The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty published in 2018. This middle grade novel is about Lucy, a 12 year old girl who, when struck by lightning, develops an incredible ability in mathematics. After a period of home schooling, her grandmother/guardian decides that attending a regular school will help Lucy develop social skills. I don’t think The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl is a good middle grade novel, I think it’s a good novel, which just happens to have children as its characters. The categorisation of novel by age group started developing in earnest in the 1960s, so that today there’s a feeling that people have to read novels featuring characters who are like themselves. That’s alright, except for the fact that novels are also useful in finding out about people who are not like themselves. I am not a 12 year old girl with social anxiety and incredible abilities in maths. I am a man in his fifties who has never felt much of an affinity with maths - but that doesn’t mean I can’t find The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl interesting. One of the things that Lucy learns during her time at school is that although she might feel like the only freak in the world, other people have their own concerns and are not really taking much notice of you. That’s what books can provide - an insight into things other than ourselves. So maths - I have enough ability to muddle along, but have never been something very comfortable with. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl was an education for me, a window into the world of maths. I was good at English at school, a subject which I believed was an altogether vaguer affair. But what did I know. Lucy loves the constant known as pi - a number which you get in dividing a circle’s circumference by its diameter. This simple calculation comes out as a number that goes on forever, beginning 3.14159…. with as many numbers after that as you want. Pi is constant, applying to any circle of any size. But you can never say precisely what pi is, because you can never get to the end of it. There is something fundamentally dependable about Lucy’s favourite bit of maths, something that always remains the same. But there is also an unknowable quality about it. I imagined there was a big difference between the precise world of maths and the uncertainties of life which people write about in stories. That, however is not really true. Maths and more artistic pursuits are not so far apart after all. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl is a good novel for school children. It will teach them about maths and show how it can be used to solve real world problems that will mean something to them - like boosting the chances of adoption of dogs at a dog shelter. There are also a few lessons about dealing with difficult social situations. Beyond that, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl is, as I say, a good novel. It says something about life that is relevant generally.

AMAZING. I am a ten year old girl who loves reading and I found this book very enjoying to read. It is also quite a long book and there is lots to read. I cried when they got to the animal control but apart from that the book was great. I reccomend buying a sample of the book before you buy he full book though because it is the type of pook that some people would find extremely boring and for other people it would be great. Part two wanted!!!!!

I haven't read the book myself, but my 11 year old daughter got it for Christmas and was engrossed from day 1, reading it almost daily (finishing it on new years eve). Although an enthusiastic reader, she can be very selective when it comes to her books, either leaving them to gather dust after a couple of chapters or getting enthused. 'The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl' was definitely the latter and she has already requested the other books by the author.

This is the best book i have ever read and i cried when they were taking Pi to be put down- even on the second time reading. It is one of those books that gets you every time. Phenomenal. I asked my mum to search for a sequel but she couldn't find one. We NeEd A sEqUeL!¡!¡!¡

This book was very good and I have read it lots! I would recommend for 10+ as I read it at 10. The only thing I would want to change is to make the book look like being smart is good. Lucy wants to hide her smartness because she is embarrassed, but if children are smart, there is no reason to hide your true self. Apart from that, great book!!! - Leoni

I really enjoyed reading this and watching the character grow and develop. I must admit I did have to hug my dog a few times. Thankyou for writing.

My nine year old son said this was one of the best books his ever read!! He couldn’t put it down.

Just started this book. Seems great so far. Hard to put down. Easy to understand. Would recommend. Speedy delivery.

Compré el libro porque leí las primeras páginas y me hizo gracia. Luego lo vio mi hija de 12 años que es muy lectora, lo empezó, le enganchó y lo leyó entusiasmada. Dice que es un libro muy bueno. Yo creo que sí es un libro adecuado para esa edad.

This book has a wonderful message to share. I think it really relates to the feelings 12-13 year olds have. It brings your hopes up, and teaches you that everything is going to be ok, even though it seem really scary in the beginning.

interesting story. we read it together as a family.

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.

This is both my daughter's and my favourite kids book. It's very positive and sweet. I highly recommend it!