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The Lightning Queen
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.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 2015
71 people are currently reading
2467 people want to read
About the author
Laura Resau
16 books428 followersLaura Resau is the author of The Alchemy of Flowers, The River Muse (May 2026), and eleven acclaimed books for children and teens. Her books have garnered nineteen starred trade reviews, five Colorado Book Awards, and spots on “best-of” book lists from Oprah, School Library Journal, and the American Library Association. Trilingual, she’s lived in Provence and Oaxaca, and has a background in cultural anthropology, languages, and ESL. She teaches graduate creative writing at Western Colorado University. You might find her writing in her cozy vintage trailer in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she lives with her rock-hound husband, musician son, wild husky, and a hundred house plants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
November 25, 2015
One of the best books I have ever read. The story was just so special and different from all the integrity books that I have read. The characters were amazing and I loved Esma, Queen of Lightning! The Romani culture is so amazing and I love how it intertwined with the Mixteco's. I loved how they healed each other in a way that I've never read about. I can't even stress how amazing this book is. 100 out of 5 stars.
May 31, 2016
This book is stunning.
I'm forming a terribly bad habit here, but review to come later. Still recollecting my thoughts, and it's so much harder to write about something you loved the most.
Until later, a quote:
I'm forming a terribly bad habit here, but review to come later. Still recollecting my thoughts, and it's so much harder to write about something you loved the most.
Until later, a quote:
And I screamed, at first wordless, open mouthed screams. Dozens, maybe hundreds that Id swallowed over the past year. Then, when I was all screamed out, words formed, words for Esma. "I will see you again. And one day, I will save you, too."
August 27, 2015
This is a book about Gypsies (Romani people) and indigenous Mexican people, with characters you care about. Even the minor characters have depths and grow during the book. The Lightning Queen alternates between the 1950's in Mexico and the present day in Maryland.
Mateo lives in MD, but in the summer he travels to Mexico with his mother to visit his grandfather Teo who lives in a rural village. His grandfather asks Mateo to help him, and then tells the story of his childhood friendship with a Gypsy girl named Esma Queen of Lightning. Esma dreams of becoming a famous singer, although doing so would require her to leave her people forever. Teo's own grandfather is a healer, and is training Teo to become one too. When Teo was younger his father was run over by a car while they were in Mexico City to sell fruit they grew. And a year before the book starts Teo's sister drowned in a flash flood. Teo's mother is suffering from deep depression and can no longer function, and Teo himself has lost the ability to feel any joy in life. And then the gypsies come. They bring films to show in small rural towns, because, like the indigenous people they are treated badly in the cites. They show their film, and tell fortunes. When it comes time to tell Teo's fortune, he is told that he and the gypsy girl Esma, who does the translating between the gypsies and the townspeople will become friends for life. From this beginning both Teo and Esma's lives are changed forever. This was a great read, with a wonderful feel good ending. Clarissa, NSR
Mateo lives in MD, but in the summer he travels to Mexico with his mother to visit his grandfather Teo who lives in a rural village. His grandfather asks Mateo to help him, and then tells the story of his childhood friendship with a Gypsy girl named Esma Queen of Lightning. Esma dreams of becoming a famous singer, although doing so would require her to leave her people forever. Teo's own grandfather is a healer, and is training Teo to become one too. When Teo was younger his father was run over by a car while they were in Mexico City to sell fruit they grew. And a year before the book starts Teo's sister drowned in a flash flood. Teo's mother is suffering from deep depression and can no longer function, and Teo himself has lost the ability to feel any joy in life. And then the gypsies come. They bring films to show in small rural towns, because, like the indigenous people they are treated badly in the cites. They show their film, and tell fortunes. When it comes time to tell Teo's fortune, he is told that he and the gypsy girl Esma, who does the translating between the gypsies and the townspeople will become friends for life. From this beginning both Teo and Esma's lives are changed forever. This was a great read, with a wonderful feel good ending. Clarissa, NSR
August 12, 2024
6 🌟 for this sweet and sad little tale…
🤭 the vibes~
It was like The Princess Bride with the fact that the grandfather was telling a tale to an (originally) uninterested tale, BUT it was a “true” (true to the book) story, and THEN we got to the present 🙈
🌟 my emotions~
Throughout this book, I was a little bored at first, then it almost reminded me of Caraval (I blame the fact that I didn’t want to be reading this but was borrowing it from my cousin so I had to finish it) but then i just fell in love with it 😍 I cried at some points, including the SWEET ENDING I WILL NEVER GET OVER THAT ☺️☺️☺️
💘 overall~
Overall I recommend this book to EVERYONE, any age, honestly a kid could read this 😊 it’s completely clean, there’s one tiny kiss and it was adorable 😚 no cursing, and it was a really cute tale!!
PS the animals are adorable
🦆 🐢 🐐 🦨
🤭 the vibes~
It was like The Princess Bride with the fact that the grandfather was telling a tale to an (originally) uninterested tale, BUT it was a “true” (true to the book) story, and THEN we got to the present 🙈
🌟 my emotions~
Throughout this book, I was a little bored at first, then it almost reminded me of Caraval (I blame the fact that I didn’t want to be reading this but was borrowing it from my cousin so I had to finish it) but then i just fell in love with it 😍 I cried at some points, including the SWEET ENDING I WILL NEVER GET OVER THAT ☺️☺️☺️
💘 overall~
Overall I recommend this book to EVERYONE, any age, honestly a kid could read this 😊 it’s completely clean, there’s one tiny kiss and it was adorable 😚 no cursing, and it was a really cute tale!!
PS the animals are adorable
🦆 🐢 🐐 🦨
July 23, 2015
INCREDIBLE.
Everyone go and pre-order this book because it's breathtakingly gorgeous.
The story shifts between the 1950s and 2010s as Teo tells the story of his forbidden friendship with Esma, the Gypsy Queen of Lightning, to his grandson.
Check out my full review on sambfarkas.blogspot.com!
Everyone go and pre-order this book because it's breathtakingly gorgeous.
The story shifts between the 1950s and 2010s as Teo tells the story of his forbidden friendship with Esma, the Gypsy Queen of Lightning, to his grandson.
Check out my full review on sambfarkas.blogspot.com!
September 9, 2015
Read in a day and then dreamed about this book. Then daydreamed about it. It did things to my emotions.
February 26, 2020
This is one of my all time favorite books, and it always will be.
Not only are there gorgeous, poetic writing, comfortable pacing, fascinating cultural details, wonderfully developed characters, and a beautiful story line, but there's also messages that make The Lightning Queen a life-changing book.
I was full on tears-running-down-cheeks crying twice.
Because Esma and Teo's friendship is so pure. They love each other, and are always there for each other even when they're far away. They have very different purposes in life, so they can't always be together...but somehow they always find each other.
This is a story of the love between best friends. It's a story of fate, and forgiveness, and finding your purpose, and grief, and resilience.
I recommend this book to everyone. It's a warm hug of a story, one that will make you sob from the powerful beauty of it.
Not only are there gorgeous, poetic writing, comfortable pacing, fascinating cultural details, wonderfully developed characters, and a beautiful story line, but there's also messages that make The Lightning Queen a life-changing book.
I was full on tears-running-down-cheeks crying twice.
Because Esma and Teo's friendship is so pure. They love each other, and are always there for each other even when they're far away. They have very different purposes in life, so they can't always be together...but somehow they always find each other.
This is a story of the love between best friends. It's a story of fate, and forgiveness, and finding your purpose, and grief, and resilience.
I recommend this book to everyone. It's a warm hug of a story, one that will make you sob from the powerful beauty of it.
June 27, 2017
داستان در مکزیک در سال 1950 شروع میشه و بعد به زمان حال میرسه، در مکزیک و مریلند. یه داستان عاشقانه س که نشون میده اتفاقاتی که توی زندگی می افتن چطور میتونن ما رو نجات بدن. تئو ی 11 ساله روزهاشون با غم از دست دادن خواهرش که سال پیش فوت کرده میگذرونه. مادر تئو فقط از نظر فیزیکی حضور داره و هیچ عاطفه ای نداره. پدر تئو هم سالیان قبل فوت کرده. بنابراین شرایط واسه تئو واقعا سخته. بعد از اینکه اِسما وارد زندگی تئو میشه، رابطه دوستی سریعی بین اونها شکل میگیره. از اون لحظه به بعد تئو دلیلی واسه زندگی کردن پیدا میکنه.
داستان با سرعت مناسبی جلو میره و المان های مختلفی نظیر بخشش، رستگاری، امید و عشق رو که به نظر دیگه غیر ممکن میان، به خوبی به تحریر درآورده و وارد داستان کرده. با اینکه دقیق نمیشه گفت که شروع و پایان کتاب کجا بوده، ولی پایان مناسب و خوبی داره. نثرش هم ساده س.
داستان با سرعت مناسبی جلو میره و المان های مختلفی نظیر بخشش، رستگاری، امید و عشق رو که به نظر دیگه غیر ممکن میان، به خوبی به تحریر درآورده و وارد داستان کرده. با اینکه دقیق نمیشه گفت که شروع و پایان کتاب کجا بوده، ولی پایان مناسب و خوبی داره. نثرش هم ساده س.
August 19, 2015
Wow! A really beautifully written story of friendship in rural Mexico. Not something I would normally pick up, but the lovely folks at Scholastic sent me an advanced copy and I fell in love with the cover. Basically, it's the story of an unlikely friendship between a gypsy and a Mexican grandson of a healer. It's told in two sort of narratives, as if the grandfather is telling his grandson about his childhood friend. By the end, you're rooting for them to rekindle their friendship.
It seems like the author did a lot of research for the book, as it seemed to ring true. Definitely a unique read and recommended to kids who like stories of friendship and far off places.
August 21, 2018
What a magical story. Resau does a masterful job painting a beautiful picture of the world the reader jumps into every time they open the book. Topics covered are death, friendship, sickness, stereotypes, and family constellations.
January 21, 2021
This is one of the best books I've read since Harry Potter.
January 3, 2016
This review is for the audiobook edition.
The Lightning Queen starts out in modern times with a modern American boy, Mateo, visiting his grandfather, Teo, in Mexico. The grandfather asks the boy for his help with something, then proceeds to tell his grandson the story of his loyal friend, The Lightning Queen, a gypsy girl he met over 50 years ago. The Lightning Queen's name is Esma, and she claims to have been struck by lightning, which gave her special powers. It is predicted by the gypsy girl's grandmother that Esma and Teo will both save each other when no one else can.
The author paints vivid pictures of life in rural Mexico in the 1950s. There are moments of pure delight and moments of great pain and sadness. Christian Barillas sounds appropriately young as the voice of Mateo and Thom Rivera is a perfect narrator for the Teo chapters, his voice is rich and full of emotion. This title is definitely worth a listen.
The Lightning Queen starts out in modern times with a modern American boy, Mateo, visiting his grandfather, Teo, in Mexico. The grandfather asks the boy for his help with something, then proceeds to tell his grandson the story of his loyal friend, The Lightning Queen, a gypsy girl he met over 50 years ago. The Lightning Queen's name is Esma, and she claims to have been struck by lightning, which gave her special powers. It is predicted by the gypsy girl's grandmother that Esma and Teo will both save each other when no one else can.
The author paints vivid pictures of life in rural Mexico in the 1950s. There are moments of pure delight and moments of great pain and sadness. Christian Barillas sounds appropriately young as the voice of Mateo and Thom Rivera is a perfect narrator for the Teo chapters, his voice is rich and full of emotion. This title is definitely worth a listen.
June 17, 2015
I was so lucky to get my hands on a review copy of this electrical gem of a read - I'm a big Laura Resau fan and her latest work does not disappoint! As always, I learned about new cultures, in this case indigenous Mexicans and Romani. Enjoyed the vibrant characters, funny animals, and the magical landscape she describes so beautifully. The friendships between characters are heart-warming - a great read!
November 24, 2021
This book is literally magic!! I’ve read it countless times and I’ll read it countless more. The writing is gorgeous, the characters are rich and realistic, and the languages make this story come to life. If you haven’t read it then you absolutely need to because words can’t describe how beautiful it is!
December 29, 2020
"Give yourself a fortune and make it come true."
This book is so magical and the culture is beautiful. I really enjoyed the story within a story aspect.
I adore Esma and her wild spirit. I love her backstory and her unique personality. Her friendship with Mateo gives me life, they're the cutest.
I'm disappointed that this isn't an insanely popular book. Everyone needs to read this at least once. I think it would be a great book to have in schools.
4.5 Stars
This book is so magical and the culture is beautiful. I really enjoyed the story within a story aspect.
I adore Esma and her wild spirit. I love her backstory and her unique personality. Her friendship with Mateo gives me life, they're the cutest.
I'm disappointed that this isn't an insanely popular book. Everyone needs to read this at least once. I think it would be a great book to have in schools.
4.5 Stars
November 23, 2015
A fortune teller binds Teo, a young Mixtec, to Esma, the Gypsy Queen of Lightning and their connection turns into an enduring friendship. Part Bless Me Ultima meets Stargirl, this is a haunting love story that captures the beauty and mystery of the Rom people and the Mixtecs in the remote mountains of Mexico.
February 2, 2016
Loved it. Loved it. Cannot speak highly enough of this book. A real treasure. Meanspiritedness is overcome by kindness in the story. All ages can enjoy this, although the intended audience is middle school. Interaction between two diverse cultures, lots of wisdom and excellent storytelling.
I predict an award winner.
I predict an award winner.
December 7, 2015
I have a great love for Laura Resau, whose writing is always lyrical, descriptive and sensitive to a myriad of issues. This is a sweet book about a small town in Mexico and traveling Romani who come through, and it highlights friendship, family and a little bit of magic!
December 15, 2015
I haven't enjoyed a young readers' this much in a long time! Multi-cultural, multi-generational story of what happens when a young Romani girl rides into a small village in 1950's Oaxaca Mexico with her family in their brightly painted gypsy caravan. Sweet, fun, magical! Highly recommended!
January 5, 2016
After a long day, I was feeling rather depressed about the state of things in my life. I decided to finish reading this book and was quickly enveloped with such magical storytelling. I could travel in the world Laura Resau paints with her words for eternity.
November 5, 2015
Another beautiful and haunting book by Laura Resau, one of my favorite authors. I love the magic elements, combined with historical and cultural details of two previously maligned cultures.
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August 26, 2016I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! I recommend this to everyone. I couldn't put it down!
September 5, 2016
A treasure of a book. Believable characters, lyrical writing, and a mystery left unsolved until the final pages. Highly recommended!
March 11, 2021
Beautiful.
July 24, 2021
Beautifully written book! Loved everything about it, even made me cry multiple times!!
November 14, 2017
For this trimester’s one-pager, I decided to read The Lightning Queen by Laura Resau. It is a fantasy book with 303 pages. The Lightning Queen is a story about an old man named Teo telling his grandson Mateo about how his life changed while living in the Hill of Dust, a small, yet beautiful village in Mexico. He tells Mateo the story of how he met a girl he was bound to by destiny. Her name was Esma, the Gypsy Queen of Lightning. When Teo, a Mexican healer’s apprentice living in the Hill of Dust, was a boy, a caravan of gypsies came to town. They read the fortunes of the people living in the village and showed movies every night. When Teo’s family was getting their fortunes read, Teo learned that he would be lifelong friends with Esma. While the caravan was there, they became best friends, and Teo learned that Esma wanted to become a singer. With determination, the help of a protective duck Teo saved from a raging river, a timid, blind goat, and a fast, three-legged skunk, Teo and Esma set off on a journey to make Esma to become a famous musician.
The theme of The Lightning Queen was to never give up. Throughout the story, Esma is told to give up, both on her dream of singing and on her relationship with Teo, but she never stops trying. In the end, she does get her dream job, becomes a famous singer, and even on her deathbed, Teo with the help of his grandson tracks her down and finds her so they can be together again. Overall, I thought this was an amazing book. It is filled with a good plot, relatable characters, and fantastic writing. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good book to read.
The theme of The Lightning Queen was to never give up. Throughout the story, Esma is told to give up, both on her dream of singing and on her relationship with Teo, but she never stops trying. In the end, she does get her dream job, becomes a famous singer, and even on her deathbed, Teo with the help of his grandson tracks her down and finds her so they can be together again. Overall, I thought this was an amazing book. It is filled with a good plot, relatable characters, and fantastic writing. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good book to read.
December 15, 2015
Set in Oaxaca, Mexico in the 1950s and then in present day Oaxca and Maryland, this is a lovely story of romance and understanding and how life's possibilities can save us. Eleven-year-old Teo spends his days tending the family's livestock and dealing with the loss of his sister who died the previous year. With a mother who is absent in all ways other than being physically present and a father who died years ago, Teo is barely hanging on. When Esma, the Queen of Lightning, enters his life along with the rest of her Gypsy family, they strike up a fast friendship. It seems that this friendship is meant to be, especially when Teo's fortune is read by Esma's grandmother. From that moment, Teo finds reasons to live and takes care of a cast of animals--a bossy duck, a skunk, and a blind goat who follow him everywhere, even back to school where he encounters a cruel teacher whose heart has hardened against those around her. Readers will quickly be caught up in all the various elements of this story of forgiveness, redemption, hope, and a love that transcends decades and seemingly-impossible differences. Although it is hard to tell at the start of this story where it will end up and how the ending will be managed, in the hands of this gifted storyteller, everything makes sense. Readers will believe in magic and the power of friendship and love to heal all wounds and redeem the seemingly unredeemable. It has been said that lightning never strikes twice, but in this book, it surges forth, changing everyone and everything that is in its path.
January 25, 2016
THE LIGHTNING QUEEN by Laura Resau tells the captivating story of a friendship that bridges the Rom and the Mexico Indian cultures.
In this poignant story that weaves together historical and contemporary tales, an old man shares with his grandson the story of growing up in the remote mountains of Mexico and his encounters with a young gypsy girl. Inspired by true stories, this fascinating multi-cultural tale of friendship will draw readers into the world of mid-20th century Mexico.
Librarians will find that fans of both historical and contemporary fiction will enjoy the bridge between the past and the present as well as between the cultures. With a hint of romance and magic, this fast-paced novel is a good choice for readers seeking stories focusing on the topics of cultural diversity and friendship.
The book’s end notes along with the author’s website provide excellent background information and resources for teachers.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.lauraresau.com/.
Published by Scholastic on October 27, 2015. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
In this poignant story that weaves together historical and contemporary tales, an old man shares with his grandson the story of growing up in the remote mountains of Mexico and his encounters with a young gypsy girl. Inspired by true stories, this fascinating multi-cultural tale of friendship will draw readers into the world of mid-20th century Mexico.
Librarians will find that fans of both historical and contemporary fiction will enjoy the bridge between the past and the present as well as between the cultures. With a hint of romance and magic, this fast-paced novel is a good choice for readers seeking stories focusing on the topics of cultural diversity and friendship.
The book’s end notes along with the author’s website provide excellent background information and resources for teachers.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.lauraresau.com/.
Published by Scholastic on October 27, 2015. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
July 31, 2018
☆☆☆☆☆
No spoilers and colorful language abound! I received this ARC from the publisher...three years ago... in exchange for an honest review. Better late than never?
The Lightning Queen is a whimsical getaway for the spirit, and a delight for the heavy hearted. Let this beautifully written tale of friendship take you away and soothe your weary soul. Esma and Teo will sweep you into 1950's rural Mexico where a young Mixtec boy and an electric Gypsy girl paths collide, forever altering their lives.
There is nothing amiss in this story, it is brimming with love, loyalty, and redemption. The writing is light, but powerful, introspective and curious. The Lightning Queen is nothing short of fantastic!
No spoilers and colorful language abound! I received this ARC from the publisher...three years ago... in exchange for an honest review. Better late than never?
The Lightning Queen is a whimsical getaway for the spirit, and a delight for the heavy hearted. Let this beautifully written tale of friendship take you away and soothe your weary soul. Esma and Teo will sweep you into 1950's rural Mexico where a young Mixtec boy and an electric Gypsy girl paths collide, forever altering their lives.
There is nothing amiss in this story, it is brimming with love, loyalty, and redemption. The writing is light, but powerful, introspective and curious. The Lightning Queen is nothing short of fantastic!
May 25, 2016
The lightning Queen is an amazing book about a Mextico boy, Teo, and a gypsy girl, Esma. On the night that the two meet each other, Esma's grandmother tells of a fortune about the two children. The fortune says that the two will be friends for life, and they will save each other in hard times. They face many obstacles, but their friendship stays alive.
I recommend this book to anyone. The book is very symbolic, bringing everything together. It shows that distance doesn't matter in a friendship, it only tightens the bond. There is also many different types of love shown in this book.
I recommend this book to anyone. The book is very symbolic, bringing everything together. It shows that distance doesn't matter in a friendship, it only tightens the bond. There is also many different types of love shown in this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews