bound by mystical silver threads. Similar in plot and location (Oaxaca, Mexico) to Resau's earlier novel What the Moon Saw (2006), this is a gentle tale of magic realism and nostalgia. It is didactic in parts, and the plot thread with Mateo's mother is neglected and uneven, but the simplicity of the message about friendship and the memorable characters both animal and human will move readers. Resau is conscientious about being an outsider exploring a culture different from her own, and she includes abundant back matter about the story's inspiration, the Mixteco and Romani people, as well as a glossary and pronunciation guide for the Mexican Spanish, Mixteco, and Romani words that are scattered throughout the text.--Welch, Cindy Copyright 2015 Booklist