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Every Soul A Star

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 7,335 ratings · 947 reviews

And as streams of light fan out behind the darkened sun like the wings of a butterfly, I realize that I never saw real beauty until now.

At Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, thousands have gathered to catch a glimpse of a rare and extraordinary total eclipse of the sun. It's also were three lives are about to be changed forever:

Ally likes the simple things in life--labyr...more

Hardcover, 322 pages

Published October 1st 2008 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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Community Reviews

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Sep 28, 2010 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jerry Spinelli fans and Astronomy buffs

Shelves: 2010, realistic-fiction, male-protagonist

Wendy Mass has a particular style that I think people either get or not. I have to say some of the time I don't get into her books, but I can honestly say I was happy that I read this one.

Ally, Bree, and Jack are all very different and under noraml circumstances would never meet, but one event will bring them all together, the solar eclipse. This event will be witnessed at the Moon Shadow which is Ally's home. Bree is being dragged there by force, who wants to commune with the stars anyhow? Jack...more

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 09, 2009 Jacqueline rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

Wow! This was a great book. On reflection, it was not a great book for the usual reasons. The plot was pretty typical for the young adult market. The characters, although varied and somewhat three dimensional, were still stereotypes. The theme was the usual, again especially for young adult books. The parent-child interactions were for the most part overbearing, and the teens were definitely lacking in power in their day-to-day lives. Family members were depicted working against each other inste...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Brianna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass is about three unlikely friends meeting and learning how much they actually have in common. Ally is a girl who has lived on a campground called the Moon Shadow almost her whole life. She is interested in things like eclipses, comet hunting, and stars. Bree is a stereotype popular girl chasing her dreams of becoming a model when she realizes that she and her family will be staying at the Moon Shadow. Jack is a boy bullied for being overweight and not so smart. To h...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 05, 2010 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Ally lives at a campground. She does not want to move to the city. The stars can't be seen there, and she's been searching for the Messier Objects, which can hardly be seen from where she lives!
Bree has a life, and she likes it the way it is. As far as she's concerned, school is only there for popular people like her to practice looking good so they can be models someday.
Jack is a misfit with a talent for art. He failed science, and is looking for any excuse to get out of summer school.
They get...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 06, 2010 Jonathon Arntson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

In EVERY SOUL A STAR, Wendy Mass does something incredible. For the first 200 pages, you are wonder several things. What's going to happen? Why am I supposed to care? What do these three characters have to do with each other?

EVERY SOUL A STAR follows three narrators as two of them congregate on a campground owned by one of the character's family.

From the front flap:
Ally:
Ally likes the simple things in life- labyrinths, stargazing, and comet hunting. Her home, the Moon Shadow campground, is a par...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2009 Gregory rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Preteens and older

This book was read aloud to my wife and our almost-13 son - our last child still at home. We are confirmed fans of reading aloud, and most of our favorite books are read this way.

Each chapter in this story is told from the point of view of one of the three main characters, in rotation. All three are early teens, two girls and a boy, and their very different lives are surprisingly brought together at a place and time for all of them to learn some important lessons. It's not unusual in literature...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 11, 2013 Nikki G. added it · review of another edition

I love how this book is written. There are three main characters, Ally, Bree, and Jack. Each one of them have their own chapter but they switch off. So it's like this, 1st chapter is Ally, next chapter is Bree, then it would be Jacks. But each one is considered chapter one. So it's really confusing when I try to explain it but if you read it will make a lot more sense. It is basically from different point of views of how they all get to this one place called Moon Shadow Campground, where they al...more

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May 17, 2013 Maricar Dizon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenge, owned, young-adult, coming-of-age

4.5 stars

i originally planned to give this three stars. But as i read it all night long i realized it deserves more than that. After what it made me feel.

things i like about Every Soul A Star:

It gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling while i was reading it.

The characters are likable and relatable (although I'm not sure if this is proper English).

The book is about stars, meteorites, sun, moon etc and it brought me back to the time when my dream was to become an astronomer.

The book is about dreams and...more

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Jun 02, 2013 Emily Young rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book a very long time ago, and I have read it several times since. Why? Because the story is just adorable and it just gives me that "warm fuzzy feeling" on the inside. I read it first in 4th grade, and I believe I have read it every year since. Like, a self deemed classic of sorts, I'm not quite sure. And every time I clear out my bookshelves to make room for new books, this is one of the few that has stayed around through all of the years.
Why? The characters. The characters make...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Valerie Watson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Valerie Watson

Mass, W. (2008). Every Soul a Star [ITunes Version]. Accessed through Audible.com App for IPad.

Genre:
Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Award:
None

Format:
AudioBook

Selection Process:
Reviewed in School Library Journal via http://amazon.com

Review:
Every Soul a Star is a story told through three voices—Ally, Bree, and Jack. This simple novel narrates a summer at a remote place known as the Moonshadow Campgrounds. Ally is the daughter of the people who run the camp, and they are all busy prep...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Haley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Haley Nakamura
January 28, 2013
LA 6B

ISBN 978-0-316-05389-1
$5.99

Every Soul a Star
by: Wendy Mass

Ally (short for Alpha), Bree, and Jack would never talk to each other if they all went to the same school. Ally has lived most of her life on the Moon Shadow Campground, which is miles from nowhere and is an expert on astronomy. She has never read a fashion magazine or watched a teen TV show, which is another way of saying she’s not your typical teenage girl. Bree, who spends hours on looking her best a...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

A few years ago Josie and Lyndsey suggested that I read books by Wendy Mass. The ones they most highly recommended were a Mango Shaped Space and Every Soul a Star. I paid attention those friend's recommendations. I read many of Wendy Mass' books and at last Every Soul a Star came to the top of my "to read" pile. Lyndsey and Josie were right. It is a book to read. It is amazing to imagine how such diverse people and with different lives can meet - collide - regroup - and move on changed forever.

A...more A few years ago Josie and Lyndsey suggested that I read books by Wendy Mass. The ones they most highly recommended were a Mango Shaped Space and Every Soul a Star. I paid attention those friend's recommendations. I read many of Wendy Mass' books and at last Every Soul a Star came to the top of my "to read" pile. Lyndsey and Josie were right. It is a book to read. It is amazing to imagine how such diverse people and with different lives can meet - collide - regroup - and move on changed forever.

Ally and her family has spent her whole life preparing for on total eclipse. They created Moon Shadow, a campground at the site for best viewing for this particular eclipse and have waited years for this event. There campground has Unusuals like the Star Garden - set up with telescopes for endless nights of star gazing or the Sun Garden - full of sun dials of all shapes and sizes, or the Labyrinth - that will allow you to meditate on a question as you travel the paths to the center. Annual star parties mean that friends come to meet for Meteor Showers and they like, but this year thousand will be coming to the campground for this one main event.

Bree has lived in the suburbs working on her social status and planning for the moment she will be discovered and become a cover model. Her scientist parents don't see the value in this, but Bree lives for fashion, her A-clique friends and being as beautiful as possible at all times. They are always sorting through data, searching for grants and investigating the stars and they work to discover new solar systems, planets and galaxies.

Jack failed science, not because he couldn't do the work, but because he didn't. He'd rather sit in the back of class and draw or find some quiet time where he can fly. It's a skill that SD3 (step dad)shared before leaving. He was into lucid dreaming and Jack developed the knack. Knack or no, Jack will either have to attend summer school or agree to help his science teacher on the trip he is leading for amateur astronomers into following eclipses around the world. While all he wants it to be alone, Jack chooses the trip over endless dull classes.

Ally, Bree and Jack - so different, but able to help and support each other to grow in ways they didn't even know they wanted to grow. When the eclipse is over each of them has become aware of both their inner worlds and the world beyond their own lives - it is a vast universe full of wonder and dreams. Read Every Soul a Star - what dream will you discover and follow?(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bekah, youngadult

Every Soul a Star contains the stories of three young people - Ally, Bree and Jack - who meet through circumstances that lead them all to view a total solar eclipse. Chapters alternate from narrator to narrator. While this has the advantage of letting you know the thoughts and feelings of three characters, it made the book more difficult to get into. (It didn't help that I couldn't stand Bree and didn't want to be in her head at all!)

My ten year old daughter read this book first and recommended...more Every Soul a Star contains the stories of three young people - Ally, Bree and Jack - who meet through circumstances that lead them all to view a total solar eclipse. Chapters alternate from narrator to narrator. While this has the advantage of letting you know the thoughts and feelings of three characters, it made the book more difficult to get into. (It didn't help that I couldn't stand Bree and didn't want to be in her head at all!)

My ten year old daughter read this book first and recommended it to me. Even though I felt the style of story telling left a bit to be desired, I liked that Wendy Mass created characters who had more depth than it first appeared and who continued to surprise me throughout the book. I believe big events (like a solar eclipse) can be moments that are pivotal in our lives and Mass captured that perfectly. Each of the main characters of the book change in subtle ways over the course of the book - slowly but surely growing up before our eyes.

It was also fascinating to read about the science of astronomy - as relates to solar eclipses and other concepts new to me, like exoplanets. And I not only got to read about stars, constellations and space junk, but about characters who are fascinated with science, pursuing it in their free time. My family doesn't camp out for star nights, but I loved reading about families who share a passion and pursue it together.

Finally, it was apropos to read a book about families moving and their children's reactions to the move. My own daughters are alternately thrilled to daydream about how to decorate their new rooms and spending time documenting our current home so that they don't forget it when we move. I share their mixture of joy and grief and I think it was healthy and helpful for my daughter to read about a character experiencing a life event so similar to her own.

If you are looking for a book to share with your middle grade reader, Every Soul a Star is one that will be accessible and enjoyable. You won't find yourself bored and your young reader won't be overly challenged. Yet you'll be left with a variety of things to discuss, like how to best adapt to new circumstances, how to pursue a passion when those around you aren't interested and to what degree we are defined by where we live.(less)

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Aug 19, 2012 Sonia B rated it 2 of 5 stars

In the book i read, Every Soul a Star, three very diffrent kids, Ally, Bree, and Jack come together for an eclipes at the moon shadow and become very good friends. Ally who has lived at the moon shadow almost all her life has been waiting for this eclipes but never thought she would exshperens it with two new friends. Sadly after this wonderful event, she and her family(mom,dad,kenny) will move back to civlition so that kenny and her can learn about the real world. Ally does not want to move awa...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Sarah J rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reality, astronomy, friendship, top-10-favs

A solar eclipse brings 3 unlikely friends together at the moon shadow campground. Ally has lived at the Moon Shadow most of her life and loves it there. She one day dreams of discovering a comet. Bree is the popular girl who would NEVER live at a dirty old campground, but that's just what she has to do. She will do ANYTHING to stay away. Jack has never been really popular he's chubby and failed science class. The only reason he's at the Moon Shadow is because it was that or summer school. These...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Chris Murray rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Summary:
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5–9—The lives of three young people intersect and transform against the backdrop of a total solar eclipse. Homeschooled Ally has grown up at the remote Moon Shadow Campground, which her family runs. An eclipse, which can be viewed only from this site, is approaching, and ahead of it come Bree, an aspiring model obsessed with popularity, and Jack, a reclusive artist and avid sci-fi reader. Ally's sheltered world is about to open up as she d...more
Summary:
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5–9—The lives of three young people intersect and transform against the backdrop of a total solar eclipse. Homeschooled Ally has grown up at the remote Moon Shadow Campground, which her family runs. An eclipse, which can be viewed only from this site, is approaching, and ahead of it come Bree, an aspiring model obsessed with popularity, and Jack, a reclusive artist and avid sci-fi reader. Ally's sheltered world is about to open up as she discovers that her parents plan to cede management of the campground to Bree's parents after the event. Neither Ally nor Bree is excited about the prospect, but as the teens interact they come to terms with the changes they face. Meanwhile, introverted Jack finds himself making friends and becoming a leader. As they go their separate ways, all three approach the future with a newfound balance between their internal and their external lives. The characters are well drawn and likable. Even the seemingly shallow Bree reveals hidden layers as the story progresses. The campground setting affords the youngsters independence, allowing them to interact freely and make their own choices. The astronomical details are fascinating and lyrically incorporated into the narrative. An author's note includes the date of the next solar eclipse in the mainland United States and additional resources.

My Comments:
Every Soul a Star is really an amazingly well written character driven novel told in alternating first person perspective by Ally, Bree, and Jack. Each character is distinct and so well developed that I liked them equally as individuals and cared about each one of their stories, not one more than another. This book makes science interesting and being smart a good thing. It is loaded with astronomy, presented in a way that is accessible and compelling. The descriptions of the sun, moon, star and then finally the eclipse are lyrical, poetic and exciting. The sky and the events of the eclipse really form another fascinating character in the narrative. It is impossible not to come away with a greater appreciation of astronomy after reading this book, and readers will want to go on and learn more on their own. Wendy Mass is able to distill scientific knowledge in a way that enhances the narrative without slowing down the pace of the novel. Equally important is the fact that even amateur astronomers and kids can make contributions in the name of science. This book is also a wonderful story of teenage angst, confusion, and love, both of romance and friendship. Best for the preteen crowd or junior high level. There is no bad language or bad situations in this book; everything is very uplifting.

(less)

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May 02, 2012 Aaron Brame rated it 3 of 5 stars

(From mrbramesblog.org)
Look--don't ask me why I read Every Soul a Star, because I really don't know. I bought a copy of it at the Scholastic book fair back in December, simply because the cover was attractive, it was cheap, and it looked like something my students might want to read. I took it back to my classroom and put in my library.

Whenever kids would come back to pick out a book, I'd always steer them in the direction of this one, saying, "Hey, doesn't this one look good?" After it sat on...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 23, 2012 Caroline Turla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

So the story is that Bree, a co-leader of an A-clique in her school, a gorgeous one and on her way to modelling career faced a biggest change in her life. Her family (parents; are scientists, little sister; geeky) have been planning to move to Moon Shadow, a campground where stargazers, eclipse chaser go. They will be running the camp for a few years which means she have to bid goodbye to her life in the city and say hello to the woods and homeschooling. Then there is Ally. An expert in astronom...more So the story is that Bree, a co-leader of an A-clique in her school, a gorgeous one and on her way to modelling career faced a biggest change in her life. Her family (parents; are scientists, little sister; geeky) have been planning to move to Moon Shadow, a campground where stargazers, eclipse chaser go. They will be running the camp for a few years which means she have to bid goodbye to her life in the city and say hello to the woods and homeschooling. Then there is Ally. An expert in astronomy, own a meteorite (true meteorite!) necklace and has never watch a movie and television. Their family owns the Moon Shadow since forever and they have to hand it over to Bree's family because her father need to work in Chicago and their parents decided that it's time for them to experience the civilization. And of course, there's Jack. An overweight boy with the talent of drawing and lucid dreaming. He felt better alone by himself and there comes an opportunity that would also change his life. He's going to join the camp for Eclipse chaser, stay over in the Moon Shadow campground for two weeks and assist his Science teacher in his experiment. The stars, the campground, the telescope, the exoplanet and the solar eclipse. And there comes a discovery that they will never forget.

This book was so nice that I even wanted to have a simple adventure in the Moon Shadow camp. Wendy Mass never failed to have fantastic description during the Solar Eclipse. If this could be repeated every day for a year, I would never budge from where I stood. and that I feel the same too. I don't know how come a little children (the main characters) like them used to know many things and already having the time of their life. True enough, Science is interesting. Astronomy is wonderful and there are more beautiful things in life that so we thought are just simple but actually are grandiose! I can't say anything anymore but this book was really nice no, it's really great. Kudos Wendy Mass! Please do have a sequel for this book! (less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kid-life

Meet Ally. Ally lives in the middle of picturesque, but isolated Utah. Her family lives at least an hour’s drive from any town. They spend their time tending the campground and star watching. Ally loves her life that follows the patterns of campers and constellations as each pass through. But Ally’s parents have dropped a bombshell - this is the family’s last summer at the campground. After the upcoming, once in a lifetime solar eclipse, the family is moving to the city so that Ally and her brot...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Monique added it

Every Soul a Star
The book every soul a star has many different topics that kids deal with today. One of the topics is moving, two girls Ally and Bree discovering they will both move to somewhere else. Except that Bree is moving to Ally’s remote campground where there isn’t a lot of media. Leaving all of her dreams to becoming professional model, Bree isn’t so thrilled to help her parents to help run the campground. Ally isn’t happy either that she has to move away from a campground where she gre...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-caudill-nominees, astronomy, eclipses, solar-eclipses, camp, teenagers, friendship, families, tween, juvenile-fiction, young-adult-fiction, science, research, realistic, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ally (13) and her family own the Moon Shadow Campground, which is located in the middle of nowhere – exactly where Ally likes to be. She and her brother Kenny are homeschooled and they have spent most of their lives helping their folks run the campground and learning about astronomy. This summer one of the most exciting celestial events – a total eclipse of the sun – will be visible for a short time from their campground, and hundreds of people will be coming to experience it. When Ally finds ou...more Ally (13) and her family own the Moon Shadow Campground, which is located in the middle of nowhere – exactly where Ally likes to be. She and her brother Kenny are homeschooled and they have spent most of their lives helping their folks run the campground and learning about astronomy. This summer one of the most exciting celestial events – a total eclipse of the sun – will be visible for a short time from their campground, and hundreds of people will be coming to experience it. When Ally finds out that her family is planning to move them back to civilization after the eclipse, she’s distraught. Why would she ever want to leave paradise?

Bree (also 13) is the daughter of scientists who can’t wait to see the eclipse, and big sister to super smart and super nerdy Melanie. Bree wants more than anything to be a model, and when her folks inform her that they’ll be moving to the Moon Shadow Campground for research, she feels like her life is coming to an end.

Jack (another teen) has just gotten out of summer school by agreeing to help his science teacher chaperone a tour group that’s headed to Moon Shadow to see the eclipse. Chunky, unpopular, and generally shy, Jack spends most of his time sketching aliens and reading science fiction. He’s not sure why Mr. Silver asked him to help out, but he decides to do the best he can.

Although they come from different backgrounds, Ally, Bree, and Jack become friends and share in the magic of the eclipse. The two girls initially bond over their mutual distress over having to move to places they absolutely do not want to live (and their efforts to make their parents change their minds). Jack brings them all together, however, when he becomes responsible for collecting data for Mr. Silver’s exoplanet research. Everyone in this story manages to get in touch with their inner scientist (or nerd, as Bree would put it, once she allows herself to investigate her interests beyond the pages of Teen Vogue). A unique setting (and once-in-a-lifetime-event), well-drawn characters, and scientific bent sets this story apart from the cliquey, supernatural, and teen problem novels currently flooding the market – refreshing.(less)

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Sep 07, 2011 Kerry rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 5th-8th graders

Shelves: multiple-narrators

Every Soul a Star and Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O'Connor are both books where a set of characters with nothing in common are thrown together and have an impact on each other's lives. In addition, each has parental units who suddenly take up "motel" managing without any experience!

But from there, Every Soul is a much stronger book. I felt the kids were more well rounded with clearer voices and evoked a deeper emotional response from me. I was taken with Jack in particular, while I think...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Stephen rated it 5 of 5 stars

As usual, I listened to the audio book version of this book. I'm curious whether the emotional nature of the eclipse description is the same when read in print. They used three vocal actors to play the narrators, and they did a great job. One of the real strengths of this book is that you start to identify with these quirky characters and then you view the eclipse through their eyes. I particularly was moved by Allie's narration of the first half of the eclipse, again the vocal performance was e...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-books

Yet another Rebecca Caudill nominee for the upcoming school year, Every Soul a Star is told using the multiple point-of-view format, including characters Ally, Bree, and Jack. Ally, a teen girl who lives in the woods with her family (who runs a campground), is a home-schooled girl who, although really smart, is lacking in her social skills. Ally loves astronomy and all things having to do with it. Bree, the complete opposite of Ally, is a teen girl who wants to be a model and is only concerned w...more Yet another Rebecca Caudill nominee for the upcoming school year, Every Soul a Star is told using the multiple point-of-view format, including characters Ally, Bree, and Jack. Ally, a teen girl who lives in the woods with her family (who runs a campground), is a home-schooled girl who, although really smart, is lacking in her social skills. Ally loves astronomy and all things having to do with it. Bree, the complete opposite of Ally, is a teen girl who wants to be a model and is only concerned with the things that will land her a modeling gig. Ally is quite a superficial character who only seems to care about herself, her clothing, and how she looks. Jack is a teen boy who is kind of chubby, an outcast at school, and doesn’t get very good grades. For different reasons, all three characters are brought together to witness the Great Eclipse. Although, for the most part, the characters are quite different, they are all dealing with personal issues that they must face throughout the story. All three of their lives will be thrown upside down, especially with the very important task they are given, in Every Soul a Star.

I liked that Every Soul a Star is told using multiple points-of-view. I feel like telling the story this way enabled me to get a better understanding of each of the characters and their individual backgrounds. Plus, this method allowed me to see how each character reacted to different situations they were all experiencing at the same time. One aspect of the book that I did not like was how the characters were kind of stereotypical. For example, Ally was homeschooled and was therefore considered unsocial. Although there was some character growth throughout the book, it just wasn’t enough to make up for this negative aspect of the book. On the upside, I liked that there were twists and turns in the plot, not so much shocking events, but more life experiences that will keep readers on their toes.

I think this book would be a good choice for tweens or younger teens, especially if they want a “book that won’t make me blush”. Even with its flaws, it does tell a good story that this age group would appreciate.(less)

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Apr 14, 2011 M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

2012 Rebecca Caudill nominee. Four very different kids, all middle school aged, are thrown together when a huge number of people gather at the Moon Shadows Campground to experience a solar eclipse. Ally's family owns the campground but they're planning on moving to the city after the eclipse while Bree's family is going to take it. Ryan comes every year with his grandparents and Jack is there because his science teacher, a noted astronomer, gives him the option of accompanying the teacher's tour...more

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Feb 07, 2011 Buckham Teens Library added it

Shelves: realistic-fiction-girls, tween

Ally, Bree, and Jack, meet at a camp preparing to see the solar eclipse. They each have their own problems. Ally is about to lose the home that she has lived in for most of her life, and move to the city. Bree is about to take Ally’s home and she doesn’t want to live at a summer camp for the rest of her life, with no cell phone signal and no internet and no connection to the outside world. Jack is just trying to find where he fits in, he came on this trip for extra credit in school but he ends u...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Debra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: chapter-books

In the middle of NOWHERE USA, three different 8th graders with three different perspectives and personalities, take turns narrating their lives as they converge with thousands who come to wait for a full solar eclipse.
Ally’s family established the Moon Shadow Campground for the sole purpose of hosting this eclipse. She has never known anything else. NO TV cell phones or video games.
Bree is an apiring model and mall rat who has done the typical life in the burbs with all the beautiful people. Her...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Minli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, middle-grade

Ally, Jack and Bree are all at the eclipse campground for different reasons. It's summer, and Jack needs to make up a class--when the science teacher/eclipse guide asks him to be his assistant and gets him out of summer school, Jack jumps at the chance. Bree is an aspiring model who hates the outdoors and leaving the city (civilization, she calls it) and is being forced to move to the campground against her will, since her parents are taking over the campground from Ally's family. And Ally (shor...more

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Aug 06, 2010 Paul Sheckarski rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story leads to an absolutely mesmerizing climax. I loved the multiple inversions of Bradbury's "All Summer in a Day", too -- a deft touch.

I suppose my only complaint -- and I'm stretching here -- is that if I were to recommend this book to a young woman like Bree (in an effort to get her to appreciate science or to encourage her to nurture her "inner geek") then my effort would seem very transparent to that young reader -- because Bree herself, insofar as she is a mouthpiece for the author'...more

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Jun 08, 2010 Peyton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-this-year

I liked it. I didn't waste my time reading it. What got to me, was you had to get more than half way through the novel to get to a good part of it.

Aly: The 'space girl' as I like to call her. She's home schooled, loves observing the galaxy, and talks to her friends on different planets. Glenn, Peggy, and Eta. Of course, they're not real, she just hopes that they are looking up at the sky too, if they are really up there. Her point of view wasn't my favorite, but it was entertaining.

Bree: Bree wa...more

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About Wendy Mass

Wendy Mass is the author of six novels for young people, including A Mango-Shaped Space (which was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award by the American Library Association), Leap Day, the Twice Upon a Time fairy tale series, and Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, which earned a starred review in Publishers Weekly magazine. Her most recent book is Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall. Wendy wrote...more

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Trivia About Every Soul A Star

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Quotes from Every Soul A Star

“I am not plain, or average or - God forbid - vanilla. I am peanut butter rocky road with multicolored sprinkles, hot fudge and a cherry on top.” — 133 people liked it

“When people see you're happy doing what you're doing, it sort of takes the power away from them to tease you about it.” — 100 people liked it

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Every Soul A Star

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