Title: Stargirl
Author: Jerry Spinelli
# of pages: 186

Plot Summary:

Leo Borlock enjoys collecting porcupine neckties, and has mysteriously received an anonymous birthday present of another addition to his collection. On his first day back at Mica Area High School, in Mica, Arizona, everyone is talking about a new student who has arrived at the school. Stargirl is an unusual girl who acts as an individual, oblivious to the conformity of her classmates to what is "cool"; she was previously home-schooled.

Soon, the others admire her compassion for others and her uniqueness, and she becomes a popular figure as more and more people begin to follow her intriguing acts. However, this sudden increase in popularity also means that when she is blamed for supporting both teams in the basketball tournament, everyone gives her the silent treatment.

In the end, despite her efforts to be recognized by other students at MAHS, she remains ignored. She leads most of the dance at the Ocotillo Ball, and that is the last time she is seen in Mica.

Opinion:

Stargirl is a book that inspires the reader to simply be ourselves, and not always conform to what society labels as "cool". Underneath the teenager who desperately tries to be accepted by others, there is the individual who has different ways of thinking. Stargirl wore whatever clothes she wanted, and she did not mind the way she completely stood out from the others.

I believe that it also promotes awareness of the challenges teenagers face, to be well-liked. Those who act differently are often cast away. Conformity and popularity are important matters, which are factors in peer pressure.

Stargirl's story was deeply touching. She was popular as people realized that they could be open-minded, yet was soon despised because she was blamed for the sudden end to the boys' basketball season. The way she would treat others with kindness, yet how she had very few friends, was emotional.

Main themes and subjects:

• Popularity and fitting in
• Romance
• It is easier to blend in with the crowd than to stand out
• Those who do stand out are often persecuted

Target audience: Pre-teens and teenagers

Genre: Realistic fiction

Rating: 4/5

Book review by Fiona T.
* 30 hours so far
* Can be published in the Teen Newsletter