The The Lightning Queen

Resau, Laura

4.28

1,583 ratings by Goodreads

ISBN 10: 0545921171 ISBN 13: 9780545921176

Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 2015

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.

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About the Author:

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.

From School Library Journal:

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, NJα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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