96 pages • 3 hours read
Stacy McAnultyThe Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty chronicles Lucy Callahan's journey after a lightning strike turns her into a math genius with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Transitioning from homeschooling to public middle school, Lucy navigates new friendships, challenges, and community service projects while keeping her extraordinary abilities hidden, ultimately learning valuable lessons about acceptance and perseverance. The book includes themes of illness and bullying.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Stacy McAnulty's The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl is praised for its engaging story and well-developed, relatable protagonist, Lucy, a math genius dealing with middle school challenges. Positive reviews highlight its heartwarming themes and humor. Critics note some predictability in its plot. Overall, it’s an uplifting read for middle graders.
Who Should Read The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl?
Readers who enjoyed Wonder by R.J. Palacio or Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt will likely be captivated by The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty. This heartwarming tale of a math prodigy adjusting to middle school life appeals to middle-grade readers who appreciate themes of friendship, resilience, and self-acceptance.
RecommendedReading Age
8-12yearsLexile Level
530LBook Details
Realistic Fiction
Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Relationships: Friendship
Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness