Stargirl

Written by Jerry Spinelli

Random House Children Books, 2000

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Reading Level: ages 10-15

208 pages

Stargirl is a book told from a young boy named Leo's point of view. Leo begins his story by reflecting on when he was little and he started collecting porcupine ties. He only had one in his collection until his fourteenth birthday when a porcupine tie mysteriously showed up on his doorstep. Then the real story starts and at Leo's school there's a lot of excitement surrounding a new student, who apparently is very odd. Her name is Stargirl. As the days pass we learn more about her, she sings happy birthday to people she doesn't know, she's always happy, she wears weird clothes, and a myriad of other unusual traits. Leo's friend, Kevin, decides that they should get Stargirl to come on their tv show. While Leo is completely fascinated by Stargirl he refuses to put her on the show, not knowing the reason himself. Leo watches stargirl, follows her and desperately tries to understand who/what she is and why she does the things she does. One of the events that Stargirl really became known for, and the start of people liking her, was her performance at the school football team. She did an interesting and entertaining routine and cheered for both teams, larger numbers of people than ever started coming to the football games. Stargirl really won them over when she sang happy birthday to the high school's popular snotty girl, and she did this while looking straight at Leo. Leo and Kevin decide to go visit their old friend Archie who was a palentologist and who taught kids about his life, and philosophy on the weekends, or whenever they wanted to listen. They went and visited Archie and asked if he thought Stargirl was genuine, he agreed with what Leo thought all along, that she was her own human self, and that she was special. Stargirl became beloved by the school and they really showed their admiration for her at the big school oratorical contest that she won. Slowly but surely Stargirl's popularity eventually ran out as she said things weird, attended funerals of people she didn't know and cheered and assisted the rivalry football team when the home team was actually winning, and in a new way this really angered the students. When Stargirl finally appeared on Leo and Kevin's tv show, she was attacked by the people asking her questions that were cruel. Stargirl was shunned at school. And Leo got caught up in it all when he found a valentine from Stargirl telling him that she loved him. The next day she said hi to him and he was 'crushed'. leo ended up following her to her house and they had their first full conversation, and he was in love. Leo and Stargirl start spending more time together. She shows him her enchanted place where she meditates and he escorts her around the school. After some time leo realizes that at school him and Stargirl are invisible, they are being shunned by their classmates, they are alone and he doesn't know how long he can stand it. Archie helps Leo out, very slightly, by asking him the ultimate question, "Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others?' Leo doesnt want to answer. Leo continues spending time with Stargirl, who shows him her house, how she helps people, and how she understands people. Then one day it was all ruined. Leo came to school to find "Stargirl loves Leo" posted on a board where everyone could see it. People started to ignore him more, and he started to avoid Stargirl more. Eventually Leo confronts Stargirl and basically tells her she needs to change. So she does. She becomes like everyone else, or at least she tries to. She dresses like them, she talks like them, she changes her name to Susan, and she does her best to fit in. Then comes the oratorical state contest and she imagines coming home from winning and being greeted by a huge crowd of welcoming peers. She wins the contest with a standing ovation, but she returns home to a basically empty school parking lot. Stargirl became stargirl again, back to her unusal antics, and embarassing Leo. He doesn't ask her to the school dance, and in fact doesn't go himself. However, he did find a spot to watch the event. It started out with Stargirl being ignored, but obviously enchanting everyone, until one boy came up and complimented her. As other boys started walking over, she went up to the band and requested the bunny hop. She danced and the kids were once again entranced by her and joined along. they did the song over and over. Then, as Leo watched, the snotty popular girl walked up to Stargirl completely frustrated and slapped her and blamed her for ruining the dance. Everyone froze, then to everyone's surprise, Stargirl stepped forward and kissed the girl on the cheek. Then she left, and was never seen again. The story ends 15 years later with Leo reflecting on what happened, still trying to understand the girl he fell in love with. And wondering where she was now.

I would recommend this book to any child who has been bullied, or called abnormal. I believe that it will give them the hope and encouragement they need to know they dont have to change for anyone.

The conflict i see coming out of this book would be the parents being worried their child might be cast out by his/her peers if they have the motivation to act like Stargirl.

i really enjoyed this book. I felt that it was extremely well written, very descriptive, and portrayed a good moral in a new way. I was furious at Leo, and I loved him. I admired Stargirl and she embarrassed me. It was wonderful.

My rating: 5 out of 5