Your Eyes in Stars

by M.E. Kerr

In their small New York town, two teen-aged girls become friends while helping each other make sense of their families, neighbors, and selves as they approach adulthood in the years preceding World War II. Reprint.

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2006

About the author

M. E. Kerr was born Marijane Meaker in Auburn, New York. Her interest in writing began with her father, who loved to read, and her mother, who loved to tell stories of neighborhood gossip. Unable to find an agent to represent her work, Meaker became her own agent, and wrote articles and books under a series of pseudonyms: Vin Packer, Ann Aldrich, Laura Winston, M.E. Kerr, and Mary James. As M.E. Kerr, Meaker has produced over twenty novels for young adults and won multiple awards, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her lifetime contribution to young adult literature.

Reviews

[Emlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was very disjointed. The end had almost nothing to do with the beginning, and the whole thing was very strange and slightly pointless.

[Tfalcone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of left you hanging half way and changed to a letter story.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read "Your Eyes in Stars" by M.E. Kerr. It was about the challenges that faced a young girl, named Jessica, during the depression and how her dear friend, Elisa, struggled in Germany under Hitler's reign. The two girls first met in America after Elisa and her parents had just moved to Cayuta, New York, where Jessica, her mother, father, and brother, Seth, lived. In a matter of months the two became inseparable. They spent every moment together although their parents did not approve of this friendship. Jessica's family had difficulty paying the bills and being able to afford food on their table. When Elisa moved back to Germany, she was forced to stop communicating with all of her Jewish friends or risk being sent to a concentration camp or even killed. I believe that this novel was entertaining and factual, but it wasn't something I would recommend. Also, it was not a book that I simply couldn't put down . The reason I say that is because the story jumped all over the place. For example, one chapter would be about the struggles that the two girls faced and then another would be about the childhood of one of the inmates at the local prison, which I felt didn't relate to the story at all. In addition, the book was broken up into two parts that were seemingly unrelated. Since Elisa was German, she often spoke her native tongue which was not translated for an English reader. Additionally, Elisa had difficulty with English, which, along with her accent, made her hard to understand. All together the book did work well for the assignments I was required to do, but it is not the kind of book I would read for enjoyment. If I could choose a different book I probably would because of the way the story was structured.

[Jalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time choosing between 2 and 3 stars for this book so I'm giving it a 2.5. The first part of Your Eyes in Stars wasn't bad. The characters were interesting, but I just didn't feel that wow factor. There were times when I was a little confused by the writing. I'm not really sure what Slater Carr had to do with the book. He could have been left out of the book completely and I don't think it would have hurt the story. I kind of felt like his part should have gone somewhere at least, but it just ends. To be honest, I probably would have given this a 2 star rating if not for part two. I wish the whole book would have been written in the form of letters. I couldn't put it down once I started reading that part. The ending left me feeling sad, but I'm glad I found out what eventually happened to Jess and Elisa. I'm happy that Elisa wasn't really on the German side, but it was really sad that she died!!

[Miss_otis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This should have been two books: one focusing on the girls' friendship, the relationship of the prison to the town, maybe exploring the difference between hero worship (of gangsters) and the reality of criminals (the prison escape); the other focusing on a correspondence between an American girl and a German girl living in pre-World War II/wartime Germany.

The different portions of the story did not come together smoothly or naturally and I found that extremely jarring; additionally, I feel there was some very anachronistic dialogue and word usage.

[Mack · Rating 1 out of 5]

i realy didnt like this book at all. i had to read it for english class and it was not my kind of book at all. i dont enjoy reading about the holocoust.

[Chastity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your Eyes in Stars was definitely a breathtaking book. I loved the vintage sounding dialect and most of all love the everlasting friendship between Jessica (Jess) and Elisa. The ending was something I would have never thought of. My only reprimand is that this book bounced from place to place and couldn't sit still with the story line. I wish they would've thought of something more creative than letters going back and forth for the ending.

[Sue J · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on on the lives of two girls from different backgrounds. It was a bit disjointed for me. I have enjoyed the writing of M.E. Kerr. But this one was not at the top of the list.

[Charlie Vaden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see how it’s an interesting story about two girls becoming friends during the Hitler crisis but the story jumps around a lot almost like the author couldn’t choose one story line. It is fairly confusing until the last 30 pages or so where it is just letters between the two girls.

[Wendopolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little all over the place, but part 2 brought it together

[savannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kinda boring

[Christina D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book, "Your Eyes in Stars," by M.E. Kerr, Jess Myrer was lost. Fourteen year old Jess Myrer and her family have moved from her beloved Elmira, New York to Cayuta, New York when her Dad is relocated for his job. Mr. Myrer was the warden of the Elmira local prison. He and his family were treated differently in Elmira. They were popular and well liked because of hism important job as warden. Jess had many friends and went to the good high school in Elmira, until the day her father was relocated to Cayuta.
When the Myrers moved to Cayuta, they lived in the house provided for them by the prison. Jess and her family are now treated differently. Cayuta is just plain different for Jess. She now attends the bad high school, and finds herself unknown with no friends.She pretends she doesn't care, but she secretly does.Jess soon becomes desperate, writing about suicide in her journal.
Soon enough, the Stadlers move in across the street. For a while now, they have not introduced themselves to the Myrers, until now. Jess is home in her room, looking at all of her famous criminal posters. Since Jess' father is warden, he knows all. Jess often begs her father for the inside story of them, becoming an expert.
Out of the blue, Elisa Stadler, the new German neighbor, comes to visit the Myrer house. When Jess first meets Elisa, she thinks of her as arrogant and stuck up, but soon enough she realizes that Elisa is just like her, shy and an outsider. Jess and Elisa soon spark a true and loving relationship, becoming best friends. Jess quickly becomes comfortable with Elisa, sharing her knowledge and obsession with criminals, especially the new "lifer" Slater Carr. But Jess finds herself partially lying to Elisa to imprress her. She makes up stories about him to spark interest in Elisa, becoming successful.
The girls soon share the obsession with Slater Carr. Jess and Elisa not only gossip about the prisoners, but bond with one another. They walk aroung town, or just hang around Hoopes Park and at Jess' house. As the girls spend more and more time together, they begin gaining more and more interest in Slater. Soon enough, their obsession grows out of contol.The girls dress up as criminals for the Halloween parade, and on that day their lives change forever. Slater is loose from the jail, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
While Slater is loose, the girls' friendship is put under stress. The Stadlers are considering moving back to Germany for a while, and Jess is upset. Elisa is her only best friend, and she cannot lose her. But as the book continues on, Jess' life takes a turn that can affect her forever.
I think that the book, "Your Eyes in Stars" was a great book. It had amazing details and imagery, so I felt as if I were really there with the characters. M.E Kerr writes with so much passion and description, that this book was just amazing. The book seems very realistic and all the characters are relatable at one point in the book, especially Jess and Elisa. The story was so clear and focused, that it was really easy and fun to read. I definitely enjoyed this book because the writing was fluent and easy to follow. I could picture each thing described to me, as if it were right in front of my face. I also felt strongly towards the characters because they were so perfectly created and relatable and realistic. I believe that the plot of this novel was unique. Even though it is focused on the 1930's during the Great Depression, the book is relatable to struggles society has today. I feel that the book, "Your Eyes in Stars" by M.E Kerr is an amazing book, and think that if you are interested in great historical fiction, this is the book for you. It describes the Depression very well in details that are not boring, but gives you a different perspective on things through the eyes of young teenagers. The book also has a unique story line and plot. When I was into the plot and eventually reaching the climax, I could not put the book down. I spent all day reading about the characters in the story.I honestly and truly loved the book, "Your Eyes in Stars," by M.E. Kerr, and would reccommend it to anyone.

[Allyson R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your Eyes in the Stars is a captivating novel mainly about two teenage girls growing up during the Great Depression. It is told both from the perspective of Jessica, the main character, and from the perspective of a criminal who is held prisoner at Jessica's father's prison where he is warden. As for the two teenagers, Jessica and Elisa seem at first an unlikely pair of friends. Jessica was born in America, however Elisa was born in Germany to a wealthy family who has traveled the world. Though both their backgrounds and personalities were extremely different, they find that they can be themselves around each other and speak their minds about not only their problems as adolescents but also issues that arise from growing up during the Great Depression. This allows the reader to learn about the Depression from a more personal perspective, unlike reviewing facts or statistics in a textbook. As for the prisoner, Slater Carr, he is introduced a little further into the book through chapters exclusively about him from a narrator's point of view. As you read through the novel, you gradually learn more and more about him, how he got into prison, and about his past as an orphan. I especially like how the author included his character in this way and how she connected him with the two teenagers. One thing that most characters in Your Eyes in the Stars have in common is that they enjoy listening to or playing music, especially Slater Carr, who can stop everyone in their tracks when playing the bugle. This, for me personally, adds something that I can really relate to and makes the story even more enjoyable to read for anyone who feels strongly about the art. It also shows how music was one way for people to escape their problems during the Great Depression. Overall, I thought that Your Eyes in the Stars was a good book, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to see how the Great Depression affected the lives of all Americans, or to anyone just looking to read a good book about friendship and the challenges that Jessica and Elisa face.

[Amanda M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’ll never forget meeting her that first afternoon, the little sideways grin on her face, the sparkle in her eyes as though we were friends who got a kick out of each other, even though we hadn’t yet spoken…I bent double laughing. She would always affect me that way, make me see the fun of things, even when the joke was on her” (7-8).

Jessie Myrer is a loquacious tomboy who lives next to a prison in Cayuta, New York since her dad is the prison warden, which later has a major effect on how everyone must live life. Her German neighbor, who has just moved in, quickly becomes Jessie’s best friend. Your Eyes in Stars by M.E. Kerr is an enlightening book about this teenage girl living through the Depression. The first part of the novel is about the story of Jessie’s life after she meets her German neighbor, Elisa Stadler, and what their adventures or experiences together are like. In addition, part two of Your Eyes in Stars is a collection of letters written between Jess and Elisa explaining what their lives are like, due to the fact that Elisa’s family had to move back to Germany and are unable to leave the country.

True to M.E. Kerr’s approach with other novels, this book stresses to show how every family or group of friends has to struggle through life and overcome obstacles together. Your Eyes in Stars depicts many instances of difficulties that each character had to endure throughout the Depression, which leads to a heart-wrenching ending to the compelling story. Every character enters the story, each with an interesting background, and contributes to a captivating plot of what it is like to be living through the Depression and finding out what is occurring in Germany.

The bond that is created between each character, and each one of their stories, makes for an interesting and riveting read. This story is anything but boring and it does have a somewhat unpredictable ending that only few could see coming.

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book incredibly disappointing. The first section of the book has almost nothing to do with the second section and, overall, nothing really happens. It establishes the friendship between Jessica and Elisa, but that's about it. We don't need to know about the Joys and about the convict and what was going on between Jessica's father and brother or mother or anybody. None of that adds anything to the story line, if you could really say this even has one. The first section doesn't even do a good job setting the tone of the time period, which was during the Great Depression. You hear about all the gangsters, yes, and the hobo camps and car repossessions were mentioned as well, but overall, you don't get a real feel for what was going on at the time.

The most important part, I'd say is the correspondence between the two girls after Elisa's family goes back to Germany, which isn't until the second section, and by then the book is almost over. Page 177, that's when the book starts getting interesting and you actually get a feel for what is going on. That's over three quarters of the way into the book!

I would not suggest reading this. In fact I'd almost consider this book a waste of paper, and I never thought I'd say that about any book. Save yourself the trouble. If you don't have to read it, don't waste your time.

[Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really, I have no idea what to think of this book. It was way different from books that I usually read. At first, I thought it would be all about the bugle boy at the prison on the hill. And it was, for the first part. There were A few lite mentionings of hitler and the holocaust, but it was mostly about the bugle boy, and the two girls friendship. Then, when the second part came, it totally changed to the girls writing letters back and forth and then it's the end. The second part really focused on what was going on in Germany during WWII. To tell you the truth, I hate reading about the holocaust. It just make me so sad and angry. But anyway, over all, it was a pretty good book, but I don't know if I would read it again.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the time preceding the World War II in a town that is home of a prison it is the story of a teenage girl whose father is the prison warden. It follows her friendship with the German girl who lives across the street. This book explores the idea of people being more than what they seem. The final section which is a correspondence between the friends after the German girl goes to Hitler-run Germany is compelling.

[Liaken · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is weird. It takes such a long time to get going ... and then part two (which is only about 1/4 of the book) goes really fast and feels disconnected from the rest of the book. But, ultimately, I liked it for the quirky view it gave of the time period leading up to WWII. Not the best written book ever, but worth a read for those interested in the topic.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over all this book was okay, I thought the author tried to cram too many elements into such a small book: the prison, the Holocaust, Slater Carr, the girls' friendship, etc. Because of this, in the end she didn't explore any of these aspects in the detail I would have liked.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost very good: this seemed to be three stories in one - with the author not quite completing any one of the story strands. Lots of potential here - but the novel doesn't quite come together to make a coherent, satisfying reading experience.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takes place in Cayuta, NY, in the mid-1930s. Odd novel.

[Dana]

I saw this book and the title caught my eye, it is different and interesting but I will love to read it and see what it is about!

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

God, what a dud.

[Jenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

For young adults, a sweet and new-to-me holocaust-era story, set in 1930's upstate New York. Gangsters and prisoners as rock stars, young girls their disappointed groupies.

[LaDawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different. Haunting. One you continue to think about long after you have closed it.

[TeAndrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not think this book would take a turn as it did. I like how the Author, M.E Kerr made the story seem like it was going to be about a romance, but it's not. She poses a great question: what if?

[Stacia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not at all why I expected, and I mean that in a good way. This is a book that stays with you for a while.

[KL · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deep book that explores the meaning of a true friendship.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best WWII novel I've read.

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many elements in this book didn't come together cohesively. Not to mention the very abrupt switch between part one and part two. I liked the writing, but wish the plotting had been better.