When Lightnin' Struck

Life hasn’t been easy for 11-year-old James. There’s only him and his grandfather now, as his father was killed in a lightning strike and his mother jailed for for alcoholism and mental health issues (it’s the 1920s so attitudes towards addictions and mental health were very different than they are today). To make matters worse his beloved grandmother’s recently died and now he feels utterly rudderless. His Pappy is a great guy. He runs the town diner and James helps out, but when it comes to answering James’s many questions, Pappy is a brick wall.

James is often bullied at school, and his only friend is Paul, a Jewish immigrant from the Ukraine, whose family fled Russia due to persecution. Paul is perceived by some to be dimwitted, but he is also huge for his age, so protects James from the worst of the bullying and the boys form a tight bond.

During a visit to Paul’s home, James realises that an amulet his grandmother gave him on her deathbed has the same inscriptions and images as some of the religious items in their house. He shows the family and they confirm that the writing is Hebrew and the item itself is very old. 

James can’t understand why his grandmother would have owned something like that. This leads to more questions and eventually Pappy reveals that his wife was of Spanish Jewish heritage, not Mexican as James had believed. She had concealed her Jewish heritage due to the continuing persecution experienced by Jewish people, and the ongoing activities of the Ku Klux Klan (the 1920s were a period of strength for the KKK, and Jews were one of their key targets). 

Pappy shows James their family Bible, which traces their Jewish ancestry for centuries. Paul’s family are ecstatic to discover that James is also Jewish, and they welcome him with open arms. He finally feels at home, although Pappy is worried his beloved grandson may face persecution if it becomes known. 

This is a fantastic tale of self-discovery, that weaves together loss, grief, bullying,  friendship and the overwhelming desire to belong. Although it covers some heavy topics it does this in an age appropriate, gentle and light-hearted manner, and this great book ultimately leaves the reader with a strong sense of hope.

1920s America, family tragedy and loss, bullying, friendship, Jewish heritage and history, anti-semitism, belonging, purpose, hope

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