Customer Reviews

Stargirl

5 star:		(536)
4 star:		(217)
3 star:		(102)
2 star:		(44)
1 star:		(53)

 

 

I could only wish I was as brave and as overwhelmingly generous as the magical girl the book is named after. Told from the perspective of sixteen year old Leo, who falls under her charms like the rest of Mica High School, it is a wistful, heartfelt, and bittersweet narrative that ultimately packs a gentle but firm emotional punch.

This book should be required reading for adults young and old for it's ringing endorsement of individualism.It reminds us that like Stargirl it's okay to be different, that sameness is boring, and that we should all, as Will Shakespeare once said,"To thine own self be true."

At just under two hundred pages it can almost be tackled in one sitting. A perfect gift for someone who may not feel that they totally belong, or that their being different is a bad thing, or simply to be gently reminded that acceptance starts from within.

Originally I borrowed this from the library. Halfway through it I bought my own copy, and one for my niece.

This is a story about a girl called Stargirl. She has been home tutored for most of her life and has no idea of conformity. She is herself, through and through. She wears pioneer type dresses, no make up, meditates, knows peoples birthdays, makes people feel good about themselves.

At the start the majority of the school applauds her individuality and even flatters her when they copy her odd ways. But slowly they see her individuality as a hindrance and begin to turn on her. Leo, the 16 year old narrator of the book finds himself as her boyfriend, and as such is completely alienated from the rest of the school. It dawns on him that he has to choose, Stargirl or his friends and respect.

This is probably one of the best books I have read for an awful long time, and I read a lot of books! I am keeping my copy on my bookshelf for my children to read, to teach them to applaud individuality, not discourage.

Who couldn't love Stargirl? She is the new girl in school who's a bit different than everyone else. She carries her pet rat to school, brings her ukelele, and wears period clothing her mom sews. But more importantly she is possibly the kindest person ever written about. She celebrates holidays by giving everyone in her homeroom a treat, and leaves greeting cards for people, and sings Happy Birthday to them. At first her popularity soars and she even becomes a cheerleader. Unfortunately the very thing that made her popular turns all the students on her... herself.

One boy, the narrator is more caught up with her than anyone else. He befriends her and the two even date. But soon he can't stand the peer pressure and asks Stargirl to change. I have to admit that was really hard to read because I like the narrator but Stargirl shouldn't have to change! If it weren't for endless positivity some of the book would be too tough to get through.

I really love the ending. I think it ended exactly the way it should. Not the best for everyone but the best for Stargirl. Perhaps everyone in the story learns their lesson about conforming individuals and I think the reader will too.

Many many years ago, our house had a lot of Jerry Spinelli's books in it. Not only that, but some of them were autographed -- my children attended a school near where he lives and he visited their school several times. They were always entranced by him and by his books.

Lo and behold, walking through a store the other day, "Stargirl" called out to me. The cover was the hook and after reading the jacket copy, I decided that it was a book I had to have. I talked to my niece that night and she told me it was a very special book and she was glad that I and bought it!

So am I! What a totally delightful story of someone who is different...and not afraid to be that way. What a role model Stargirl can be for so many kids today. This book sends a really good message about being your own person and true to yourself....yet it does not gloss over the hurt that may result from being this kind of person.

I thought the characters in this story were finely wrought and the story itself spun out in an almost magical way. I also liked that the author wrote an unpredictable ending.

I would recommend this for young adults---of all ages!

Are you looking for a good book to read? If you are you should consider reading Stargirl. It is a wonderful book for adults and children and always leads to new problems. I think this book teaches you a great lesson about life and how you look at people. This interesting book is by Jerry Spinelli, a newbery medalist. He has written many books such as Wringer, Maniac Magee, Crash, and Knots in my Yo- Yo String. This book takes place in Arizonia and is about a very interesting girl, named Stargirl. She comes to Mica Area High School in eleventh grade and is not like everyone else. She is different by she wears different clothes and acts differntly. Also she is a cheerleader and at games she is always cheering for other teams. Stargirl has a pet rat named, Cinnamon who is always on her shoulder. Also she sends people birthday presents she doesn't even know. She has a friend named, Archie who has classes for kids at his house. He is a great person and teaches Leo, the narrator alot about Stargirl. Stargirl falls in love with Leo Borlock. Leo has feelings for her too, but he is afraid he will become unpopular if they get together. They go tot the mall, ride bikes and do a lot of stuff together, but at school they are distance. The question is, "Whose affection does he value more hers or the others?" Well if you are going to read this book you will find out the answer to this question.

We should all be so lucky as to have our own Stargirl enter our lives, to recognize her when she speaks to us, and wise enough to listen to her message! What I was really intrigued and touched by was the feeling I got that Leo was, in some way, a part of Jerry Spinelli as a young person, and that there was really was a "Stargirl" in his life when he was Leo's age. I first discovered Mr. Spinelli several years ago when I read Maniac Magee. Wringer and The Library Card absolutely confirmed my status as a devoted fan of his work. Although his books are shelved in the young adult or children's section of bookstores, I believe that his books defy sole classification. Any adult or young person who is interested in quality fiction will find much to love about Jerry Spinelli's books. Stargirl is a delightful celebration of nonconformity, a book guaranteed to make the reader smile and think about how we are all connected to one another, and think about how each of us makes an impact on the people whose lives we touch. An excellent book - don't miss it, it could be a contender for next year's Newbery.

Jerry Spinelli has yet again masterfully created a realistic fiction story with which all young adults should identify while seeing themselves in the characters. Spinelli's easy writing style and use of teen friendly dialogue make this selection an easy read for almost any young adult no matter what their reading level or ability. The story begins with the arrival of a new girl in school as told through the eyes of fellow 10th grader, Leo Burlock. Whispers and rumors run wild as the new student, Stargirl Caraway, begins to make her way through the school. Stargirl is a 10th grader who has just arrived at Mica Area High School in Mica, Arizona (it could have been Anywhere, USA), wearing pioneer type dresses, kimonos and strumming a ukulele and carrying her pet rat! This shocks the school, which is not exactly a "hotbed of nonconformity". In time the student body gives away to her free spirit and friendliness. They begin to rejoice in her extraordinary and impromptu antics such as singing Happy Birthday to everyone in the school cafeteria and her spectacular acrobatics as a cheerleader. However, soon the popularity begins to wear off as Stargirl carries it a little too far in the eyes of the student body. Leo Borlock befriends Stargirl and ultimately becomes his first love. Leo is torn between the conformity issue at school and truly expressing his individuality and love for Stargirl. This plot, while chronological in nature, moves very smoothly as the relationship between Stargirl and Leo intensifies. The characters in the novel are related to the reader through the eyes of sixteen year old, Leo Borlock. Leo seems to a typical teen in every way; he honors the unspoken rule of teendom: "don't stand out - under any circumstances". Leo is both attracted and repelled by her. Leo's character changes as he realizes that Stargirl seems to like him. He eventually braves up enough to go to her house and befriend her, while also being seen in public with her. As the popularity slows to a stop and eventually turns into Stargirls emeny, Leo has to make decisions about his friendship with Stargirl. Stargirl Caraway is fun loving, free-spirited and totally impromptu. She marches to the beat of her own drummer and does not seem to notice the ways others react her. The changes in her character occur after a long talk with Leo about the way "they" see her. She changes her clothing and her way of dealing with people. In essence, she becomes a regular teen at Mica High in order to please Leo and fit in with the crowd. She eventually finds she is better off to be her true self. Person versus society is the obvious conflict in this novel. Both Stargirl and Leo are in conflict with society and the option to conform or not conform. Although they handle the conflict in different ways, both feel the need to conform. While Stargirl chooses the road of nonconformity, Leo eventually chooses to conform after a long struggle with the situation. The theme of the novel surrounds the topic of conformity and individuality versus nonconformity. To be an individual in today's society and show your individuality sometimes means not conforming to the dynamics of the conventional group and the consequences that goes with nonconformity. Because Stargirl chose not to conform, the rest of the group eventually made her an outcast; this is a fear many teens experience. The novel also touches on the cruel nature of popularity and how quickly that popularity can change and send the student into a very unpleasant situation with peers. This is a novel that could take place in any town, anywhere with real life characters. I believe this is a novel that almost any high school ninth or tenth grader would enjoy and be able to relate to. Most teens ultimately have feeling of not fitting in with their peers and the consequences that nonconformity entails.

Stargirl Caraway enters the scene of Mica Area High School wearing a long-skirted pioneer-style dress, carrying a canvas bag, and strumming a ukelele. Students at MAHS, who typically don't express themselves as individuals at all, find that they can't tear their eyes, or their minds, off of this strange new tenth-grader. By December, high-schoolers of all grades and social statuses are surrounding Stargirl everywhere. For a few weeks, Stargirl is the most popular person in school. Then, things start to get rough. People start noticing how Stargirl cheers for the other team on the basketball team just as enthusiastically as for the MAHS team. Only one person stays by her side, Leo Borlock, who has just discovered that he loves Stargirl desperately. Follow Leo and Stargirl through their journey as a couple and be surprised by the ending of this book that can only be further described by one word: indescribable. Jerry Spinelli has penned the most captivating story of individuality ever imagined.

A story about what it means to be yourself, during a time (high school) where being unique, being an individual can seem to bring more trouble then it is worth.

This story had something for everyone:

- the new girl in school - who changed the way people viewed their lives and themselves.

- the jealous clique of kids, who couldn't stand it that they were no longer the center of attention.

- the quiet shy boy who fell totally and completely in love wiht her - only to try and change her - to get her to conform - so he wouldn't be so embarassed...

A novel about the importance of being yourself, accepting you for who you and what you are, believing in yourself and your abilities. Of being you for you.

I stopped the book I was reading to read this one. The book cover and auther (who I had read before) intrigued me so. Well worth it - at the very least - you should put it at the top of your to read pile by the side of your bed.

"We did not know what to make of her.
In our minds we tried to pin her to corkboard like a butterfly,
but the pin merely went trough and away she flew."

StarGirl is a new kid in Mica High. She looks different, she behaves different. "She laughed when there was no joke. She danced when there was no music. She had no friends, yet she was the friendliest person in school." She is true to herself - no masks, no pretending.

Her originality is shocking, fresh, and alluring enough to bring the awakening to "the dormant mud frogs we had been for so long". But it's not long before her nonconformity turns everyone against her... even the boy she likes. Will StarGirl stand true to herself, no matter what are the stakes?

This book is a dazzling tribute to originality, individuality, and perils of popularity of modern day society. Controversial and truthful, a splendid read.

Julia Shpak
Author of "Power of Plentiful Wisdom". Available on Amazon.
For more book reviews visit my blog "Julia's Library" at: ForwardQuoteDOTcom