Blue Lightning [Hardcover]

Barbara Timberlake Russell (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Calvin doesn't remember when the lightning struck him, but he remembers when his spirit left his body. He learns that it's not his time to die and returns to the living world--unwittingly bringing with him the ghost of a troubled boy named Rory. At first, Rory's appearance seems harmless, but soon the restless spirit's pranks turn violent. Can the two boys help Rory find his way back--or is the door to the next world closed forever?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8. In a lively opening chapter, Calvin Doogan gets struck by lightning while swinging an aluminum baseball bat. When his spirit leaves his body, he spots the ghost of another boy who has just been killed. Then he sees his dead father's spirit. Before he can join his father, though, he is drawn back into his body, still alive. After Calvin returns home, he finds that the ghost of the other boy, Rory, has followed him and won't leave him alone. Like Calvin, Rory had been a baseball player. Both had been selected to play in the county all-star game. There's also a mysterious connection between the boys' fathers. The ghost plays minor pranks at first, but the tricks get more and more serious. Meanwhile, Calvin tries to excel during baseball practices, and is inspired by his father's spiritual presence but hindered by Rory's ghost. These complications are neatly resolved in the climactic game. Calvin has a fairly dull and predictable personality, and the minor characters are undeveloped. But because of the extraordinary events that occur, the novel is still engaging. The combination of the supernatural and baseball is attractive, while the family drama adds some depth. Though not always thoroughly satisfying, Blue Lightning has enough action and plot twists to engage some readers.?Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-7. Fate brings Calvin Doogan and Rory McKinney together in the emergency room, with Cal having been struck by lightning and Rory having been badly injured in a car accident. Rory doesn't survive, but he comes back as a ghost, hitching a ride (as we later find out) in Cal's stomach. The opening scene, in which Cal has a near-death experience and Rory actually dies, is somewhat awkward and confusing, but the remainder of the novel is well done. Rory's ghost causes all sorts of problems for Cal--some humorous, some heartbreaking--and Cal spends much of his time attempting to rid himself of his ghostly nuisance. As the story unfolds, Cal investigates Rory's past, which leads him to dig into his own life and to uncover some striking parallels between himself and Rory. A strong story and sharply drawn characters make this an enjoyable read. Lauren Peterson

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670870234
• ISBN-13: 978-0670870233
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,951,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Frohock's review, December 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blue Lightning (Hardcover)

I enjoyed Blue Lightning by Barbara Timberlake Russell very much because even though the story had ghosts it was believable because of how the author wrote the story. After Calvin Doogan, (the main character), was struck by lightning, and sent to the hospital, he saw two ghosts. The two ghosts were his father, and a baseball-buddy named Rory. When Calvin saw Rory he didn't know what was going on or who he was. Being struck by lightning changed Calvin's life in mainly ways. It changed his life in good ways because he saw his father for the first time in years, and forced his family to tell him more about him. And it changed Calvin's life in bad ways because Rory came to Calvin's house as a ghost and made trouble like burning part of the house down. After reading this book Barbara all of a sudden made me believe in ghosts.

5.0 out of 5 stars Borgna, December 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blue Lightning (Hardcover)

I enjoyed Blue Lightning by Barbara Timberlake Russell very much because even though the story had ghosts it was believable because of how the author wrote the story. After Calvin Doogan, (the main character), was struck by lightning, and sent to the hospital, he saw two ghosts. The two ghosts were his father, and a baseball-buddy named Rory. When Calvin saw Rory he didn't know what was going on or who he was. Being struck by lightning changed Calvin's life in mainly ways. It changed his life in good ways because he saw his father for the first time in years, and forced his family to tell him more about him. And it changed Calvin's life in bad ways because Rory came to Calvin's house as a ghost and made trouble like burning part of the house down. After reading this book Barbara all of a sudden made me believe in ghosts.

By Paige Frohock

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars telletubbies in it, November 3, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Blue Lightning (Hardcover)

the telletubbies sing there song and dance there dance! they also f**k there momma in it! :p