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The Lightning People Play
1st Place Winner: 2026 Feathered Quill Book Awards for Teen Fiction
“There are kinda heroic teens confronting mysterious symbols from the other side (maybe?). It's absolutely everything you’d want in a YA novel and then some.” –Josh Berk, Edgar Award nominee, author of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin
Fourteen-year-old Kirby Renton is a gifted theatre kid who wants to fix his dads’ marriage, his younger brother’s epilepsy. When ten-year-old Baxter’s seizures start involving visits from “the lightning people,” who descend from the sky and show him strange symbols, Kirby knows he needs to protect his brother, but how? He thinks he’s found the answer when the neurologist advises his family to consider a seizure-alert dog, but the cost is too much for his family to afford.
Determined to raise the money himself, Kirby enlists his best friends and a crew of brilliant teens from his theatre troupe to put on a play in his epic forest of a backyard. At first, the play brings its own pressures as the drama between Kirby’s dads worsens and his fears for his brother intensify. But little does Kirby know of the magic that awaits him and his friends—and the portals that will open—from his daring to make a difference.
From the award-winning author of Alice the Cat comes another intriguing tale set in the fictional town of Weirville, where more strange magic transforms the lives of the inimitable teens who live there.
“There are kinda heroic teens confronting mysterious symbols from the other side (maybe?). It's absolutely everything you’d want in a YA novel and then some.” –Josh Berk, Edgar Award nominee, author of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin
Fourteen-year-old Kirby Renton is a gifted theatre kid who wants to fix his dads’ marriage, his younger brother’s epilepsy. When ten-year-old Baxter’s seizures start involving visits from “the lightning people,” who descend from the sky and show him strange symbols, Kirby knows he needs to protect his brother, but how? He thinks he’s found the answer when the neurologist advises his family to consider a seizure-alert dog, but the cost is too much for his family to afford.
Determined to raise the money himself, Kirby enlists his best friends and a crew of brilliant teens from his theatre troupe to put on a play in his epic forest of a backyard. At first, the play brings its own pressures as the drama between Kirby’s dads worsens and his fears for his brother intensify. But little does Kirby know of the magic that awaits him and his friends—and the portals that will open—from his daring to make a difference.
From the award-winning author of Alice the Cat comes another intriguing tale set in the fictional town of Weirville, where more strange magic transforms the lives of the inimitable teens who live there.
257 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2025
10 people are currently reading
2969 people want to read
About the author
Tim Cummings
6 books70 followersTim Cummings is the author of the multiple-award-winning coming-of-age novel, Alice the Cat, published by Fitzroy Books. It was chosen as an American Book Awards 'Best Book' Finalist for 2023, received a Bronze Medal in the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards, and is a Finalist in both the 2024 National Indies Excellence Awards for Teen Fiction and the Independent Author Network's Book of the Year Awards. His second novel, The Lightning People Play, was published summer 2025.
In addition to his passion for storytelling, Tim is an octopus and spider enthusiast. He goes wild for anything with eight legs. If you have any questions about spiders or octopuses, ask him. He recently discovered he is a masterful hula-hooper and can whirl non-stop for eons. Of course, he loves reading and writing, but he also possesses enviable collections of stickers, Labradorite, night-sky projector lights, vintage vinyl, and rare first-edition hardcover copies of some of his favorite novels. He has a karaoke machine, too—this is serious business. The Language of Birthdays cites his date of birth, January 15th, as 'The Day of Heroic Inevitability'; this tracks because he shares the day with Moliere, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King, Jr., Captain Beefheart, and Charo. Lastly, no one has ever made a better vat of chili, and his lasagna is infallible.
He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a BFA from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. Since 1984, he has appeared in over 200 projects across theatre, film, television, voice-over, and new media. Recent publications of short fiction, essays, and poetry include F(r)iction, Scare Street, Lunch Ticket, MeowMeow PowPow, From Whispers to Roars, Drunk Monkeys, Hare's Paw, Lit Angels, and Critical Read/RAFT, for which he won the ‘Origins’ contest for his essay, “You Have Changed Me Forever.” He teaches writing for UCLA Extension Writers' Program. timcummings.ink for credits and info.
In addition to his passion for storytelling, Tim is an octopus and spider enthusiast. He goes wild for anything with eight legs. If you have any questions about spiders or octopuses, ask him. He recently discovered he is a masterful hula-hooper and can whirl non-stop for eons. Of course, he loves reading and writing, but he also possesses enviable collections of stickers, Labradorite, night-sky projector lights, vintage vinyl, and rare first-edition hardcover copies of some of his favorite novels. He has a karaoke machine, too—this is serious business. The Language of Birthdays cites his date of birth, January 15th, as 'The Day of Heroic Inevitability'; this tracks because he shares the day with Moliere, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King, Jr., Captain Beefheart, and Charo. Lastly, no one has ever made a better vat of chili, and his lasagna is infallible.
He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a BFA from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. Since 1984, he has appeared in over 200 projects across theatre, film, television, voice-over, and new media. Recent publications of short fiction, essays, and poetry include F(r)iction, Scare Street, Lunch Ticket, MeowMeow PowPow, From Whispers to Roars, Drunk Monkeys, Hare's Paw, Lit Angels, and Critical Read/RAFT, for which he won the ‘Origins’ contest for his essay, “You Have Changed Me Forever.” He teaches writing for UCLA Extension Writers' Program. timcummings.ink for credits and info.
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March 27, 2025Introducing my second novel, THE LIGHTNING PEOPLE PLAY. I specifically chose today, because March 26th is PURPLE DAY, dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide.
When his younger brother Baxter starts having seizures and receives visits from 'the lightning people,' who descend from the sky and show him three strange symbols, fourteen-year-old Kirby rallies his crew of brilliant theatre kids to put up a play to raise money for a seizure-alert dog, and their production opens an unexpected portal.... From the award-winning author of 'Alice the Cat' comes another intriguing tale set in the fictional town of Weirville, where more strange magic transforms the lives of the inimitable teens who live there.
Advance Praise:
"This book is sheer magic. The magic of the theatre, the magic of community, the magic of being one’s truest self all shimmer from the page like stars. Tim Cummings is such a star—he writes with such authenticity, such power, such charm, such vision, such heart. This book will change lives—it’s a breathtaking celebration of creativity and neurodivergence and connection and the messy beauty of being a human in a world filled with both pain and possibility. The Lightning People Play will forever sizzle inside me." – Gayle Brandeis author of The Art of Misdiagnosis and My Life with The Lincolns
"Tim Cummings weaves vivid, gripping tales filled with heart and irreverent humor, and told in an electric, irresistible voice. They’re pure fun to read and The Lightning People Play is a perfect showcase for his talents." – Jeff Zentner, Morris-award-winning author of The Serpent King and In The Wild Light.
"The narrator is sarcastic yet sweet, the plot funny yet scary. There are hilarious theatre kids with crushes on each other and villainous bullies roaming the halls. There are kinda heroic teens confronting mysterious symbols from the other side (maybe?). In other words: The Lightning People Play has absolutely everything you’d want in a YA novel, and then some." – Josh Berk, Edgar Award nominee and author of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin and Camp Murderface
"A dazzling, kinetic and bewitching journey of navigating the family we are born into, the family we choose and the inexhaustible worlds of carnivals, theatre barns and backyard forests that connect them all. I fell in love with acerbic theater nerd, Kirby Renton, as he drew me through his complicated, heartbreaking and agonizingly hilarious life – never knowing if he is going to triumph or burst into flames from page to page. The Lightning People Play is both an otherworldly delight and a touching homage to the underappreciated wisdom, resilience and devotion of an upcoming generation of humans." – Kim Maxwell, Ojai Playwrights Conference Co-Founder & Youth Program Director
"This novel is a beautiful, poignantly written depiction of the lengths one teenage boy will go to save his brother. Kirby, Baxter, Heddy the dog, and the rest of the cast—through theatre and seizures and sacrifice—evoke themes of brotherhood, sonship, and the healing power of art all while facing trauma, self-doubt, abandonment, and neurological disorders. Like lightning, Tim Cummings strikes to the core of what it means to love—and what it means to be a young person—during a time in life when the perils of adulthood threaten to keep us grounded. With the sentiment of John Green and the wit of Andrew Smith, The Lightning People Play celebrates what makes each of us special as well as the bonds that connect us as friends, as families, and as individuals. – Nathan Elias, author of Coil Quake Rift and The Reincarnations
"In Tim Cummings’s captivating YA novel, The Lightning People Play, fourteen-year-old Kirby will stop at nothing to help his little brother, Bax, who has epilepsy. Determined to raise funds for a seizure dog that could change Bax’s life, Kirby enlists his theater friends to create a mesmerizing play that reflects the otherworldly portal that Bax seems to enter when having a seizure. Kirby’s voice resonates with raw emotion as his synesthetic experiences draw him (and us!) deep into the complexities of his brother's condition. Lyrical prose mirrors the magic of the story, beautifully intertwining serious themes with a unique, well-paced, and often humorous storyline. This is a tender yet powerful tale that honors Cummings’s own brother whom he lost to epilepsy, and it serves as a reminder that with compassion and courage, even the youngest among us can make a difference." – Kimberly Behre Kenna, award-winning author of Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm
"Tim Cummings forms ice sculptures out of words—but The Lightning People Play is more than beautiful prose. Through Kirby and the ragtag band of thespians, stagehands, and mentors who aid him in helping his brother Bax, we experience family, enchantment, and the miracle of live performance. It’s a book about those momentous first steps towards a life in the arts, with all their accompanying rapture and sorrow." – Ari Rosenschein, author of Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegraph and Coasting
When his younger brother Baxter starts having seizures and receives visits from 'the lightning people,' who descend from the sky and show him three strange symbols, fourteen-year-old Kirby rallies his crew of brilliant theatre kids to put up a play to raise money for a seizure-alert dog, and their production opens an unexpected portal.... From the award-winning author of 'Alice the Cat' comes another intriguing tale set in the fictional town of Weirville, where more strange magic transforms the lives of the inimitable teens who live there.
Advance Praise:
"This book is sheer magic. The magic of the theatre, the magic of community, the magic of being one’s truest self all shimmer from the page like stars. Tim Cummings is such a star—he writes with such authenticity, such power, such charm, such vision, such heart. This book will change lives—it’s a breathtaking celebration of creativity and neurodivergence and connection and the messy beauty of being a human in a world filled with both pain and possibility. The Lightning People Play will forever sizzle inside me." – Gayle Brandeis author of The Art of Misdiagnosis and My Life with The Lincolns
"Tim Cummings weaves vivid, gripping tales filled with heart and irreverent humor, and told in an electric, irresistible voice. They’re pure fun to read and The Lightning People Play is a perfect showcase for his talents." – Jeff Zentner, Morris-award-winning author of The Serpent King and In The Wild Light.
"The narrator is sarcastic yet sweet, the plot funny yet scary. There are hilarious theatre kids with crushes on each other and villainous bullies roaming the halls. There are kinda heroic teens confronting mysterious symbols from the other side (maybe?). In other words: The Lightning People Play has absolutely everything you’d want in a YA novel, and then some." – Josh Berk, Edgar Award nominee and author of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin and Camp Murderface
"A dazzling, kinetic and bewitching journey of navigating the family we are born into, the family we choose and the inexhaustible worlds of carnivals, theatre barns and backyard forests that connect them all. I fell in love with acerbic theater nerd, Kirby Renton, as he drew me through his complicated, heartbreaking and agonizingly hilarious life – never knowing if he is going to triumph or burst into flames from page to page. The Lightning People Play is both an otherworldly delight and a touching homage to the underappreciated wisdom, resilience and devotion of an upcoming generation of humans." – Kim Maxwell, Ojai Playwrights Conference Co-Founder & Youth Program Director
"This novel is a beautiful, poignantly written depiction of the lengths one teenage boy will go to save his brother. Kirby, Baxter, Heddy the dog, and the rest of the cast—through theatre and seizures and sacrifice—evoke themes of brotherhood, sonship, and the healing power of art all while facing trauma, self-doubt, abandonment, and neurological disorders. Like lightning, Tim Cummings strikes to the core of what it means to love—and what it means to be a young person—during a time in life when the perils of adulthood threaten to keep us grounded. With the sentiment of John Green and the wit of Andrew Smith, The Lightning People Play celebrates what makes each of us special as well as the bonds that connect us as friends, as families, and as individuals. – Nathan Elias, author of Coil Quake Rift and The Reincarnations
"In Tim Cummings’s captivating YA novel, The Lightning People Play, fourteen-year-old Kirby will stop at nothing to help his little brother, Bax, who has epilepsy. Determined to raise funds for a seizure dog that could change Bax’s life, Kirby enlists his theater friends to create a mesmerizing play that reflects the otherworldly portal that Bax seems to enter when having a seizure. Kirby’s voice resonates with raw emotion as his synesthetic experiences draw him (and us!) deep into the complexities of his brother's condition. Lyrical prose mirrors the magic of the story, beautifully intertwining serious themes with a unique, well-paced, and often humorous storyline. This is a tender yet powerful tale that honors Cummings’s own brother whom he lost to epilepsy, and it serves as a reminder that with compassion and courage, even the youngest among us can make a difference." – Kimberly Behre Kenna, award-winning author of Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm
"Tim Cummings forms ice sculptures out of words—but The Lightning People Play is more than beautiful prose. Through Kirby and the ragtag band of thespians, stagehands, and mentors who aid him in helping his brother Bax, we experience family, enchantment, and the miracle of live performance. It’s a book about those momentous first steps towards a life in the arts, with all their accompanying rapture and sorrow." – Ari Rosenschein, author of Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegraph and Coasting
April 29, 2025
This book is inspiring and magical. I was so touched and laughed so much. The characters are people I would love to spend time with !!!
November 4, 2025
Tim Cummings truly knows the pulse of today’s teenager vibes! From the start, the vivid imagery used in his writing heightens every moment between characters. While reading, you actually sense every emotional ride throughout the book. I was entranced! From beginning to end, I followed Kirby’s journey to assist his brother in need. Thanks to Mr. Cummings' delicate and at times frank narrative on what it’s like to experience an epileptic seizure. Not an easy feat, which he masters beautifully. This touching and prolific book will stand the test of time! I enjoyed his first book “Alice The Cat” and now “The Lightning People Play”. Simply can’t wait to read more of Mr. Cummings books yet to come!
July 10, 2025
The Lightning People Play is a powerful YA novel that combines heartwarming family drama, magical realism, and the power of theatre and community. Tim Cummings’s debut, Alice the Cat, was an “American Book Awards ‘Best Book’ finalist.” In this very different book, readers are once again in the enchanted town of Weirville, and a standout character from Alice the Cat, Cotter Wingham, returns for a prominent role!
This story follows Kirby Renton, a 14‑year‑old theatre enthusiast living in the small town of Weirville. His two dads’ separation and his younger brother Baxter’s new epilepsy diagnosis have him distressed. During Baxter’s seizures, mysterious beings he calls the “lightning people” appear & show him strange symbols. When the neurologist advises a pricey seizure-alert dog as a medical support, Kirby rallies his theater friends and stages an ambitious backyard play amidst their forested lot to raise funds.
The novel is so incredibly original, blending compelling family drama, magical realism, LGBT family dynamics, and the struggles of growing up. There's also some OCD representation in the novel captured through Kirby's frustrations and his "fizzy" brain. The story is told from the 1st person POV of Kirby, who comes across as wise beyond his years. His expressive inner monologues showcase his empathetic, compassionate nature, and he outwardly vocalizes his adolescent hopes and fears—especially in regard to his younger brother—and readers will easily feel all his emotions and stresses throughout the story. The representation of epilepsy is a big part of the novel. Anyone who has the illness or knows someone with the condition will appreciate its accurate portrayal and how the story shows the toll it can take on an entire family!
This is very much a character-driven story, with the magical realism elements adding intrigue and becoming more pronounced in the second half. The special bond between Kirby and Baxter and the concept of sibling loyalty & love is the real foundation of the story. While Kirby and his father have a lot of concern over Baxter’s condition, Baxter speaks of his seizures and experiences with the “Lightning People” with a sense of wonder and hope—almost as if he senses that they have a benevolent agenda and are communicating to help him. When Kirby starts to notice signs in his own life, he too thinks there might be something extraordinary going on. His efforts to finance a seizure-alert dog then evolve into a magical experience as strange portals and symbols emerge during his backyard plays. These scenes are especially memorable and cinematic—and the story could easily become a film!
The magic of theater is also beautifully captured. Kirby and his theater crew friends use their mutual passion for acting, interpretative dance, and improv to turn a medical crisis into a story of hope, and, in doing so, capture the attention and hearts of the community. 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. All of these elements make this novel quite remarkable, and it's a story that will stay with readers for a long time!
Overall, The Lightning People Play is an extraordinary story of sibling loyalty and brilliantly showcases how creativity can spark real change. Readers who enjoy mixed-genre YA, theater, heartfelt family dramas, and magical realism will love this book!
This story follows Kirby Renton, a 14‑year‑old theatre enthusiast living in the small town of Weirville. His two dads’ separation and his younger brother Baxter’s new epilepsy diagnosis have him distressed. During Baxter’s seizures, mysterious beings he calls the “lightning people” appear & show him strange symbols. When the neurologist advises a pricey seizure-alert dog as a medical support, Kirby rallies his theater friends and stages an ambitious backyard play amidst their forested lot to raise funds.
The novel is so incredibly original, blending compelling family drama, magical realism, LGBT family dynamics, and the struggles of growing up. There's also some OCD representation in the novel captured through Kirby's frustrations and his "fizzy" brain. The story is told from the 1st person POV of Kirby, who comes across as wise beyond his years. His expressive inner monologues showcase his empathetic, compassionate nature, and he outwardly vocalizes his adolescent hopes and fears—especially in regard to his younger brother—and readers will easily feel all his emotions and stresses throughout the story. The representation of epilepsy is a big part of the novel. Anyone who has the illness or knows someone with the condition will appreciate its accurate portrayal and how the story shows the toll it can take on an entire family!
This is very much a character-driven story, with the magical realism elements adding intrigue and becoming more pronounced in the second half. The special bond between Kirby and Baxter and the concept of sibling loyalty & love is the real foundation of the story. While Kirby and his father have a lot of concern over Baxter’s condition, Baxter speaks of his seizures and experiences with the “Lightning People” with a sense of wonder and hope—almost as if he senses that they have a benevolent agenda and are communicating to help him. When Kirby starts to notice signs in his own life, he too thinks there might be something extraordinary going on. His efforts to finance a seizure-alert dog then evolve into a magical experience as strange portals and symbols emerge during his backyard plays. These scenes are especially memorable and cinematic—and the story could easily become a film!
The magic of theater is also beautifully captured. Kirby and his theater crew friends use their mutual passion for acting, interpretative dance, and improv to turn a medical crisis into a story of hope, and, in doing so, capture the attention and hearts of the community. 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. All of these elements make this novel quite remarkable, and it's a story that will stay with readers for a long time!
Overall, The Lightning People Play is an extraordinary story of sibling loyalty and brilliantly showcases how creativity can spark real change. Readers who enjoy mixed-genre YA, theater, heartfelt family dramas, and magical realism will love this book!
August 5, 2025
This book brought joy to me as an adult reader. It captures the magic of kids working together in the theater and recalls the happy times in my youth. These characters felt so many complicated feels and never talks down to young readers.
As a nurse who has often worked with children with seizures this interpretation of the seizures is amazing. For families with a child who has seizures this is a must read. It is realistic about how scary a seizure disorder can be but also provides some comfort.
LOVED reading this book!
Book Bingo 2025- Buddy Read
As a nurse who has often worked with children with seizures this interpretation of the seizures is amazing. For families with a child who has seizures this is a must read. It is realistic about how scary a seizure disorder can be but also provides some comfort.
LOVED reading this book!
Book Bingo 2025- Buddy Read
July 1, 2025
Prepare yourself to read this book in one sitting! The characters are so vivid and the premise is fantastic and heartbreaking. While this is technically a teen book, it is very much for adults as well, particularly creative people who will find a bit of themselves in these fantastic characters. Fans of Tim Cumming's award-winning debut Alice the Cat will love a clever crossover. This book has so much heart, so much thoughtfulness, so much beauty, I did not want it to end. This is a story that will stay with me for a long time.
July 31, 2025
My whole family loved this book. It's a must-read if you are or were a theatre kid. It's a must-read if your family is touched by epilepsy. It's a must-read if you believe in the magic and wonder of kids and theatre and family. We cared about these characters from page one until the end.
August 2, 2025
Book Bingo 2025: Buddy Read
Mom and I read her high school friend Tim’s first book last year for Buddy Read also, and now we picked out book two! I connected with this story a lot more, especially the parts about love of theatre and love of siblings and caring for siblings with chronic illness. I especially loved the final scene with Heddy (iykyk) Thank you, Tim, for sharing another fun read!
Mom and I read her high school friend Tim’s first book last year for Buddy Read also, and now we picked out book two! I connected with this story a lot more, especially the parts about love of theatre and love of siblings and caring for siblings with chronic illness. I especially loved the final scene with Heddy (iykyk) Thank you, Tim, for sharing another fun read!
November 30, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! The perspective in which it was written makes it so genuine, as if you are being read the story in real life by Kirby. I felt like I was there with the characters. No spoilers, but loved that the author got to revise history (plot is loosely based on his childhood) and pen the story the way he would want to be. Read this book! And others by Tim Cummings! “Alice the Cat” is next on my list.
June 28, 2025
We are back in Weirville for Tim Cummings latest book, The Lightning People Play, but this isn’t a sequel to Alice the Cat (although Cotter steps out of the shadows for a more prominent role), it is a completely different book with completely different vibes.
The story is told from the first person perspective of teen boy Kirby as he navigates his parents’ separation, his brother’s epilepsy, his own ‘fizzy’ brain and his increasingly complex feelings about one of his best friends. But this is a coming-of-age tale with a paranormal twist, as Kirby’s brother Bax claims the Lightning People visit him during his seizures with a symbolic message and Kirby starts to notice signs in his own life that there might be something extraordinary going on.
Mostly though, this is about a teenage boy dealing with difficult situations and big feelings, and using the magic he finds in organizing his environment (interesting very mild OCD representation) and, more importantly, in the magic of theatre, to help him process everything he’s struggling with. 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 mesmerised reading it.
But it’s not all stagecraft and rehearsals… Kirby has a lot of anger and frustration inside him and his attempts to repress it cause it to spill out in mean comments and sudden fits of destruction. His brain and body are constantly fizzing, melting, jolting and sparking, not only mirroring his brother’s lightning but giving readers a visceral reminder of what it feels/felt like to be a teenager full of hormones, excitement, rage and confusion. It wasn’t always a comfortable read in that respect, but quite raw and real.
There were just a couple of stylistic choices that occasionally pulled me out of the story a little. For example, there is quite a lot of teen slang (real and possibly invented?) in the dialogue, which I found a little hard to follow at times but assume actual teens wouldn’t struggle with. And I did get a little tired of Kirby’s ‘rat pole’ analogy by the end of the story – some of the repetition of imagery could definitely be trimmed without losing anything from the story.
However, similarly to Kirby’s play, this book does a great job of raising awareness of epilepsy and also celebrating the author’s love of theatre and the magic it can create when performed with passion and belief.
The story is told from the first person perspective of teen boy Kirby as he navigates his parents’ separation, his brother’s epilepsy, his own ‘fizzy’ brain and his increasingly complex feelings about one of his best friends. But this is a coming-of-age tale with a paranormal twist, as Kirby’s brother Bax claims the Lightning People visit him during his seizures with a symbolic message and Kirby starts to notice signs in his own life that there might be something extraordinary going on.
Mostly though, this is about a teenage boy dealing with difficult situations and big feelings, and using the magic he finds in organizing his environment (interesting very mild OCD representation) and, more importantly, in the magic of theatre, to help him process everything he’s struggling with. 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 mesmerised reading it.
But it’s not all stagecraft and rehearsals… Kirby has a lot of anger and frustration inside him and his attempts to repress it cause it to spill out in mean comments and sudden fits of destruction. His brain and body are constantly fizzing, melting, jolting and sparking, not only mirroring his brother’s lightning but giving readers a visceral reminder of what it feels/felt like to be a teenager full of hormones, excitement, rage and confusion. It wasn’t always a comfortable read in that respect, but quite raw and real.
There were just a couple of stylistic choices that occasionally pulled me out of the story a little. For example, there is quite a lot of teen slang (real and possibly invented?) in the dialogue, which I found a little hard to follow at times but assume actual teens wouldn’t struggle with. And I did get a little tired of Kirby’s ‘rat pole’ analogy by the end of the story – some of the repetition of imagery could definitely be trimmed without losing anything from the story.
However, similarly to Kirby’s play, this book does a great job of raising awareness of epilepsy and also celebrating the author’s love of theatre and the magic it can create when performed with passion and belief.
November 13, 2025
I won this in a giveaway. The writing is good its just not something i'm interested in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2025
Get lost in this book—its spells are many. If you swoon for stories of the stage, tales of familial bonds, and the uncomfortable swelling of the spirit that happens during adolescence, you've found your next TBR.
July 7, 2025
In his Academy Award winning screenplay for Shakespeare in Love, Tom Stoppard gives theater producer Philip Henslowe, brought to life by the delightful Geoffrey Rush, some incredibly punchy and memorable riffs on theater:
Henslowe: Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theater business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
Fennyman: So what do we do?
Henslowe: Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.
Fennyman: How?
Henslowe: I don't know. It's a mystery.
Such a quote serves as an appropriate lead in to thoughts on Tim Cummings' inspired work of YA fiction, The Lightening People Play. Protagonist, Kirby, chooses to go on the high risk journey of directing a new play, and along the way he grapples with plenty of mystery: will his parents get back together, will he raise enough money for the seizure dog his brother, Baxter, so desperately needs, will he pull off directing his first play, will his raging hormones give him a moment's peace? In addition, theres's a fantasy / magical realism aspect to the story, which points back to Henslowe's "mystery" in an even more metaphysical way. What shifts in the fabric of reality when we open ourselves to creative pursuits? Are doors of more than one kind unlocked?
In the spirit of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, the bonds formed with childhood friends and siblings are the engine of Cummings' story, and, along with Kirby's fresh, endearing, at times relatably self-deprecating, sparkling voice, opened my heart from the get go, causing me to invest in their mutual success. The reemergence of Cotter Wingham, a stand out character from Cummings' debut novel, Alice the Cat, was another winning surprise.
The Lightening People Play pays homage to the unique friends you find in youth theater programs, those ride or die chums with whom we make magic, and who see us through so much.
Henslowe: Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theater business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
Fennyman: So what do we do?
Henslowe: Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.
Fennyman: How?
Henslowe: I don't know. It's a mystery.
Such a quote serves as an appropriate lead in to thoughts on Tim Cummings' inspired work of YA fiction, The Lightening People Play. Protagonist, Kirby, chooses to go on the high risk journey of directing a new play, and along the way he grapples with plenty of mystery: will his parents get back together, will he raise enough money for the seizure dog his brother, Baxter, so desperately needs, will he pull off directing his first play, will his raging hormones give him a moment's peace? In addition, theres's a fantasy / magical realism aspect to the story, which points back to Henslowe's "mystery" in an even more metaphysical way. What shifts in the fabric of reality when we open ourselves to creative pursuits? Are doors of more than one kind unlocked?
In the spirit of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, the bonds formed with childhood friends and siblings are the engine of Cummings' story, and, along with Kirby's fresh, endearing, at times relatably self-deprecating, sparkling voice, opened my heart from the get go, causing me to invest in their mutual success. The reemergence of Cotter Wingham, a stand out character from Cummings' debut novel, Alice the Cat, was another winning surprise.
The Lightening People Play pays homage to the unique friends you find in youth theater programs, those ride or die chums with whom we make magic, and who see us through so much.
July 1, 2025
“Lightning is like a massage for the Earth.”
I loved Tim Cummings’ novel ‘Alice the Cat’ so I was excited to see he had a new book out. And I loved ‘The Lightning People Play’ just as much! It’s magical and deep and fun and has a beautiful message about storytelling.
“You young prodigies are Storytellers, and stories are deeply important. They inspire the brain to wake up and pay attention. They make the heart feel. They are responsible for our evolution as a species.”
The novel is wonderfully playful and filled with personality, even as it confronts difficult life issues.
Cummings addresses these issues with such gentle care.
“Not every God is a hurtful, one…”
The characters are lovable and authentic and open-hearted and thoughtful.
“His eyes are so big, his hair is so stormy, all his littleness so big to me lately with how much space he takes up in my heart and my brains.”
‘The Lightning People Play’ made me wonder, it made me laugh, and it gave me a hug.
“Vulnerability. It’s the great human irony: the thing that makes us feel the weakest and the most exposed in the face of all the madness and chaos of the world, and yet it’s our greatest weapon in moving through it all with grace.”
This one is sure to stay with me!💜
I loved Tim Cummings’ novel ‘Alice the Cat’ so I was excited to see he had a new book out. And I loved ‘The Lightning People Play’ just as much! It’s magical and deep and fun and has a beautiful message about storytelling.
“You young prodigies are Storytellers, and stories are deeply important. They inspire the brain to wake up and pay attention. They make the heart feel. They are responsible for our evolution as a species.”
The novel is wonderfully playful and filled with personality, even as it confronts difficult life issues.
Cummings addresses these issues with such gentle care.
“Not every God is a hurtful, one…”
The characters are lovable and authentic and open-hearted and thoughtful.
“His eyes are so big, his hair is so stormy, all his littleness so big to me lately with how much space he takes up in my heart and my brains.”
‘The Lightning People Play’ made me wonder, it made me laugh, and it gave me a hug.
“Vulnerability. It’s the great human irony: the thing that makes us feel the weakest and the most exposed in the face of all the madness and chaos of the world, and yet it’s our greatest weapon in moving through it all with grace.”
This one is sure to stay with me!💜
May 29, 2025
Fourteen year-old Kirby is a sensitive theater kid with an active (at times roiling) mind and some difficult family stuff going on. Fortunately he has support from his artsy theater community – peers and adults who care and pay attention. 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. Remember how you felt as a young person reading something singular and weird and authentic and meaningful? Like for me it was Judy Blume & Beverly Cleary & Sandra Cisneros & Dodie Smith & Mildred Taylor & C.S. Lewis & Madeleine L'Engle... This one is chock full of Play & Substance, a ride not to be missed.
May 30, 2025
I struggled to get into this book from the very beginning and only finished it so I could give an honest review.
From the very beginning there was an overwhelming amount of unnecessary slang. As someone who works with kids it’s not even slang that American kids are using and it feels shoehorned in an attempt to seem cool.
Additionally, there’s a moment of an obvious lack of research - there’s a portion where Marvel characters are listed and instead it’s mostly DC characters. It’s possible they meant to say Marvel and DC but either that was a lack of research shown or a mistake in writing.
I found the ending where Kirby’s OCD is “cured” to be ableist and dismissive of the neurodivergent experience.
The book as a whole felt disjointed and poorly paced. Kirby was unlikeable and I’m truly not sure if that’s the author’s intention.
Maybe other people can look past that but this book just isn’t for me on any level.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an Arc in exchange for my honest review.
From the very beginning there was an overwhelming amount of unnecessary slang. As someone who works with kids it’s not even slang that American kids are using and it feels shoehorned in an attempt to seem cool.
Additionally, there’s a moment of an obvious lack of research - there’s a portion where Marvel characters are listed and instead it’s mostly DC characters. It’s possible they meant to say Marvel and DC but either that was a lack of research shown or a mistake in writing.
I found the ending where Kirby’s OCD is “cured” to be ableist and dismissive of the neurodivergent experience.
The book as a whole felt disjointed and poorly paced. Kirby was unlikeable and I’m truly not sure if that’s the author’s intention.
Maybe other people can look past that but this book just isn’t for me on any level.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an Arc in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2025
This book is a heartfelt look into the experience of a young middle-schooler going through deep, intense, life-altering changes, and the way in which the school's theater department, and teacher, provides a platform to craft an art piece, a play, to help save his brother's life in a profound and magical way. It also shows us how books can guide us and become touchstones for life.
I laughed, I cried, and I felt seen and inspired to keep creating art. The Lightening People Play reminds us that art, theatre especially, isn't just about entertainment but about solace, about creating a place to hold the most unexplainable parts of our humanity. I highly recommend this book especially to anyone who ever found a safe home in the performing arts.
I laughed, I cried, and I felt seen and inspired to keep creating art. The Lightening People Play reminds us that art, theatre especially, isn't just about entertainment but about solace, about creating a place to hold the most unexplainable parts of our humanity. I highly recommend this book especially to anyone who ever found a safe home in the performing arts.
September 21, 2025
Kirby’s world has changed dramatically. One of his two dads has moved out. He’s developing feelings for one of his best friends. His little brother’s having seizures—and now he’s talking about the Lightning People who visit him at night. How does a compassionate and creative middle schooler deal with all this stress?
There’s a hint of a supernatural mystery in this heartfelt novel, but at its core it’s a book in the proud tradition of “Let’s put on a show!” stories. The journey highlights the totality of theater—not just acting but writing, directing, blocking, set design, lighting, and most of all, the sense of community that theater engenders. Young readers (and the young at heart) will find plenty to love in this story about finding the electricity in creation.
There’s a hint of a supernatural mystery in this heartfelt novel, but at its core it’s a book in the proud tradition of “Let’s put on a show!” stories. The journey highlights the totality of theater—not just acting but writing, directing, blocking, set design, lighting, and most of all, the sense of community that theater engenders. Young readers (and the young at heart) will find plenty to love in this story about finding the electricity in creation.
June 1, 2025
Hands down one of the best books I ever read for teenagers. My spouse and I have three of them, and they like to read, so we read a lot of stuff first to make sure that what they're reading isn't stupid or gross. I got all three of them this book. It's about a kid who uses his theater skills to help his little brother get a service animal to help him with seizures. The kid's a hero. 100% He and his friends. All kinds of weird things start happening but not in a bad way. The scene where the kids are on stage in front of their peerrs and have to defend their play was so spot on. This author can write for this age group.
July 1, 2025
I wanted to like this book, but I had multiple issues. There was so much slang, it made it difficult to read at times. The use of "dawg," "totes," and "amazeballs" felt out of date and just awkward.
Also, more than once, the main character puts his fingers in his brother's mouth while he's having a seizure. One of the basic rules of handling someone having a seizure is to NOT DO THAT.
Also, more than once, the main character puts his fingers in his brother's mouth while he's having a seizure. One of the basic rules of handling someone having a seizure is to NOT DO THAT.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2025
This author has an unlimited hall pass into the world of childlike lingo and creative silliness, while also the ability to stop, and tap into the soul of the character as well. At times it's fun and silly, and easy to read - then, suddenly it hits you with full-on emotion and realness. Not just from a writer trying to hit certain points in his story, but to truly empathize with what it's like to be that kid. To remember the kid he used to be. And in many ways, still is. My nephew has already finished the book, and now it's my turn - I like it more than his previous gem, "Alice the Cat", and I can't wait to see what he writes next. Hopefully, something with Octopi.
August 24, 2025
The Lightning People by Tim Cummings is a beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, and deeply human story. On the surface, it’s about a boy whose brother has epilepsy, and a group of kids who put on a play to raise money for a seizure-alert dog. But at its heart, it’s a love letter to theater itself — to the way art can hold joy and pain at once, and create community out of struggle.
It’s a YA novel that doesn’t shy away from complexity, yet it’s filled with warmth and humor. I highly recommend it — for young readers, for theater lovers, and really for anyone who believes in the power of storytelling.
It’s a YA novel that doesn’t shy away from complexity, yet it’s filled with warmth and humor. I highly recommend it — for young readers, for theater lovers, and really for anyone who believes in the power of storytelling.
September 9, 2025
The Lightning People Play is a poignant modern twist of troubled life written in the spirit of Catcher in the Rye. We folllow Kirby as he navigates a world maybe a little too advanced for a young man. He is a caring boy who needs to fix what is wrong. Taking on more than he should ever have to.
Tim Cummings crushes it with this literary YA masterpiece. A seasoned author with a great understanding of the words he puts on the page, it is understandable he teaches others to do the same.
This story is fun and harsh and meaningful. There is so much to get from The Lightning People Play, it’s deep but won’t drown you. Worth the read.
Tim Cummings crushes it with this literary YA masterpiece. A seasoned author with a great understanding of the words he puts on the page, it is understandable he teaches others to do the same.
This story is fun and harsh and meaningful. There is so much to get from The Lightning People Play, it’s deep but won’t drown you. Worth the read.
July 27, 2025
Tim is a magic writer. Words, rhythm, insights, simplicity, flamboyance, urgency, patience, compassion, anger, self-confidence, terror... Tim Cummings explores it all in this story! I adore his writing and have for a very long time. This writer is the real deal. THE REAL DEAL! Treat yourself. Treasure yourself -- and treasure him! Yay, Tim!
- Caroline Thompson, screenwriter of EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
- Caroline Thompson, screenwriter of EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
July 4, 2025
Fabulous novel about the love between two siblings and their two dads, youth theatre, and the power of imagination. No spoilers but it is a compelling read with indelible characters, crackling dialogue, and heartfelt emotion that I was sorry to finish. It will make a terrific movie!
September 15, 2025
Attention: Drama Kids (YEAH YOU!) This is a YA novel, but it touched my fully adult, former-drama-geek heart. It's so visceral and magical and voice-y. So full of imagination. And it reminded me of the power of theater. A+++ will read again
August 11, 2025
The Lightening People Play is a magical story with rich characters. It brought me back to my youth and inspired me as an adult. Tim Cummings writes with such honesty.
November 25, 2025
Realism with a dash of fantasy about a very heartbreaking topic. Good characters, pacing. Clean read for tweens
July 7, 2025
A beautiful and bewitching YA novel. Highly recommend. A unique, well-paced, and often humorous storyline that reminds us that even the youngest among us can make a difference. Big cheers for Kirby and Bax!
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