THE MISCALCULATIONS OF LIGHTNING GIRL by Stacy McAnulty

                  

This is a great dog story, a wonderful story about a girl finding her place in the world, and a story about friendship and family. Definitely worth reading!

Description from the publisher:

Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn’t remember it, but it changed her life forever. The zap gave her genius-level math skills, and ever since, Lucy has been homeschooled. Now, at 12 years old, she’s technically ready for college. She just has to pass 1 more test–middle school!

Lucy’s grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that’s not a math textbook!). Lucy’s not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy’s life has already been solved. Unless there’s been a miscalculation?

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, written by Stacy McAnulty was published by Random House in 2018.

Why you want to read this book… 

One of the things I liked about this story is the way Lucy talks about her disorder and owns it. It’s a part of her life and she’s coping as best she can. Lucy faces challenges of bullying, making and keeping friends and working on school assignments. I loved the clever way she brought her math skills into play when working on her school project. I also liked her relationship with the shelter dog, Pi.

Opening:

I don’t remember the moment that changed my life 4 years ago. Call it a side effect of being struck by lightning. That bolt of electricity burned a small hole in my memory. It also rewired my brain, transforming me into Lucille Fanny Callahan, math genius.

If you’re a writer… 

This is another great example of a first person, present tense narrator with a strong voice. There’s a slightly humorous tone to the story that reminds me of YA novels.

I will never understand people. In algebra, you can solve an equation when you have 1unknown variable. People are equations with dozens of variables. Basically unsolvable.

If you’re a teacher…

Some great things about this book:  There’s lots of talk about math, in a fun way. The main character, Lucy, spends a lot of time in the book working on a school project with a small group—to do something to make a difference. Lucy lives with her grandmother, so I liked that it speaks to kids who don’t live with one or two parents. Lucy’s anxiety and OCD is shown in a straightforward way that makes it easy for kids to relate to.

"Pi?" I whisper the dog’s name, and he turns to look at me. That’s when I notice that 1 of the black spots on his back is the shape of a lightning bolt.

Colby Sharp’s review:

For more great middle grade reads, check out what's happening for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday over at Greg Pattridge's blog.

SHARK LADY: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating & Marta Alvarez Miguens

I don’t often review non-fiction, but this biography of Eugenie Clark has all the elements of a great fiction picture book. It’s so interesting I had to share!

Summary from Amazon:

Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks from the first moment she saw them at the aquarium. She couldn't imagine anything more exciting than studying these graceful creatures. But Eugenie quickly discovered that many people believed sharks to be ugly and scary―and they didn't think women should be scientists.

Determined to prove them wrong, Eugenie devoted her life to learning about sharks. After earning several college degrees and making countless discoveries, Eugenie wrote herself into the history of science, earning the nickname "Shark Lady." Through her accomplishments, she taught the world that sharks were to be admired rather than feared and that women can do anything they set their minds to.

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist, written by Jess Keating and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens, was published in 2017 by SourceBooks Inc.

Opening:     

It was Saturday, and Eugenie wanted to stay at the aquarium forever. She wanted to smell the damp, salty air and stare at the glittery rainbow of fish. She wanted to keep watching her favorite animals…

The sharks.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

I was compelled to read this book several times, because I was so awe of the design and execution. This has everything you’d want in a picture book biography – it’s engaging for kids, has just enough sensory detail to bring the story alive, and it captures a really interesting part of Eugenie’s life close up. The illustrations are so inviting – they go perfectly with the text!

I also enjoyed the way there were more interesting facts about Eugenie’s research at the back, as well as a timeline to explore. If I were writing picture book biographies, this would definitely be one of my top choices for a mentor text.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

Sharks alone are enough to grab the interest of some students, but I was thrilled to see how well this book showcases the work and dreams of a female shark scientist. What a great role model for students! I loved how, even though the illustrations show the time period through the details and settings, they are done in a modern style with bright colors. This is not a definitely not a dry non-fiction story that will be left on the shelf. Students will love this, and hopefully be inspired to learn more about the animals or things that they are passionate about.

Ages: 4 - 7

Grades: K – 2

Themes: sharks, ocean research, women scientists

Activities:

Brainstorm: If you were going to be a scientist, what creature or animal would you like to learn more about? Explain why!

Question:  Draw a picture of your favorite sea creature. What do you already know about it? What don’t you know? Write one question you would like to answer.

Draw: What would you find if you could explore the ocean? Use your imagination. 

Choose bright paints or crayons and create your own undersea illustration.

For an awesome way to ‘meet the author,’ watch this virtual visit with author Jess Keating:

THE LENGTH OF A STRING by Elissa Brent Weissman, for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The characters in this story were like real people for me. An interesting and absorbing read!

Description from the publisher:

Imani knows exactly what she wants as her big bat mitzvah gift: to find her birth parents. She loves her family and her Jewish community in Baltimore, but she has always wondered where she came from, especially since she’s black and almost everyone she knows is white. Then her mom’s grandmother–Imani’s great-grandma Anna–passes away, and Imani discovers an old journal among her books. It’s Anna’s diary from 1941, the year she was twelve and fled Nazi-occupied Luxembourg alone, sent by her parents to seek refuge in Brooklyn, New York. 

Anna’s diary records her journey to America and her new life with an adoptive family of her own. And as Imani reads the diary, she begins to see her family, and her place in it, in a whole new way.

The Length of a String, written by Elissa Brent Weissman was published by Dial Books for Young Readers in 2018.

Why you want to read this book… 

I felt so close to the characters of Imani and Anna that I felt sad, disappointed and excited right along with them as I read the story. I’ve always thought that researching your own family is a wonderful way to learn about history, and this novel showed me it’s true. I enjoyed the realistic way the author showed relationships between characters, especially Imani and her mom. I haven’t come across many contemporary stories about girls with a Jewish upbringing, so that was also interesting.

Opening:

Dear Belle,

All my life I’ve shared with you. Before we were born, we shared Mama’s belly, splitting the resources so equally that we weighed the exact same amount at birth.

If you’re a writer… 

This is an excellent mentor text if you’re trying to weave together stories from two different time periods, or if you want to include a series of letters in your novel. I also really enjoyed the writing style and careful use of details. Technology is integrated into the story with limits and as a research tool.

I ran my hand over the old paper until my eyes stopped on a familiar word. A name: Anna. It was at the bottom of the page on the right, the way you’d sign a letter or a diary. My fingers jumped back as though the ink were hot.

If you’re a teacher…

This would be an interesting read aloud to kick off a family history project or to encourage discussion about war, the Holocaust, identity and family. Thinking about real life events from the perspective of how it affects families made this work of fiction seem quite real. There are details about the Jewish faith, as the main character is preparing for her bat mitzvah.

“Can you imagine that? Being your age and going to a new country all by yourself?”

I got a sudden pang of nervousness, like a pinprick in my side. I could tell Mom knew something about Grandma Anna’s family, and I didn’t want to know what it was. Not yet.


Check out more great middle grade reads on Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, hosted by writer & book blogger, Greg Pattridge.

BUT THE BEAR CAME BACK by Tammi Sauer & Dan Taylor - A humorous book about friendship

My kindergarten students loved this story! I thought it might be too simple an idea but it generated a surprising amount of discussion. It’s also a great mentor text for picture book writers.

Summary from Amazon:

Knock, knock. Who’s there? A BEAR! A furry, friendly PERSISTENT bear. And no matter how many times a particular little boy tries to tell him that bears don’t belong in houses, he keeps coming back—until, one day, he doesn’t. Only then does the boy realize how much he cares about the bear . . . and misses him. Can he find his friend again? A funny, surprising story about two unexpected pals.

But the Bear Came Back was written by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Dan Taylor and published by Sterling in 2018.

Opening:     

One ordinary day, a bear knocked on my door.

I politely informed him that bears do not belong in houses.

Then I said, “Go home, bear.”

And that was that.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

This story is an excellent mentor text for writers. The structure is clear—the boy has a problem (that keeps coming back). The writing style is modern and spare, but humorous. There’s a warm and satisfying ending, too. It’s a complete story on its own, but so much more when paired with the illustrations. I loved the expressions on the character’s faces and the signs and messages that contributed to creating a fully developed reading experience.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

My students enjoyed predicting what might happen next…would the bear come back again? We discussed what it might be like to have a friend that keeps wanting to play when you’re not feeling up to it. It’s a nice book for introducing discussions about the ups and downs of friendship, and also the idea of being patient sometimes. My students asked me to re-read this book several times, so I’m planning to purchase it for my classroom (the copy I read was from a local library).

Ages: 4 - 7

Grades: K – 2

Themes: bears, problem-solving, friendship

Activities:

Write: What do you the bear’s home is like? Describe what might happen if the boy visited the bear.

Brainstorm: What words could you use to say to a friend that keeps coming back, even when you say no?

Draw: What do you think the boy and the bear will do on their next adventure? Draw a picture to show your idea.

For a behind the scenes look at Dan Taylor's illustrations, courtesy of The Bright Agency go here.

There’s a wonderful book talk on this book by Colby Sharp: