The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade realistic
• Originally Published: 2018
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 530L; grades 5-8
• Structure/Length: 40 chapters; 304 pages; approx. 6 hours, 25 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: When Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning, she became a math genius, and after four years of homeschooling is ready to proceed to college at age 12. Her Nana asks, however, that she first attend middle school for one year first and meet a few simple goals. These prove challenging for Lucy, who has suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder since the accident as well: Make one new friend, try one activity, and read one non-mathematical book.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Obsessive-compulsive disorder; neurodiversity; animal illness; bullying

Stacy McAnulty, Author

• Bio: Born in the mid-1970s; raised outside Albany, New York; studied mechanical engineering at the University of Buffalo; worked for B/E Aerospace designing premier airline seats before she began writing children’s literature; lives in North Carolina with her husband, three children, and three dogs
• Other Works: The Dino Files (2016); The World Ends in April (2019); Millionaires for the Month (2020)
• Awards: Junior Library Guild Selection; Amazon’s Best Children’s Book (ages 9-12; 2018)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Coming-of-Age: Discovering and Accepting Oneself
• The Struggles of Friendship
• More than Just Numbers

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Explore background information on Savant Syndrome and “fitting in” versus “belonging” to increase their engagement with and understanding of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl.
• Read/study paired texts and other brief resources to deepen their understanding of themes related to Coming-of-Age: Discovering and Accepting Oneself, The Struggles of Friendship, and More than Just Numbers.
• Demonstrate their understanding of characterization, voice, and theme by creating a presentation on making friends from Lucy’s perspective.
• Analyze the significance of various elements of the novel, such as characterization, setting, and ambiguity, and construct essay responses tying these to the novel’s meaning.