Stargirl

Rating:
Summary: True Star Blows Us Away
Review: Jerry Spinelli, who in my words, is an excellent children's author, has blown us away with his facinating and uplifting novel. Stargirl, an optimistic girl who has a love for everything, is seen through the eyes of Leo Borlock, a student at the school where Stargirl is attending. Stargirl keeps people on her toes with her interesting style of clothing, her view of life, and playing her Ukelele on peoples birthdays in the school cafeteria. When arriving, Stargirl is the main topic of conversation. But, when joining the cheerleading squad, she becomes the most popular person in school. As cheerleader, the other cheerleaders and students of the school get mad at her for cheering for everybody; whether the home team or opposing one. Also, people begin to think of her as a bit to weird, and certainly not wanted. As the novel unravels, Leo finds himself by finding Stargirl.

Rating:
Summary: Revolutionary
Review: Wow. What a vivid, wondrous book. Stargirl is a character I will never forget. If Mr. Spinelli's wife is a bit like this wonderful-but-different girl, he is a lucky man. Books like this make you think about who the real you really is, the kooky person singing in the shower or the phony trying to hold it together under the lipstick.

Sure, this book is about a formerly homeschooled social misfit (in the eyes of everyone else) but it's also about taking chances and standing up for the right sides, the sides you love, even when it's gonna cost you. I read in the interview at the end that this novel kicked around in Mr. Spinelli's head for many years. I can tell. And I'm grateful for every extra minute he let it simmer. As an adult, mother, teacher and writer this book and its title character challenged me in many ways. My twelve-year-old has already snatched it after I read aloud two chapters.

I hear her laughing in the other room. Thanks Mr. Spinelli for giving me a gift I can share with my family.

Rating:
Summary: StarGirl according to GIgi
Review: One of my favorite books of all time is StarGirl by Jerry Spinelli. This book is about a girl named Susan but she changed it to Stargirl. She has been home schooled her whole life and is now moving to a real school! The book is told through the eyes of a boy named Leo. Stargirl is an outsider, she is a little bit weird. However she is a really sweet girl and cares about everyone. For example when it is someone's birthday she takes out her ukulele and plays them a Happy Birthday song. Anyway, Leo has a show called The Hot Seat and he invites Stargirl to be on it! She says yes but the show becomes a total disaster and never airs. In the middle of the year Leo and Stargirl fall in love. Leo notices people innore him when they find out they are well, going steady. So Leo tries to change her and it works, more people like her! She enters a speech contest and wins! But when she gets back to the school 5 people are cheering for her instead of the whole town like expected. On the night of the dance Stargirl is the life of the party. But the night of the dance is the last night anyone sees her. This book is a little strange but I still love it.
There are many resons why I like this book here are the top three. On reason I liked this book was because StarGiRL is so neat and interesting and I want to be just like her. She is a great role-model for anyone. Also I usually read books in he point of veiw of a girl, but it was nice to read from a boys point of veiw for once. Lastly I like books about teenegers and romance and this is packed full of that kind of stuff. These re the top three reasons I like this book.

Rating:
Summary: Spunky and heartful with a twist of love
Review: Stargirl has been home schooled all her life. Then when she was around the age 15, give or take a year, Stargirl went to a nearby high school. Since she had been home schooled, Stargirl had no idea how to dress, act, or any of the other things that everyone else at the high school did know how to do. Stargirl arrived and almost instantly was popular because she was so different, so unique, so just wonderful. Stargirl would sing to people on their birthdays, give cards to people who lost someone, dress in the wackiest clothes, and yet she still went on not caring what people thought. I enjoyed this book because of how Jerry Spinelli grasps the every day high school life. Usually people at high school don't want to be different, the halls are full of person after person all alike in at least 10 ways. In comes Stargirl and she doesn't care about what everyone else thinks of her, Stargirl just cares about if she's doing the right thing. I also liked this book because Stargirl is so spunky and full of life. She does nice things on the spur of the moment and always does the right thing. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody willing to read a well written book that fills the heart.

Rating:
Summary: awesome book
Review: Stargirl is a great book for kids of all ages! Stargirl has soooo many different ways of seeing it. you could see it for friendship you could look at it for a really good rad to fill your time and you will always enjoy it! When Stargirl Caraway shows up everyone is the same they act the same they dress the same. Everyone was the same except for Satrgirl she dressed totally different then everyone else. After a while no one liked her being different. Kevin and Leo the other main characters in this book have a talk show called the hot seat. kevin thinks Stargirl is different and everyone hates her so by putting her in the hot seat people would really see her and hate her even more. On the other side Leo isnt to sure about putting her in the hot seat because she is different and by asking her questions she'll be embarrass her. Kevin is all for putting Stargirl in the hot seat because he wants to be popular. To find out what happens you have to read Stargirl by: Jerry Spinelli. It's a awesome book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: "Star"
Review: From her first day at Mica High School she was the center of attention.It wasn't in a good way though,everyone thought she was weird.People said she "was from another planet". But one person thought differently.Leo Borlock.To him Stargirl was more than just a new weird girl that dresses in pionner outfits.She was the girl for his heart.The girl he thought would spend the rest of her life with him. Suddenly as rumors go around Leo thinks twice about his feelings for Stargirl.This book is really great it shows people to have faith in what you belive in and to think ahead.

Rating:
Summary: unusual friendship
Review: Who is she? Where did she come from? These are some of the questions floating around in MAHS student's heads. This is a story of an unusual friendship between Stargirl and Leo. As her popularity drops will leo and Stargirl still be friends? To find out read Stargirl!
This is a good book. I rcomend it to 10-year-olds because you can connect with this book

GJD natick 5

Rating:
Summary: Memorable characters with real problems
Review: Delightfully funny, sweet and sad. Spinelli handles a common subject, conformity, in a fresh manner. His 1st person narrator, Les Borlock, is perfect. He is torn by his attraction to Stargirl for her uninhibited ways, generosity and creativity although he knows these very things are what is making her an outcast. And she is taking him down with her.

But, that reduces the story down way to far. His characters become real people. As for Stargirl, Archie the paleontoligist responds to the comment that she is like another species with "On the contrary, she is one of us. Most decidedly. She is us more than we are us. She is, I think, who we really are. Or were." And how true. Even in her weirdness, she reminds me of several of my friends. Stargirl is what you would get if you smooshed my theatrical friend, with my brainy friend, with my friend who always made valentine's cards for her friends and crushes, with my paranormal friend, and then erased the shyness that all of my friends have struggled with all their lives. In a way, the character of Stargirl is an inspiration for boldness. And, once again, I'm reducing this down too far. Spinnelli's "Loyal Order of the Stone Bone" takes this book beyond being a highschool romance story into something more... shall we say cosmic?

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Story
Review: I think Stargirl sends a great message to 10-13 year olds.When Stargirl Caraway arive's at Mica High,everyone's lives are diffrent.Wondering about this "diffrent" girl,who as Archie, the wise elder in the book says,"she is more ourselfs then we are",everyone missreads her message,the message of diffrence.Leo Borlock(the narrator )is puzzled until it is to late to understand.Stargirl is shunned by all of the students,but a few.Leo,at a crazy point in love,begs her to be normal.Stargirl becomes that nobody toe ring hoop earing girl,and becomes Susan.She changes back after she realizes that she is still Stargirl inside,and that is how they all know her.Then her messagebecomes real.

Rating:
Summary: Harold & Maude meets Amelie
Review: Of course, the title of this review could just as well read, "Feed meets the Pied Piper of Hamelin". Trust me, these comparisons aren't that far off once you've read this book. This story is a fairy tale at heart, but that heart is a pure one. In it, a girl with the title's name comes to a very normal high school and (not to put too fine a point on it) turns the place upside down. This is a girl who'll wear a kimono to school one day, and a Victorian wedding dress the next. The narrator (who seems to have no family of his own whatsoever) falls head over heels in love with her. In the end, however, he must choose between her love and the love of his peers (who don't take too kindly to the little strumpet).

The story is very simple in its conception. You know where it's heading long before it does. As for the writing, the prose is lovely but unchallenging. Though the narrator of this book is a Junior in high school, I would have to suggest this book to readers of the younger set. Kids and pre-adolescents. After all, it has a nice little message about being yourself (without actually voicing those exact words) and contains no swearing, violence, or even (heaven forfend) suggested sexuality. Read on a different level, this book is almost a Christian parable. If you read the story with Stargirl as a Jesus-like character, it's not a bad match. She even exchanges a slap to the face for a kiss. Turn the other cheek indeed.

The ending is bittersweet (hence the Pied Piper similarities) but well wrought. As I mentioned before, the narrator seems to serve only as someone for Stargirl to react to and garner reactions from. He doesn't seem to have a home life, or even any parents. His entire existence hinges solely on Stargirl and school. In that context, it is easy to see why he reacts the way he does to both her and them. And certainly the story is unrealistic. As much as I like the ending, it's not particularly believable that a girl as unique as our pretty protagonist would earn the love of others (especially teenage others) through uninhibited actions. I can see this book joining hosts of others on children's bookshelves as beloved. And certainly it won't actually change anyone's mind about treating those different from you with kindness, but it's a pleasant story and a pleasant read.