About This Book
The Lightning Queen tells the enchanting story of Teo, an eleven-year-old Mixtec boy living in the remote mountains of Mexico, whose quiet life of healing animals is transformed by the arrival of a Romany caravan. He forms an immediate and profound connection with Esma, a spirited Romany girl who calls herself the Gypsy Queen of Lightning. This novel explores their enduring, cross-cultural friendship, celebrating empathy, identity, and the magic found in unexpected connections. Ideal for readers aged 8-11, it offers a rich narrative about understanding and appreciating differences.
On the Hill of Dust, in the remote mountains of Mexico, an eleven-year-old Mixtec boy called Teo lives with his family and the animals that he has healed, but one day a Romany caravan rolls into town with a young girl who calls herself Esma, the Gypsy Queen of Lightning--it is the beginning of a life-long friendship that will change both their lives.
Discussion Prompts
1
How do Teo and Esma show kindness and understanding to each other, even though their lives are very different?
2
What does it mean to be a 'Gypsy Queen of Lightning'? How does Esma's identity influence her actions and their friendship?
3
How do the settings in the book, like Teo's village and Esma's caravan, reflect their different ways of life?
4
What challenges do Teo and Esma face because of their backgrounds, and how do they overcome them together?
5
How does this story show that friendship can grow and change over a long time?
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