Spinelli, J. (2002). Stargirl. New York: Scholastic. (Originally published 2000.)

Genre: Realistic fiction

Intended audience: General YA

Personal reaction to the book: It’s sweet without being sappy; it’s a quick read; it’s got enough fun to blunt the angst. It’s everything good about YA fiction.

Stargirl is one of those characters (Owen Meany) who it’s very easy to cheer for. There’s affection without sex, nobody contemplates suicide and the high school society, while dystopian, is dystopian in a thoroughly commonplace, 1990s high-school kind of way. All told, this is an easy book to have on a recommended shelf when you might not be around to help individual readers choose it. One of my favorites in this class.

It has a sequel, but I really don’t think I want to know more about Stargirl. She abides. I don’t know about you but I take comfort in that.

Author facts: Attended Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University. Has 21 grandchildren. Hails from Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Related website: http://www.jerryspinelli.com/