The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

MG Contemporary, 2018 by Random House, 294 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

As an audiobook some of the recitations of the digits of pi, which I would imagine a lot of readers skim through as just a listing of numbers your brain doesn’t need to focus on, were cumbersome. Of course, this is the point so I can absolutely let that slide by me.
Ending. This is actually going to come back up in a second because I do like endings like this … but I’m aware that not everyone does. So, almost a content warning, this isn’t listed as the first in a series and yet you definitely don’t get all the answers.
Age appropriate placement isn’t always the right answer for kids, no matter how it works out in this particular story. Lying to your school about your academic progress is never a good idea. Meeting kids at their academic level is always a good idea and requires open communication and honesty. OK — that’s my soap box as a former teacher.

Making friends and struggling with not fitting in are always going to be relevant topics for middle grade kiddos. We’ve all been there. This book does a good job of highlighting that and putting it front and center.
A mathematical savant makes for an interesting main character. Her ideas about numbers and the beauty of numbers came across very well.
The audiobook is well narrated and, in my opinion, adds to the story. I would highly recommend letting middle grade readers listen along to this one while they’re reading.

Middle grade readers who like contemporary (real, could be happening now) stories will like the friendships in this one and the intelligent cast of characters.

Good story, recommended specifically as an audiobook!