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T I M C U M M I N G S | W R I T E R
"Kirby and the group of friends he assembles to help him make sense of Baxter’s epilepsy and raise money to help him are all very much Theatre Kids (and his theatrical mentor is definitely a grown-up Theatre Kid) and their mutual passion for staging, acting, interpretative dance and improvisation help to turn a medical crisis into a magical, out-of-this-world experience of lights, symbolism and emotion that had me mesmerized reading it."
(includes 3 reviews)
"Author Tim Cummings writes with a sensitivity and poetic rhythm that makes every moment sparkle, even the hard ones, and that's a special quality indeed for a young adult story. I was swept up in Kirby’s emotional journey, with close narration focusing on his fear, his fierce loyalty, and his fragile hope. The mix of theater, magic, and real-life stakes is just so beautifully done."
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"The Lightning People Play by Tim Cummings is a unique and gripping young adult novel. This atmospheric novel offers a poignant and realistic glimpse into the lives of those living with, loving, and fighting for someone with epilepsy. I recommend it for the depth of writing, the balance between realistic and fictional moments, and the portrayal of sibling relationships, which really impressed me."
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"...A thoughtful and wonderfully written story, told entirely from Kirby’s
first-person point of view in a pitch-perfect stream of consciousness... Cummings brings Kirby’s internal world to the forefront...making The Lightning People Play an honest and quietly powerful novel.
Very highly recommended."
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"As I tracked the journey of this quirky ensemble cast through their mission to put on a play to raise money to get a seizure alert dog for Kirby's brother Bax, I just kept thinking how lucky these tender outsider teens were to have found each other! The language and syntax in THE LIGHTNING PEOPLE PLAY is an essential component of the narrative, the reader is drawn into Kirby's increasingly mystically tinged world via the particular workings of his mind, which are all right there on the page. It's a book that carries you."
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Kirby uses his passion for theater to write and produce a play to raise money for a seizure alert dog, with help from a ragtag team of fellow theater kids. He's determined to save Baxter before the lightning people arrive. Little do they know that the play will surpass their wildest dreams....
A heartfelt story about family."
BOOK REVIEW: "The novel is so incredibly original, blending compelling family drama, magical realism, LGBT family dynamics, and the struggles of growing up....What’s even more compelling about this novel is that the author drew on his own childhood experiences caring for his brother,
who had epilepsy and passed away from a seizure."
NARRATOR REVIEW: "This powerful YA story is greatly elevated by Will Collyer's outstanding character portrayals and excellent pacing—making
this audiobook engaging and memorable! It’s a must-listen for audiobook enthusiasts who love magical realism, coming-of-age stories,
and stories that linger after listening!"
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