Synopses & Reviews
In the tradition of
Out of My Mind,
Wonder, and
Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family.
Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasnt kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.
Suddenly Willows world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.
Holly Goldberg Sloan writes about belonging in a way Ive never quite seen in any other book. This is a gorgeous, funny, and heartwarming novel that Ill never forget.”John Corey Whaley, author of Where Things Come Back
"Willow Chance subtly drew me into her head and her life, so much so that I was holding my breath for her by the end. Holly Goldberg Sloan has created distinct characters who will stay with you long after you finish the book."Sharon Creech, Newbery Award-winning author of Walk Two Moons
"In achingly beautiful prose, Holly Goldberg Sloan has written a delightful tale of transformation thats a celebration of life in all its wondrous, hilarious and confounding glory. Counting by 7s is a triumph."Maria Semple, author of Whered You Go, Bernadette
Review
"A magical and heartbreaking tale." Kirkus Reviews (Starred)
Review
"There are both light moments and poetic, emotionally mature observations in Stargirl. With the book's high school setting and situations, this entertaining and thought-provoking story will appeal to and be enjoyed by junior high and high school readers." VOYA
Synopsis
A modern-day classic and New York Times bestseller that celebrates the power of individuality and personal expression from beloved Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli.
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 that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.
Don t miss the sequel,
Love, Stargirl, and Jerry Spinelli s latest novel,
The Warden s Daughter, about another girl who can't help but stand out.
Spinelli is a poet of the prepubescent. . . . No writer guides his young characters, and his readers, past these pitfalls and challenges and toward their futures with more compassion.
The New York Times From the Hardcover edition."
Synopsis
This beloved celebration of individuality will soon be an original film on Disney+, releasing March 13 A modern-day classic and New York Times bestseller from Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli.
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 that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.
Don't miss the sequel, Love, Stargirl, and Jerry Spinelli's latest novel, The Warden's Daughter, about another girl who can't help but stand out.
"Spinelli is a poet of the prepubescent. . . . No writer guides his young characters, and his readers, past these pitfalls and challenges and toward their futures with more compassion." --The New York Times
Synopsis
This beloved celebration of individuality is now an original movie on Disney+ A modern-day classic and New York Times bestseller from Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli. And don't miss the author's highly anticipated new novel, Dead Wednesday, coming August 2021.
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 that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.
Don't miss the sequel, Love, Stargirl, and Jerry Spinelli's latest novel, The Warden's Daughter, about another girl who can't help but stand out.
"Spinelli is a poet of the prepubescent. . . . No writer guides his young characters, and his readers, past these pitfalls and challenges and toward their futures with more compassion." --The New York Times
Synopsis
ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME - NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A modern-day classic from Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli, this beloved celebration of individuality is now an original movie on Disney+
And don't miss the author's highly anticipated new novel, Dead Wednesday
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 that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.
Don't miss the sequel, Love, Stargirl, as well as The Warden's Daughter, a novel about another girl who can't help but stand out.
"Spinelli is a poet of the prepubescent. . . . No writer guides his young characters, and his readers, past these pitfalls and challenges and toward their futures with more compassion." --The New York Times
Synopsis
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 that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.
About the Author
Holly Goldberg Sloan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and spent her childhood living in Holland, Istanbul, Turkey, Washington DC, Berkeley, California and Eugene, Oregon. After graduating from Wellesley College and spending some time as an advertising copywriter, she began writing and directing family feature films, including Angels in the Outfield and Made in America. Counting by 7s, her first middle-grade novel, was a New York Times Bestseller. The mother of two sons, Holly lives with her husband in Santa Monica, California.
Reading Group Guide
1. As the saying goes, “love is blind.” How is this truly the case with Leo and Stargirl? Looking back, how can you tell that Leo was falling for her? And does he stay in love with her, even after she moves away?
2. Professor Archie Brubaker is the voice of reason throughout the novel. Archie has many thoughtful insights into the personality of Stargirl, and at one point says about her: “Youll know her more by your questions than by her answers. Keep looking at her long enough. One day you might see someone you know.” Now that youve finished the novel, what do you think Archie means by this statement?
3. While Stargirl is a guest on “Hot Seat,” Kevin asks her why she changed her name. Do you accept her reason why she did this? How is “Stargirl” an ideal name for her? Think about the possibility of changing your name several times. Do you think your name is an integral part of who you are, or can you imagine yourself with another one?
4. In the beginning, Hillari Kimble seems to be the only person who openly dislikes Stargirl. But then others begin to feel the same way as Hillari. Do you think that groups of people need a leader, like Hillari Kimble, to turn opinions against another person?
5. Do you, as a reader, like Stargirl? If you were a student at Mica High, would you reach out to her like Dori Dilson, or reject her like Hillari Kimble? Do you think the students of Mica High are ultimately too harsh on Stargirl?
6. Popularity, fitting in, and “sameness” are all key themes in Stargirl. Find places in the novel that reinforce these themes and discuss. Do you think Stargirl ever wanted to be popular? How might she define popularity?
7. 1.After Stargirl changes back to “Susan,” Leo says “she look magnificently, wonderfully, gloriously ordinary. She looked just like a hundred other girls at Mica High…. I had never been so happy and proud in my whole life.” How did you feel when you read this part of the novel?
8. Author Jerry Spinelli plays two major events in this novel off of each other: the basketball championships and the oratorical contest. After Stargirl wins the oratorical contest, Leo says that “the cheering is as wild as that of the crowd at a championship basketball game.” Stargirl is the focus at both events but in very different ways. How is she rejected at one and accepted at the other? And how does this acceptance ultimately lead to rejection?
9. The Ocotillo Ball at the end of the novel represents a turning point. Do you think Stargirl made a deliberate attempt to say good-bye at the ball? What do you make of the students behavior at the ball, and what does this tell you about the student body of Mica High as a whole?
10. Archie says about Stargirl, “Star people are rare. Youll be lucky to meet another.” Do you think Leo was grown-up enough for his relationship with Stargirl? How about the students of Mica High? Will Leo ever figure Stargirl out?
11. What is the irony at the end of Stargirl? Is Stargirl popular after all? What happens to the “popular” kids in the story-do they stay popular?
Author Q&A
IN HIS OWN WORDS–A CONVERSATION WITH JERRY SPINELLI
Q: What was your inspiration for creating the character Stargirl? Did you draw from people you knew or from your imagination?
A: I drew the aspects of Stargirl from many sources in memory, literature and hopeful imagination. The one real-life person who embodies more of those aspects than anyone else I know is my wife and fellow author, Eileen.
Q: Do you believe that people like Stargirl really exist or is she a fantasy character?
A: Short answer: Eileen Spinelli exists.
Long answer: Stargirl is as real as hope, as real as possibility, as real as the best in human nature. Outrageous? I hope so. Thank goodness for the outrageous among us. I wish I were more outrageous, less predictable, more unrealistic. I understand that the story carries a whiff of fantasy, of the tall tale. The story, and in particular the character, are intended to raise dust in the corners of credibility, to challenge our routine ways of seeing ourselves. When Archie says to Leo, "She is us more than we are us," he refers to both her essential humanity and to our own often unrealized potential. Leo himself almost accuses her of being too good to be true, then later notes, "That was no saint kissing me."
What does it say about us if we believe such a person to be impossible? The message of the story is precisely the opposite: such a person is possible, and to the extent that Stargirl is us (Archie: "She's an earthling if ever there was one."), so are we.
Q: If you were to characterize your high school experience, how would you describe it?
A: Learning to be imperfect and happy at the same time, scratching around for what and who I wanted to be.
Q: What books do you like to read? Favorite authors?
A: A variety. Today, for example, I bought three books: Windows XP Simplified, Time Travel in Einstein's Universe and Meeting of the Waters, a novel. My favorite reading recreation is murder mysteries.
Q: If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would you choose, and why?
A: Tie: Loren Eiseley, late anthropologist and poet/essayist, my favorite writer; and Sonny Liston, former heavyweight champ.
Loren Eiseley because he's often the answer when I'm asked "Who is your favorite writer?" It's incredible that he wrote so well, considering that he was a scientist. I love his insights and perspectives on humankind and the universe...On the way home to St. Louis after winning the heavyweight title, Sonny Liston looked forward to a hero's welcome, looked forward to receiving affection from the people who had regarded him as a hoodlum and a monster. When he stepped off the plane, not a soul was there to greet him. It broke his heart. I'd like to ask him about that day. I'd like to dump a teacup of confetti on his head.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: Eleventh grade, around the time a poem of mine about a football game was published in the local newspaper. I guess it was largely a matter of timing. I was sixteen. My dream of becoming a Major League baseball player was fading. The imperative to find my course in life was upon me. I was shopping around for who I wanted to be. And here this writing thing seemed to reach down and pluck me out of the crowd. I mean, it wasn't forced, it wasn't planned. Nobody assigned me to write a poem after the game. I didn't try to get it published. I didn't seek the resulting notoriety. All this pretty much just happened to me. What I did was just apply a little common sense: I like to write, I seem to be pretty good at it, people seem to like what I write (admittedly a lot to conclude from a single poem)--ergo, I'll be a writer. Simple!
Q: What do you consider the most rewarding part of writing books for young people?
A: Feedback from readers. The most common kind, of course, is fan mail. I'm proud to say that one particularly nice letter was submitted by the reader/writer to a fan mail contest run by the Library of Congress, and it won. It was about CRASH. Some of the most heartwarming reports I get are from teachers and librarians who I meet personally at conferences and book signings. When a teacher with tears in her eyes tells how a book "saved" a student of hers, I know I'm in the right business. I remember a letter from a teacher in Georgia. She told me the kids in her
class had a choice one day: they could go eat lunch, or they could continue
to listen to my book. Every one stayed for the book.
Q: Do you ever use suggestions from readers in new books?
A: I tell readers that if I use an idea of theirs in a book, I'll give them credit in Acknowledgments. This paid off for one student, who gave me the idea for one of the School Daze books: WHO RAN MY UNDERWEAR UP THE FLAGPOLE?
Q: How did you start writing Stargirl? What parts of the story came together first?
A: I have notes going all the way back to 1966 for the book that ultimately became Stargirl. At first it was going to be about a boy. It went through many titles, including Moonshadow and Under the Bomb. Many things I read over the years influenced the story, notably the play Ondine by Giraudoux. In its final form the story finds its most specific inspiration in my wife Eileen, some of whose good deeds and such I happily confiscated.
Q: What advice do you have for young writers?
A: For me, there are many little rules, all superceded by one Golden Rule: Write what you care about.