Stargirl- Book Review

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
First book in series of two
Realistic Fiction/Romance
186 pages
**** (four stars)

    Leo Borlock and the rest of the student body at Mica Area High School have always been average. That is, until Stargirl Caraway shows up and turns Leo's life upside down. From her long, prairie skirts to her ukulele to her pet rat, Cinnamon, Stargirl is anything but average. First in awe, the high-schoolers welcome her differences with open arms, admiring her boldness. But as Leo's growing attachment to her grows, so does the hostility from the rest of the school as they shun both Stargirl and Leo from their lives. 

    Stargirl brought a smile to my face, both the character and the novel. It was a heart-warming tale of love and acceptance that was really inspiring to me. I could relate to the characters, both Stargirl and Leo, for different reasons, but I was with Stargirl 100%. This ability to identify with the characters gave the story more depth and reality, because this situation, on a lower scale, happens in "real life". Stargirl taught us to always be ourselves, and never change for anyone else, which was the theme of the book. I think Jerry Spinelli wrote this story to convey that message and teach us a lesson: being different is not a bad thing. I enjoyed this book, however sometimes I felt like the plot pace was a bit up and down. Something important would happen, and then one chapter later it seemed like it never happened. The ending was sad, and I finished the book with a heavy heart, which is why I picked up Love, Stargirl off my stack of books and immediately started reading to end on a happy note. I did really enjoy this book and definitely recommend it to 11+ because I think that you will be able to appreciate the book better if you are older.