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Star in the Forest
by
Laura Resau (Goodreads Author)
Zitlally's family is undocumented, and her father has just been arrested for speeding and deported back to Mexico. As her family waits for him to return—they’ve paid a coyote to guide him back across the border—they receive news that he and the coyote’s other charges have been kidnapped and are being held for ransom. Meanwhile, Zitlally and a new friend find a dog in the f...more
Paperback, 160 pages
Published
March 13th 2012
by Yearling
(first published 2010)
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439)
This was a sweet little story that I enjoyed so much more than Return to Sender even though maybe it was a little more sweet than necessary. I think the bit about the animal spirit might have bothered me more but maybe it really shouldn't. While it's not mentioned directly in the book, Latino/Latinas can have a different perspective toward what it real than what is commonly accepted in secular white European-American culture. Looking at the events that seem unlikely from that perspective really...more
One of the shorter modern junior novels I've read, Star in the Forest offers a lot for the perceptive reader. No matter what side of the aisle one is on when it comes to the logistics of official U.S. immigration policy, it can be very easy for many of us as natural-born American citizens to not fully understand the emotional tribulation that the families of illegal immigrants go through when they face deportation. Deserved or not, being expelled from the only country that one has ever called h...more
Short novel and quick read. Zitally is a young girl whose father has been deported back to Mexico. The family are illegal immigrants. They face worrying about getting caught and sent back, being able to make rent and afford groceries. Eventually they get the money to pay for a coyote to bring the dad back across the border. Sadly he is kidnapped and bandits are now demanding ransom to release him. Meanwhile Zitally finds a dog and takes care of him while her dad is gone. She feels the fate of th...more
A moving story of Zitlally, a young girl in Colorado, whose father is pulled over for speeding, found to be illegally in the U.S. and is jailed and then deported to Mexico. She finds a stray dog chained up in a local "forest" of an auto junkyard near her trailer park and befriends it, naming it Star for the black star marking on its white fur back. Besides providing her with some much needed diversion and comfort, the dog's fate seems to be wrapped up with her father's, perhaps as his special an...more
maybe 3 1/2 stars. A short, accessible book that portrays some of the overwhelming challenges faced by undocumented immigrants living in U.S. Early in the story, 11-year-old Zitlally's father is pulled over for speeding. Because of his undocumented status, he is immediately deported to Mexico, leaving his wife and 3 daughters struggling to cope with life in their Colorado trailer. With her father absent, Zitlally finds comfort in an abandoned dog she discovers close to her home and spiritually l...more
Mar 13, 2010
Debbie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
realistic-middlegrade
Beautifully written immigration story which clarifies the suffering of illegals, both human and animal.
Oct 10, 2010
Reader
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-october-2010
I go back and forth on this one, but in the end I think it's a strong title for its small size. Zitlally's father has been deported back to Mexico, casting his daughter into a deep funk of a depression. At her lowest she discovers a beautiful white dog chained in a junkyard and makes friends with the nice if poor girl next door. It has many good things to say about the state of illegal immigration today, so I was worried that it would end up some long didactic tract. Instead, it's pretty subdued...more
Feb 13, 2012
Maureen Milton
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
intermediates,
juniors
A good dog story tempered by a realistic immigration story. While the language felt banal, the story of Zitlally, the 11-year-old daughter of an illegal immigrant who is deported leaving his wife & 3 daughters behind, feels plausible, as does the changing relationships between the protagonist & her friends. Ultimately, the story resolves happily, making it a draw for the dog-besotted or the relationship-savvy 3rd-grader. The endnotes about immigration from Mexico to the US are sensitive...more
Nice, middle grade story about a girl whose family has come to the US illegally from Mexico and whose father gets caught and deported. She befriends a dog tied up in the woods, whose fate she connects to her father's: if she can free the dog, her father will come home. She becomes friends with another girl who lives near her in the trailer park who is rejected by others at school, and they gradually learn about what is really important to friendship. Very realistic portayal of the struggles of i...more
May 17, 2013
M Martin Penner
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2013,
childrens-literature
2013-2014 Young Hoosier Award book. This is my first read from the new Young Hoosiers for 2013-2014. I chose this book because it deals with the immigration, illegal immigrants and deportation. A subject I don't feel like I take enough time to think about. The school I could potentially be working at next year is 50% Hispanic. I don't know what percentage are illegal but I have a feeling some of those kids are dealing with the very same issues Zitlally, the main character in the book is dealing...more
One of my favorite children's/ya authors. Resau writes well about Latino issues of culture, identity, immigration, etc. In her latest, Zitlally(her name is not Spanish but Indigenous/Mexican)lives with her mother and sisters in a trailer park and suffers greatly when her father is deported. She encounters a chained up dog in the woods and immediately senses that his fate is linked to that of her father's. I could have done without the suffusion of magical realism but I still really liked this bo...more
Apr 05, 2010
Karin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Karin by:
2 starred reviews
Shelves:
middlegrade,
realistic
Easy middle grade novel with surprising depth. Zitlally lives with family in CO and deals with life after dad is deported back to Mexico. Finds dog tied up in junkyard and is convinced he is spirit animal tied to her dad's attempt to rejoin the family. Great, age-appropriate, treatment of current issue. Really engaging characters, including dog. :)
Have loved older books by this author; now am impressed by this one for younger readers too!
Have loved older books by this author; now am impressed by this one for younger readers too!
Zitlally's relationship with her recently deported father, a new friend and an abandoned dog make this a heartwarming story (with some magical elements). The run-down trailer park setting is vividly described, and Zitlally's narrative voice is engaging. Readers will gain a better appreciation of what it's like to be an illegal immigrant in the U.S. through the story. Very readable and a good choice for a read-aloud. I loved it.
Zitlally has a close, loving relationship with her father. When he is deported to Mexico, her world falls apart. New bonds with an abandoned dog and the spirited girl next door help her cope during this awful time (which only gets worse when her father, attempting to come back, gets kidnapped and held for ransom). This is a vivid description of the constant fears and upheavals families without papers face. It's also a beautifully written story about love and friendship, from a fantastic, consist...more
Zitlally's farther has been deportada(sent back to Mexico). She is always sad and ends up with no friends. In the junkyard forest she finds a dirty, starving dog. On the dog there is a patch of black fur in the shape of a star, so Zitlally names the dog Star. Star helps Zitlally find a friend, Crystal.
Reasons why I like this book-
Reason 1- There is a wonderful dog named Star.
Reason 2- I learned a couple of Mexican words.
Reason 3- I could imagine what was happening.
Reasons why I like this book-
Reason 1- There is a wonderful dog named Star.
Reason 2- I learned a couple of Mexican words.
Reason 3- I could imagine what was happening.
First... awful awful cover... title not great...
Expected to hate it, but I really ended up enjoying this tale with its parallel journeys of father and dog... sweet... but marketing take note... this is not good marketing for this tale...
I am also curious how accurate the language is... I like how it was integrated in the story, and assuming it is accurate that's great!!! Also like the notes at the end!
Expected to hate it, but I really ended up enjoying this tale with its parallel journeys of father and dog... sweet... but marketing take note... this is not good marketing for this tale...
I am also curious how accurate the language is... I like how it was integrated in the story, and assuming it is accurate that's great!!! Also like the notes at the end!
Girls who like pet stories and are challenged readers will like this one. I thought it was a shallow story; that it could have been so much more. But then I wonder, am I reading this for me or with a child's eye? It is important to be in touch with their tastes, but I also believe it is our mission to introduce them to how beautiful and rich and fulfilling the written word can be.
In this realistic fiction William Allen White nominee, Zitally finds a dog (Star)in her junkyard forest behind her trailer court. She takes care of him and is sure he is her father's animal spirit since her father was deported back to Mexico, then kidnapped in his effort to get back to the US. It was somewhat predictable but I think the kids will enjoy it.
Third-fourth grade level story of a 4th grade girl, while trying to cope with the loss of her father who has been deported to Mexico, helps an abandoned dog nearby with the help of her quirky neighbor girl, who like her, has secrets to keep away from their classmates. REally shows the human aspects of our illegal immigration problem.
My 13th book for OBOB 2013. It had a very original plot and was interesting from beginning to end. Another book that I'm very glad the elementary age kids are encouraged to read. I honestly wish all ages were told to read it. It portrayed illegal aliens in a very real, personal way. This doesn't seem to be done very often.
Laura Resau is one of those authors who it seems like no one knows in my area but she is so good. Although this is not one of my super-favorites (read Red Glass or What the Moon Saw, it is still a good story for an age group that is facing the issues explored but doesn't have a lot of literature so far.
This was a very well written children's book that touches on topics such as illegal immigration and animal cruelty through the eyes of the innocent main character. At times depressingly real, the high notes of friendship, love, and blue frosting kept the story light-hearted enough to leave me and kids grades 3-5 with a smile.
Jul 09, 2010
Lisa
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Lisa by:
CapCh 7-10
Elegantly written story about the problems faced by Zitlally when her Mexican father is deported and then kidnapped for ransom when he tries to return to the US. Zitlally's care for a dog she finds chained in the junkyard and a new-found friendship with a girl she'd formerly avoided help carry her through.
Jan 19, 2011
Tracie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
suburban_mosaic,
youth_fiction
11-year-old Zitlally befriends a neglected white dog and an unpopular girl while waiting for her father, who was deported, to return from Mexico. A lovely, lyrical and moving middle-grade novel that nicely introduces young readers to immigration issues, fractions, and the Spanish language.
Jul 18, 2010
Beth
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
middle-school,
upper-elementary
Four and a half stars, actually. This book deals with the issue of illegal immigration on a level that is easily understood by younger readers (4th grade and up). However, the dog, Star, goes through some tough times, which might be tough to read for the more "tender-hearted".
I thought that this book was really good. I loved the part where they were with the dog or star... I thought that this book was really interesting but it was a little weird because they talked a lot about these spirit animals and it was really dumb. but overall a good book.
Up for William Allen White award. Short story that hits adult topic of illegal immigration. Thought it ended abruptly. Would work as a read aloud, just plan for discussion of spanish terms & the immigration issue.
Jun 30, 2010
NewFranklin School
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ms-patterson
Would make a great classroom book club book for grade 4 or 5. Lots of depth to the characters with enough going on to have great discussion. Themes of illegal immigration done very respectfully. - Ms. Patterson
Battle of the Books: A simple story of a young hispanic girl whose father's deportation to Mexico and her finding a dog abandoned in the junkyard tie together in her mind to bring her father back to the US.
3.5/5 stars
A good and easy middle grade novel that deals with the issue of illegal immigration. This would be a great book to use in the classroom to discus the difficulties that illegal immigrants face on a daily basis. I was surprised by the depth of the characters, Resau has a way of writing that can deal with a tough subject but make it easy enough for middle grade readers to understand.
A good and easy middle grade novel that deals with the issue of illegal immigration. This would be a great book to use in the classroom to discus the difficulties that illegal immigrants face on a daily basis. I was surprised by the depth of the characters, Resau has a way of writing that can deal with a tough subject but make it easy enough for middle grade readers to understand.
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I'm the author of the young adult novels The Queen of Water, Red Glass, What the Moon Saw, The Indigo Notebook, The Ruby Notebook , The Jade Notebook, and the middle-grade novel Star in the Forest. I grew up in Maryland, then moved around for ten years (as student, ESL teacher, and anthropologist), making my home in New Orleans; Aix-en-Provence, France; Oaxaca, Mexico; Tucson; and now, Fort Colli...more
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Mar 13, 2010 08:24am