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Stargirl (Stargirl #1)
Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first.
Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything t...more
Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything t...more
Mass Market Paperback, 186 pages
Published
May 11th 2004
by Laurel Leaf
(first published August 8th 2000)
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Okay, I'm going to say it. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli is a young adult classic (maybe even a children's classic but that's really a cataloguing issue that I am ill-equipped to discuss). This designation raises the question: What makes a book (any book) a classic? For me it means a book that is timeless; something you can read years and years after it was written without the book losing its vibrancy. A classic also needs to have memorable writing and characters. It needs to speak to the reader. I...more
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Very sweet. I had this book lying around and picked it up to give myself a break from the Holocaust Monster I've been chipping away at for the past month, and it definitely did the trick. The kids seem a little innocent - more like elementary school than high school - but dammit why CAN'T there be beautiful and magical teenagers who hold hands at the movies and give their friends cupcakes and valentines? Why do they have to do drugs and have sex and be JERKS all the time?
For some weird reason I couldn't put this book down! You should read it. It grabbed my attention and I am a very picky reader! :)
There are too many things wrong with this story. First of all, nonconformity for nonconformity's sake is not necessarily a good thing. Sure, we should not judge people who don't jump on the Abercrombie wagon. We shouldn't care if a girl want to dress hippy-style. We should applaud people who show sportsmanlike conduct.
But why do we need to applaud people's outrageous behavior, especially when it borders on staulking? Creepy.
I love that Stargirl stood for some good ...more
But why do we need to applaud people's outrageous behavior, especially when it borders on staulking? Creepy.
I love that Stargirl stood for some good ...more
Jared
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Jared by:
Kim
Shelves:
young-adult,
fiction
Stargirl is an amazing book about individuality and nonconformism. A home-schooled girl named Stargirl begins attending the public high school for her sophomore year. Stargirl is different.
She learns everybody's birthdays and on the day of, she sings them a happy birthday song -- accompanying herself on the ukulele -- in the middle of the lunch room, whether they want her to or not. She watches a young boy who lives across the street so that she can create a scrapbook for him with...more
She learns everybody's birthdays and on the day of, she sings them a happy birthday song -- accompanying herself on the ukulele -- in the middle of the lunch room, whether they want her to or not. She watches a young boy who lives across the street so that she can create a scrapbook for him with...more
Stargirl Caraway is the new girl at Mica Area High School, and in her mysterious first days of school, she reveals herself to be a true unique individual. She plays a ukalele! She carries around a pet rat! She gives little gifts and cards to people she doesn't know! Soon, all of the high school cannot resist her charm, and she has the entire community under her spell. But after a while, Stargirl's actions become tiresome, irritating, and the question rises among her peers: why can't she just be ...more
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Stargirl Caraway is an enigma. She's the type of girl that you either love or hate--with no room for any emotions in between. When she first comes to the high-school as a sophomore in small town Mica, Arizona, her name reverberates throughout the hallways. What kind of a name is Stargirl? Was she really home-schooled for all these years, or did she just magically appear in Mica? How can she seem so calm, so serene, why eating quietly alone in the lu...more
Stargirl Caraway is an enigma. She's the type of girl that you either love or hate--with no room for any emotions in between. When she first comes to the high-school as a sophomore in small town Mica, Arizona, her name reverberates throughout the hallways. What kind of a name is Stargirl? Was she really home-schooled for all these years, or did she just magically appear in Mica? How can she seem so calm, so serene, why eating quietly alone in the lu...more
It started with a necktie. It ended with a necktie. But not just any kind of necktie and not just any kind of girl would give someone a gift with pictures of porcupines.
I really loved this book. REALLY! I did. I HEART Stargirl. Seriously. I’d been meaning to read it for years and like the last book I devoured, after reading the first 2 pages, I couldn’t put it down; so the other books I’d started before this one got pushed aside so I could get lost in her world. This book had ...more
This is one of those rare reads where you can allow your heart to open up wide and let the story sink deep. A series for every teenage girl: just reading it makes you a better person, teaching you to laugh, to listen, to enjoy, to love, to care...
In spite of the attractive eccentricity of the main character, Stargirl is more real than any other book for teens. It is set in the erratic climate of teen emotions, realistically depicted through ordinary events and conversations.
...more
In spite of the attractive eccentricity of the main character, Stargirl is more real than any other book for teens. It is set in the erratic climate of teen emotions, realistically depicted through ordinary events and conversations.
...more
This book is about a weird girl called Stargirl. She is weird because she does a lot of things that people don't normally do. Even her name is weird.
Let me tell you about a few of the weird things she does. Firstly she takes photos of people without them knowing. She stalks them and secretly takes their photos. Then she makes a photo album and gives it to them when they get older.
The other weird thing she does is to wear clothes that do not fit her. She usually wears lo...more
Let me tell you about a few of the weird things she does. Firstly she takes photos of people without them knowing. She stalks them and secretly takes their photos. Then she makes a photo album and gives it to them when they get older.
The other weird thing she does is to wear clothes that do not fit her. She usually wears lo...more
BATMAN
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
poeple who want a reason to cut them selves
Recommended to BATMAN by:
a person who didnt deserve a neck so they could make me read thi
if this book was a person i would kill them. i would kill them in front of there mother and make them swallow there own heart. it showed a sad message that HAS BENN PLAYED OUT OVER AND OVER again. if you were locked in a box and told not to look at sun light for 12 years this book might be refreashing if not then dont bother. simply it was so crappy. here is the WHOLE STORY i'll save you time well she is differnt meets kids and then marginalized and then surprisingly becomes not differnt. here i...more
it was refreshing to read about stargirl's genuine kindness and individuality. i liked it.
we want to dance to the music in our own heads, but we don't because of the looks, whispers and stares we'd get.
stargirl is the person we all want to be, while leo reminds us of the person most of us are.
i hope one day to be as brave as stargirl
we want to dance to the music in our own heads, but we don't because of the looks, whispers and stares we'd get.
stargirl is the person we all want to be, while leo reminds us of the person most of us are.
i hope one day to be as brave as stargirl
Review- Others would like this book for many reasons, such as how interesting and the amount of individually in the loving & vulgar characters. From the very sore beginning and the sad but sweet ending, I enjoyed it every much. All the words made into sentences that formed into paragraphs and final came together to make a magical, captivating and enchanting short novel Others might think differently but the characters to me were not real, but just a blink of an eye away from being similar to the...more
Annalisa
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
looking for a quick/light read
Recommended to Annalisa by:
Rosa
Truthfully I did not expect to like this book. I expected a heavily handed tale about acceptance. But here's the thing: I did not like Star Girl.
The story is about a free-spirited girl whose named herself Star Girl who shows up for her first year of public education as a sophomore and the typical apathetic student body doesn't quite know how to respond to her. Normally when I read stories about the quirky outcast, I want to shield them from cruelty of the popular crowd, but I found ...more
The story is about a free-spirited girl whose named herself Star Girl who shows up for her first year of public education as a sophomore and the typical apathetic student body doesn't quite know how to respond to her. Normally when I read stories about the quirky outcast, I want to shield them from cruelty of the popular crowd, but I found ...more
Is she an alien? Is she home-schooling gone berserk? Is she sniffing fumes? …this and many more queries surround Stargirl Caraway when she makes her appearance at Mica High. Strumming a ukulele, carrying a rat called Cinnamon in her canvas bag and wearing clothes ranging from pioneer gowns to kimonos she’s as strange as they come. Add to that the fact that she does the weirdest, kindest and friendliest things. She sings birthday songs to perfect strangers, drops loose change accidentally on purp...more
Poor Leo, a junior in high school is dumbfounded by the new girl. She comes to school with a rat in her purse, plays the ukulele, sings in the cafeteria, decorates her desk with a tablecloth and flowers, takes over the football field from the team, and well, is simply strange. But Leo is drawn to this girl, the self-named Stargirl; her behavior and his reaction to it will change them and all of the student body. Jerry Spinelli has built strong characters in Stargirl, ones you won't soon forge...more
This was my first Jerry Spinelli read and for the most part I enjoyed it. I'd give it 3.5 stars if that was possible. :)
I can see why kids like his writing style, which is simple and straightforward, yet interesting. The issues he tackles in this book -- identity, conformity/nonconformity, and peer pressure -- are all relevant for middle school-aged readers, which is who this book is best suited for. Also, I think he does a good job of sending the "right" message without ...more
I can see why kids like his writing style, which is simple and straightforward, yet interesting. The issues he tackles in this book -- identity, conformity/nonconformity, and peer pressure -- are all relevant for middle school-aged readers, which is who this book is best suited for. Also, I think he does a good job of sending the "right" message without ...more
This is the first Spinelli book I read. It's no wonder he's popular among children and youth... it's sort of hard to put the book down! The desert setting, nostalgic point of view, cast a romantic spell. The book paints a reminiscent ideal of a tight-knit, connected American community, contrasted against a suburban cinnabon eating culture. It turns out that community is a naive construct in Stargirl's mind that has to face the harsh reality of rejection when she enters public school. It is abou...more
Robin
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
teenagers or children finding their way in this world
Shelves:
teen-ya
Stargirl is a story of Susan (aka Stargirl) who has been homeschooled for the majority of her life. She makes her way into Mica High and is not deemed normal by other kids. She arrives at school in costume-like outfits, plays her ukulele for students celebrating a birthday, takes her pet rat Cinnamon everywhere. The student body doesn't quite know what to make of her. For one student, Leo Borlock, Stargirl is mesmerizing and intriguing. Eventually the student body embraces her individuality and ...more
It's really, really good. It kind of makes me cry, showing how horrible people can be to a person who obviously doesn't deserve it. She's new, and her randomness is so amazing. I mean, she has a pet rat.
I like Leo. He seems average, but a little bit more. He understands how amazing she is, but at the same time, I wish he'd tried harder to be what she needed.
I like the ending, even though it's sad. I like how she leaves and Leo is left with this thought that he might have be...more
I like Leo. He seems average, but a little bit more. He understands how amazing she is, but at the same time, I wish he'd tried harder to be what she needed.
I like the ending, even though it's sad. I like how she leaves and Leo is left with this thought that he might have be...more
I LOVED this book! Actually as my first download on my Ipod, I loved listening to this book. It got me happily through an entire afternoon of pulling down miserable wallpaper.
I absolutely love Stargirl. She is a nonconformist, yes. But more importantly she is uncommonly sensitive to those in need, kindhearted, observant yet seemingly oblivious to the missteps of others, including her fickle and cruel classmates. Or perhaps she is not oblivious after all, perhaps she is more forgivin...more
I absolutely love Stargirl. She is a nonconformist, yes. But more importantly she is uncommonly sensitive to those in need, kindhearted, observant yet seemingly oblivious to the missteps of others, including her fickle and cruel classmates. Or perhaps she is not oblivious after all, perhaps she is more forgivin...more
This was a fun read and I found many parts of myself in it. I was once different (but never to the extreme that Stargirl was ;) ), but have conformed from years of ridicule and being the blunt of jokes. It has only been very recently that I've been trying to gain some of that older self back and I am grateful for this book at this time. I can and will be true to myself and not let others influence what I find important and interesting!
Some fun side notes~ I'm from Tucson and could u...more
Some fun side notes~ I'm from Tucson and could u...more
(G)Emma
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who like unusual characters
Shelves:
favorites
Stargirl is simply, one of the best books I've ever and will ever, read. Stargirl is so mysterious, unique, and makes such an impression I wish I could meet her. Hear her voice, and see her pratice "Elements of Nothingness," stroke cinnamon. Leo, I thought, was useless, but anyone who could love Stargirl was someone I could like. Stargirl is too amazing for words, because Stargirl, is bigger then the night sky.
I can completely see why my fifth grade students loved this book. Who doesn't imagine they could be the non-conformist, the self they feel inside, instead of the self they think their classmates need to see them be. That's what Stargirl does, and who she is. The fact that she is also clueless is something I'd love to talk about with my students. The worst example of this, for me, was when she arrived at a funeral for someone she didn't know at all and then went to the house for the after-fune...more
Fitting in and being a part of something is half the battle for most high school students. For Stargirl, being herself and doing things because they were right or made her feel good about herself was even more important. The students at Mica High couldn’t understand why this strange girl would sing Happy Birthday to everyone on their birthday or put flowers on her desk, but Leo Borlock wanted to know more. Befriending the new girl to learn more about her gave him a new look on life, but what...more
I don't think I can say more than has already been said about this book. I got it for $.99 from a book order and now I wish I had bought 10 so I could give them away as gifts. Everyone should read this book to remind us to look around and really live our lives. I heart Jerry Spinelli!
Everything in Mica High School is normal. Even though everybody in the school is different, there are still similar in many ways. Then one day, Stargirl comes and changes everything. She gives cookies to everyone, decorating her desk as if she was redecorating her room, and most surprising of all, she sing happy birthday to everyone on her ukulele. The whole school is surprised, never in all their life had anything like this happened to them, and will they like it? Will they hate it?
Studen...more
Studen...more
Katherine Bald
Romaniuk/Moyer
Reading/L.A. Book Review Number 4
2 November 2010
Star Girl:
Make Your Personality Shines Through
How would you react if someone came into your school and broke every single clique only with her ukulele and rat named Cinnamon? The amazing book, Star Girl, by Jerry Spineli is a magical story filled with details of how to reveal your true self. As the book is told through Leo’s eyes I find that Mica Area High School is very simple place an...more
Romaniuk/Moyer
Reading/L.A. Book Review Number 4
2 November 2010
Star Girl:
Make Your Personality Shines Through
How would you react if someone came into your school and broke every single clique only with her ukulele and rat named Cinnamon? The amazing book, Star Girl, by Jerry Spineli is a magical story filled with details of how to reveal your true self. As the book is told through Leo’s eyes I find that Mica Area High School is very simple place an...more
Sweet, funny and poignant. The self-named Star Girl, is a magically unique young woman, who enters public school for the first time in her life at an Arizona high school. She is a blythe spirit, who strives to live as her authentic self, almost oblivious to the reactions of others to her unwillingness to conform and non-existent need for approval. She's never learned fear of rejection or the wrath of the "cool" kids. For a time she has such an effect on the student body, that they are ...more
I could feel my heart practically breaking inside me as I was reading this book. It is one of those YA books that are relevant and replete with life lessons for all to learn, whether you can relate to the characters or not.
Stargirl is told in the first-person point of view of Leo Borlock, a junior at Mica High School in Arizona, who crosses paths with a beautiful, kind, and weird girl who has re-christened herself as, well, Stargirl. Stargirl Caraway draws attention to herse...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| good or bad? | 92 | 176 | Jan 17, 2012 09:45am | |
| Stargirl Comments | 43 | 175 | Jan 07, 2012 11:26am | |
| Teachers' Book Club: What I Learned From My Kids' Seventh Grade Teacher | 1 | 5 | Dec 15, 2011 04:11pm | |
| CHS 10th Grade Re...: Stargirl | 1 | 2 | Dec 06, 2011 10:51am | |
| stargirl | 96 | 89 | Sep 27, 2011 02:04pm | |
| stargirl | 19 | 80 | Sep 11, 2011 06:17pm |
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When Jerry Spinelli was a kid, he wanted to grow up to be either a cowboy or a baseball player. Lucky for us he became a writer instead.
He grew up in rural Pennsylvania and went to college at Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University. He has published more than 25 books and has six children and 16 grandchildren.
Jerry Spinelli began writing when he was 16 — not much older t...more
More about Jerry Spinelli...
He grew up in rural Pennsylvania and went to college at Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University. He has published more than 25 books and has six children and 16 grandchildren.
Jerry Spinelli began writing when he was 16 — not much older t...more
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“You’ll know her more by your questions than by her answers. Keep looking at her long enough. One day you might see someone you know.”
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“The earth is speaking to us, but we can't hear because of all the racket our senses are making. Sometimes we need to erase them, erase our senses. Then - maybe - the earth will touch us. The universe will speak. The stars will whisper.”
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