Star Girl

Star Girl
By: Jerry Spinelli
Copyright:2000
Pages: 208
Reading Level: Young Adult

"'Yeah. Why do you think there're eighteen pebbles in my wagon?' And then the last remaining space between our lips was gone and I was falling Headlong into her eyes, right there on Palo Verde after dinner. And I can tell you, that was no saint kissing me." (125)

Star Girl, is an adventure. Not in the normal sense of the word, but an adventure you take as a boy grows to love a girl. This isn't an ordinary girl, this is star girl. Star Girl is the new girl in school, and she is very new, and very different. At first Star Girl has the school in shock. No one understands this girl who wears long skirts, sings "Happy Birthday" with a ukulele, and carries a pet Rat Cinnamon in her book bag. One night at a football game, Star Girl takes over half time, dancing up and down the field, the next game the stands are back with the anticipation of seeing Star Girl. She is made into a cheerleader, and everyone falls under the spell of star girl. They cheer on each other for good grades, lift each other up when they are said, say hi to everyone in the hallways, and start going to every game. However the person that fell under Star Girls spell the most is Leo, he is the producer of the schools local show Hot Seat. Leo learns his fascination with this girl, is more an adoration. They begin to hangout, and he learns how to listen ans love. However the schools love for Star Girl began to fade. You see at these games Star Girl would root for not only their team but also the enemy. Or so the rest of the school thought when they started losing. It became so important that there school won, they (the rest of the school) began to boo the other team, and call them names. Then school began to turn against Star Girl, blaming her for there loss. Soon the whole school begins to shun Star Girl, ignoring her as if she never even existed. And shortly after when people realized Leo was her very own Mr. Star girl. They shunned him to. This becomes very difficult for Leo, never being disliked or shunned before. He struggles with the question "Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others." Eventually he talks to her about the problem and she decides to change, change for Leo. She dresses like them, doesn't sing happy birthday anymore, leaves Cinnamon at home, and most importantly she become Susan. Leo loves this change, and believes it will fix everything, however it doesn't. The students still ignore her, and Leo. Star Girl eventually goes back to being her true self. And the last thing she does is make an epic entrance at the schools dance, and finally makes the whole school like her again. Just before she disappears, Star Girl moves, and none of them see her ever again. However Leo never forgets this girl, Star Girl, who changed his life.

Recommended to: Freshman, or students about to head into the scary world known as high school. It teaches that it's okay to be different.
Problem: Shows how harsh High school can be, and a parent might not want to expose or scare there child.
My Reaction: I loved Star Girl, and now want to be her and Leo's friend. I really couldn't put this book down, reading it till the last second in each class, and late into the night. Awesome details, and an adorable love story. I really enjoy the balance of story telling, and dialogue.