Stargirl (2000) by Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl is a homeschooler come to join the ranks of a typical American public high school. Nobody at the school knows what to make of this free spirit in her flowing long skirts with her ukulele serenades. Leo Borlock is smitten, but he also hates drawing attention to himself. As Stargirl’s popularity at the school ebbs and flows, she continues on, unfazed, sharing acts of kindness, rooting for both teams at the game, and, of course, breaking into spontaneous song and dance. Her passion and individuality leave the student body speechless, mesmerized, angry, and puzzled.
This is a re-read for me and a favorite. It speaks volumes–not just about high school life, but also human nature. Even amongst those who might fancy ourselves individuals or accepting of others, how many shun or ridicule people or ideas that are different? How many of us stand up for these different ideas or people if we know full well we might be thrown out of certain friendships or circles because of it? This is an awesome book for those in the middle of the teen years, but I think it’s also an important book for adults as well. I’m looking forward to re-reading the sequel now.
“She was bendable light: she shone around every corner of my day.” ch 20