Star Girl

Star Girl

By Jerry Spinelli

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (2002)

Reading Level: Age 14-16 years old

Pages: 208

Genre: Modern Realism

Summary: Mica High is a place of conformity. For the most part everyone acts, dresses, and speaks the same until a new student comes. She calls herself Stargirl and dresses in costumes, bruings her pet rat to school, and plays the ukelele and sings to people on their birthdays. Everyone kind of shunned her until she cheered at a football game and then she was invited to be a cheerleader and everyone loves her. They got annoyed that she cheered for everyone, even those not on her team. Leo starts dating her and teaches him to listen. When Stargirl helps a player from an opposing team the whole school hates and shuns her and partially shuns Leo. Leo learns how Stargirl does service and tries to help her conform. Stargirl hopes that if she wins a speach competition everyone will like her again. She wins and no one cares and nothing changes. Stargirl goes back to being herself and Leo avoids her. Stargirl comes to a dance looking georgeous and leads everyone in the bunny hop and everyone likes her again accept Hillari. Hillari slaps Stargirl and in response Stargirl kisses her cheek and leaves the dance and is never seen again. Leo regrets losing her. The school starts a Stargirl club dedicated to daily service. In the end Leo gets a porcupine tie for his birthday.

My Reaction: I didn't think I would like this book because I thought it would be just another popularity story about someone incredibly talented being like everone else. It wasn't like that at all. It inspired me to be better for the of doing good and not to care about what others think.

Potential Problems: It shows teens being cruel to each other.

Recommendations: I would recommend this to tweens or teenagers. Maybe fourth or fifth graders.