Stargirl

Title: Stargirl
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: August 8, 2000


From the back cover:

She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. 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 wen through and away she flew. 


For a longer synopsis click here.

A Review for An Important Book: 

Stargirl is luminous, bright, shiny, glittery, and sparkly...

Behind the adorable cover, lies words, and pages filled with wisdom. As I was reading Stargirl I felt like I needed to hold the book above my head (somewhat like when Cimba was being introduced to the animal community in the Lion King) and shout "This book holds all the answers!"

Stargirl exposed an obvious flaw in modern society, that most people don't think about. It showed how masked, and fake everyone has to act, just so they will be accepted, and it uncovered so many twisted values that the majority of people have (ex. Giving someone a gift and the happiest part of giving is getting credit).

Stargirl would do this :)

One of the main characters, Stargirl, was considered very strange by other kids at school. She played her ukulele during lunch, cheered for both teams during a school basketball game, and would anonymously deliver gifts to people in the neighborhood. She had no barrier between the real her and the protected her that came out in public. This book made me think, "If everyone just acted like the somewhat outrageous person they are, all the time (instead of being what was considered "normal"), wouldn't everyone be happier?" The truth is, everyone is a Stargirl/Starboy, yet people fall into these patterns of basing what is "normal" and what isn't off of everybody else. If everybody pulled out their inner Stargirl, and that became "normal" wouldn't the world be a better place?

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Stargirl (about the actual girl, Stargirl)


You'll know her more by your questions than by her answers. Keep looking at her long enough. One day you might see someone you know."


-Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli pg. 35


I urge you to read Stargirl. It is extremely inspiring, short and sweet, yet, it holds, lots of important and eye-opening messages. Trust me, you're not too old for it.