{"product_id":"the-lightning-circle-isbn-9781774882498","title":"The Lightning Circle","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn intimate coming-of age novel for teens, told in verse with delicate line art, chronicling the beauty, magic and transformative power of summer camp, for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Judy Blume.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter having her heart broken, seventeen-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape her hometown and take a summer job as an arts and crafts counsellor at an all-girls' camp in the mountains of West Virginia. There, she meets girls and women from all walks of life with their own heartaches and triumphs. Immersed in this new camp experience, trying to form bonds with her fellow counselors while learning to be a trusted adviser for her campers, Nora distracts herself from her feelings, even during the intimate conversations around the nightly campfires. But when a letter from home comes bearing unexpected news, Nora finds inner strength in her devastation with the healing power of female friendship. Presented as Nora's camp journal, including Nora's sketches of camp life, scraps of letters, and spare poems, \u003ci\u003eThe Lightning Circle\u003c\/i\u003e is an intimate coming-of-age portrait.\u003cb\u003eShortlisted for the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, 2025\u003cbr\u003eOne of \u003ci\u003eCCBC\u003c\/i\u003e’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for 2024\u003cbr\u003eOne of\u003ci\u003e Quill \u0026amp; Quire’s \u003c\/i\u003eFavourite Young Readers Titles of 2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePRAISE FOR \u003ci\u003eThe Lightning Circle\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[A] richly imagined and deeply felt story that speaks to the power of female friendship, the gift of reinvention, and the perspective-shifting joy of being outdoors.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSTARRED REVIEW, Quill and Quire\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This journal-like free-verse novel expertly conjures the essence of the summer camp experience while exploring self-identity and highlighting the importance of friendships.\" \u003cb\u003e—STARRED REVIEW, \u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An inviting take on feminine wisdom and the power of collective self-transformation.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[A] sweetly melancholic novel . . . tinged with nostalgia.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"VanSickle writes a delightful coming-of-age story that is easily relatable for even those who have never been to camp or had their hearts broken, via great character development, her ability to describe teen feelings, and an apt use of monochromatic line drawings by illustrator Watson.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Evocative and poignant, VanSickle’s novel in verse, in perfect synchronicity with Watson’s delightful and nostalgic illustrations, fully captures the magic of summer camp, the relationships that grow and blossom there, the joys and pains of growing up, and the deep abiding joy of building community . . . It is to VanSickle’s considerable credit that she is able to capture such depth of character, such universal themes of girlhood, and a wealth of experiences in so few carefully curated words.\" \u003cb\u003e—Canadian Children's Book Centre\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[T]he bonds the girls form and the ways in which they comfort, heal, and support each other are deeply loving . . . . There's no major trauma here, just the kind of heartbreak that can seem bigger than the whole world until one realizes the universe beyond their own hurt.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A heartwarming story told in accessible free verse and illustrated with Laura K. Watson’s delicate line drawings, The Lightning Circle reads like a teenager’s sketchbook\/journal.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eCanadian Review of Materials\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[A] tribute to girls bonding and a sensitive coming-of-age novel for teen readers.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eWinnipeg Press\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eVIKKI VANSICKLE\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of a number of acclaimed novels for children including \u003ci\u003eWords That Start With B\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eSummer Days, Starry Nights\u003c\/i\u003e; the award-winning \u003ci\u003eThe Winnowing\u003c\/i\u003e; and picture books \u003ci\u003eIf I Had a Gryphon\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eTeddy Bear of the Year\u003c\/i\u003e; and \u003ci\u003eAnonymouse\u003c\/i\u003e. A former bookseller and marketing director at Penguin Random House Canada, Vikki is a full-time writer, as well as a regular guest on the CTV network talking about books, a children's literature columnist at Open Book Ontario, as well as the education coordinator for The Period Purse, a charity focusing on menstrual equity. She lives   in Toronto with a cat named Barb.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLAURA K. WATSON\u003c\/b\u003e is an artist, writer, and zine-maker. She is also the current poet laureate for Tantramar, Canada, where she lives with her partner, Patrick, and her cat, Magpie.","brand":"Tundra Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46305212661989,"sku":"NP9781774882498","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781774882498.jpg?v=1767740242","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-lightning-circle-isbn-9781774882498","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}