The Lightning Queen

Reviewed by: Joanne Libby - Freeport Community Library, Freeport, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 3, 2016

Review

I am a fan of Laura Resau and was very anxious to read this book. This is the story of 11 year old Teo (a Mixteco Indian) who lives in a remote village in Mexico in the mid 1950s. A caravan of Romani (gypsy) people arrives in the village and Teo befriends a girl named Esma. Esma's grandmother predicts that Teo and Esma will be friends forever and that they will save each other when no one else can. Esma's caravan stays only a short time in Teo's village but the two look forward to seeing each other again the following summer. The story is mostly set in the 1950's but some chapters take place in the present day when Teo is a grandfather and his grandson Mateo visits him from Maryland. The story is narrated by Teo to his grandson. There are so many aspects of this book that I liked : Teo rescuing animals, the glimpse into two marginalized cultures, the mystical atmosphere, the bravery shown by both Teo and Esma, and the love story always present between them. The author includes author's notes on the Mixteco and Romani people as well as translation and pronunciation guides. My review does not do justice to this book. There is so much to recommend it.

Overall Book Score: excellent