Bibliographic Information
Spinelli, J. (2000). Stargirl. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Summary
This book is the story of Leo, a high school student in Arizona, and Susan, aka Stargirl. When Stargirl enrolls at Leo's high school, he and most of the other students think the way she dresses is odd, to say the least. She wears long skirts, flowy shirts, uses a big bag hand-painted with sunflowers, and carries a ukulele. Her behavior is also very unlike the other students'. She sings "Happy Birthday" to other kids at lunch, cheers for both her school and the opposing team at ballgames, and attends funerals of people she doesn't know. However different Stargirl's clothing and actions are, Leo can't help but be drawn to her. He is intrigued by the fact that she doesn't seem to have any concern about other people's opinion of her, unlike all the other high school kids he knows.
As time goes by Stargirl gains popularity because of her 'strange' behavior. The other students seem to applaud the fact that she's different and can't wait to see just what Stargirl will do next. During this time Leo allows himself get to know Stargirl, and he finds that he enjoys her company. As they begin a relationship of sorts, Leo knows that he really likes her but wonders if he's strong enough to be with someone who is just so different.
Just as one would expect, Stargirl's popularity is short-lived. Students become upset with her for doing the very thing that they were applauding a few months before. The basketball team, for the first time, is having a winning season. Stargirl, who is now a part of the cheerleading squad, has continued her routine of cheering for both their high school and the team they are playing against. As the team moves to the playoffs for the first time, students begin to resent Stargirl for cheering for the other team. They believe that she should put all of her efforts toward cheering their team onto the championship game. Leo convinces Stargirl to try to fit in- to dress and act more like everyone else. Of course, in the end this doesn't change the other students' opinion of Stargirl. All it does is make her feel unhappy. Even though Leo knows he should be a bigger person and ignore all the negative feelings toward Stargirl, he just can't. He misses his friends and doesn't like being ignored by everyone. Leo and Stagirl break up, and the story ends with Stargirl and her family moving away. Leo is left to wonder where she is and if she's still out there doing random acts of kindness.
Impressions
Stargirl is a brilliant character, one that exemplifies the self-confidence and understanding of self that we hope all humans develop during their lives. She has no desire to conform to the expectations of others and finds joy in doing small things to make others' lives a little better. Putting such a character in the middle of already developed high school friendships and cliques is a recipe for drama. Seeing the action through Leo's eyes, a boy who is admittedly shy and wants to keep out of the spotlight, gives the reader an honest lens through which to view Stargirl. Leo has enough self-awareness that he realizes how special Stargirl is but also knows that he lacks the strength to stand by her. I think this is a very important point in the story because this will be the factor that many readers connect with. Reading about the struggle that Leo goes through will hopefully help them when they are in a similar situation, which they undoubtedly will be sometime during their school years. Readers can empathize with Leo's choices, while at the same time, feel his regret at not being able to ignore the popular kids and follow his heart.
Review
High school is a time of great conformity, when being just like everybody else is of paramount importance. So it is no surprise that Stargirl Caraway causes such excitement and confusion when she arrives at Mica High in Arizona. Initially, everyone is charmed by her unconventional behavior--she wears unusual clothing, she serenades the lunchroom with her ukulele, she practices random acts of kindness, she is cheerleader extraordinaire in a place with no school spirit. Naturally, this cannot last and eventually her individuality is reviled. The story is told by Leo, who falls in love with Stargirl's zany originality, but who then finds himself unable to let go of the need to be conventional. Spinelli's use of a narrator allows readers the distance necessary to appreciate Stargirl's eccentricity and Leo's need to belong to the group, without removing them from the immediacy of the story. That makes the ending alt the more disappointing-to discover that Leo is looking back imposes an unnecessary adult perspective on what happened in high school. The prose lapses into occasionally unfortunate flowery flights, but this will not bother those readers-girls especially-who will understand how it feels to not quite fit the mold and who attempt to exult in their differences.
Review Reference
Grover, S. (2000, August). [Review of Stargirl, by J. Spinelli]. School Library
Journal. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2114/ehost/detail/
detail?vid=8&sid=07319936-9264-44d1-8f32-17d2946c7d3e%
40sessionmgr4005&hid=4205&bdata=JnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3d#db=
lls&AN=3454911
Library Use
Library Use
~ Stargirl could be used to promote the realistic fiction genre. Since is is told through the eyes of a boy, I believe this is a good book to tempt boys to try the genre if they don't typically read realistic fiction.
Bibliographic Information
Palacio, R. J. (200 ). Wonder. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Summary
Wonder is the story of August, or Auggie as he's known to his family and friends. August was born with a very rare birth defect that caused his face to be deformed. At the beginning of the book August tells the reader that he doesn't want to describe what he looks like because he looks worse than whatever we could imagine.
The story follows August through his fifth grade year, which is also his first year of going to school. He was previously home-schooled by his mom because of health issues, including the many surgeries he has undergone. As expected, Auggie faces his share of obstacles throughout the year. Kids whisper as he walks through the halls and sometimes go one step further and ask him rude questions or say mean things about his appearance. Luckily August finds friendship with Summer and Jack. Even though his new friendships have some rocky points, and a boy named Julian works hard to ruin August's school year, he manages to work through the challenges and find a way to fit in.
The story is told from multiple points of view. August, his sister Olivia, friends Summer and Jack, and other characters tell their own version of the story throughout the book. This gives the reader insight into how August's condition has affected not only him but the people around him.
Impressions
This book is a wonderful story that tugs at the heartstrings but gives a very accurate representation of the joys and perils of life in middle school. While August does encounter some negative people that try to make his first experience in school less than enjoyable, he also develops some great friendships. Any student that reads the book will find at least one character that brings forth connections with their own life. While most of us didn't have such huge obstacles to overcome during our time in middle school, we all faced moments of feeling like we didn't belong. Anyone who reads Wonder will have a better understanding of how to react when they come into contact with people who are seen as different or not part of the 'in-crowd.'
Review
Due to a rare genetic disorder, Auggie Pullman's head is malformed, his facial features are misshapen, and he has scars from corrective surgery. After much discussion and waffling, he and his parents decide it's time for him to go to a regular school for the fifth grade instead of being homeschooled. All his life Auggie has seen the shocked expressions and heard the whispers his appearance generates, and he has his coping strategies. He knows that except for how he looks, he's a normal kid. What he experiences is typical middle school--the good and the bad. Meanwhile, his beautiful sister is starting high school and having her own problems. She's finding that friendships change and, though it makes her feel guilty, she likes not being labeled as Auggie's sister. Multiple people tell this story, including Auggie, two of his new school friends, his sister, and his sister's former best friend. Palacio has an exceptional knack for writing realistic conversation and describing the thoughts and emotions of the characters. Everyone grows and develops as the story progresses, especially the middle school students. This is a fast read and would be a great discussion starter about love, support, and judging people on their appearance. A well-written, thought-provoking book.
Review Reference
Reeder, Nancy P. (2012, February). [Review of Wonder, by R. J. Palacio]. School
Library Journal. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2071/ehost/
detail/detail?vid=32&sid=68e8dce1-ecf7-42d2-a3f1-d53a933fe6b4%
40sessionmgr110&hid=104&bdata=JnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3d#db=a9h&AN=
71418101
Library Use
~ This would be a great book to teach point of view and how individual characters' perspectives affect how the events in the story are relayed to the reader.
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