The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

When Lucy was eight years old, she was struck by lightning while holding on to a metal fence. As a result, she has acquired savant syndrome; Lucy can not only tackle any mathematical problem but she can also see math in colors and remembers every set of numbers she hears or sees. It is no surprise that Pi is favorite number (and she can recite it to the 314th decimal place).Having this rare condition is not without its drawbacks. Lucy has obsessive compulsive tendencies, no offline friends, and hasn’t left the apartment she shared with her Nana for 32 days. While Lucy wants to begin college, Nana proposes an alternate plan. Go to middle school for at least 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. Read 1 book that is not math related. Nana wins.Lucy accomplishes her first goal quickly. On her first bus ride to school, she becomes friends with socially conscious Windy. But adjusting to middle school is still tough especially because of Lucy’s constant need to sanitize, her repetitive sitting behavior, and her desire to keep her giftedness hidden from her peers including Windy. A group service project with Windy and budding photographer Levi gives Lucy the opportunity to use her math genius for a good cause-helping dogs gets adopted at a local shelter. At the shelter, Lucy meets Cutie Pi, a beagle mix (Yes, you heard it, a beagle!) with a lightning bolt spot on its back and is determined to find him a home. Being a dog mom, seeing Lucy’s affection for Pi was heartwarming. Her relationship with Pi was one of my favorite parts of the story.The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl is a touching and engaging story about fitting in, finding yourself and most of all, friendship. Lucy soon learns that all things are not easy to calculate. As a reader, I calculate a few important lessons from this must read middle grade novel.-Sometimes numbers aren’t all that matter.-No problem is unsolvable.-If you have a couple of friends who accept you for who you are, you are pretty lucky.

Lucy was struck by lightning when she was eight and, due to the damage to her brain, became a mathematical genius. She has been homeschooled, but her grandmother insists that Lucy go to public school so she can try something new and make a friend. Lucy, who'd rather take college classes and be friends with the others in her virtual math clubs, is less than excited about starting middle school. Although Lucy tries to hide her math talents in an effort to appear as normal as possible, her OCD tendencies cause many of her peers to view her as peculiar. Middle grade readers will be able to relate to challenges that Lucy faces, such as feeling like she doesn't fit in and dealing with classmates who are unkind. Through her middle school journey, Lucy learns the value of friendship and realizes that her math abilities don't define her. Lucy is a unique and endearing character whose story will show readers that it's possible to find your way even when you feel out of place. This story is both sweet and hopeful. There's a charming dog, as well, who readers will be rooting for along with Lucy. This is one of those books I want to put in the hands of middle grade readers because it has the potential to help readers grow their understanding that we are all different and, also, see possibilities when they feel different.

I'm just going to say it: I loved this book!It is the middle grade equivalent of ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE. (If you haven't read that one, get right on it.) Thanks to a lightning bolt, Lucy is smarter than your average 12 year-old (or 40-something year-old, for that matter), but her Nana insists she needs to experience real life in the form of middle school. While she might be able to hide her math prowess to fit it, it's much more difficult to hide her OCD. Seeing how the world looks through Lucy's eyes was wonderful and thought-provoking. Stacy McAnulty manages to shows such character growth without Lucy ever changing who she really is. Ultimately, it's a story about friendship, forgiveness, and accepting people even when they turn out to be different than your first impression. I was in a puddle of tears at the end.Bonus: This book makes learning a little something about math easy because you're not learning math, but rather learning about Lucy who loves math and sees it in everything.It says it's for ages 8-12, but I couldn't have loved it more.So, buy it for your upper elementary or middle school student, but I suggest you preread before they do it. You know, just to make sure it's a good read for them. ;-)

Middle school is hard, but this middle grade novel reminds us that all we need is a good friend or two and we can get through it. Although there are a few bullies, and there always are, this story is full of likable characters and good messages for readers young and old.