Stargirl

Reader reviewed by Duckie



Leo Borlock has a world. A world of exams and tests at Mica High in Arizona. A world of behind-the-scenes of "hot-seat" at Mica High. A world of basketball games that NO ONE goes to. A world like all other teen guys in high school. Until.......

Stargirl is mysterious, strange, and above all bubbling with utter happiness. She (as a star-person)sheds light not tears. She leaves change on the sidewalk for others to find, plays "happy birthday" on her ukelele when someons birthday is on that day, she goes to basketball games and does frontflips (even if the OTHER team got the score) and stargirl crys for people that cry. Laughs for people that laugh. and hurts when other people hurt.

Leo Borlock never saw stargirl coming. But she steals his heart all the same. People around stargirl take interest in non-makeup-wearing-ukelele-playing-rat-owning-front-flip-doing stargirl. She takes cheerleading. is on hot-seat. wins the speech contest. Then her life goes away. She is shunned by everyone. Except Leo Borlock. Leo tells her she can't be like this anymore and urges her into doing the thing that will destroy her:become normal.

Will stargirl become normal?
Will Leo stay mad at her?
Will their love last forever?
Will Leo ever get ahold of snity?

Reader reviewed by aria

this is a great book! i love it because its like regular teenage life, with a touch of romance and, well, stargirl.

stagirl is one of the kindest people out there. but she's also a bit strange.

at basketball, she cheers for the other team. and at school she wears long poineer dress. she has a ukelele and a pet rat. and leo is totally in love with her.

Reader reviewed by Kate

Was, and still is, one of my favorite books. Stargirl is the girl who can appeal to everyone. Whether you're trying to blend in or stand out-- this book can identify with anyone. Beautifully written and worth a read.. or two or three :) Leo was very believable and well-written, just the way he should be. Every school should have a Stargirl out there somewhere, things need to change :)

Reader reviewed by bookbrin

stargirl, by jerry spinelli is a good book. for me in the begining, i wasn't that into it, but toward the end, it got more interesting. sometimes it would get very confusing because of jerry spinelli's frequent similies, metaphores, etc. most were very beautiful, but others just didn't belong. you would be reading along in a dialouge, and all of a sudden, the paragraph would abruptly end with a meaningful but perplexing sentence. overall, this book was okay.

Reader reviewed by Corn

This book shaped my childhood. I read it once as a 3rd or 4th grader, and loved it to pieces, but took in little of the deeper meaning. I read it again last year, and kudos to Spinelli- this book is a literary work of art. The characters are well formed and the situations are very realistic. StarGirl is a mysterious, but beautiful, metaphor.

Reader reviewed by MRose52

This is the story of Stargirl (who named herself, thank you very much), a pure-hearted girl whos different from the reast. Taken to giving gifts to people she dosent know, singing songs on her ukalalie, crying at funerals of people she never met, dropping change for children to find, and of corse...falling in love with Leo.

Reader reviewed by Kori

The story line is sweet and simple. The story lasts. It focus on a girl anmed Stargirl who is not your everyday girl. She is different, shes real and she is not afriad to be herself even though it means being shunned by the rest of her peers. Finally her only friend lep asks her to just be normal and finds thats the complete opposite from what he wants.

Reader reviewed by Amanda

I have read some reviews about this book and most weren't thrilled with Spinelli's story. I, of course, had to find out for myself and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I really enjoyed this book, as unrealistic as it may be and once I was finished, was quite glad that I read it.


Stargirl, written by Jerry Spinelli, follows Leo, an ordinary student at Mica High School. Everyone at Mica is ordinary. Normal by most people's standards. When Stargirl, a new student at Mica, shows up and is anything but ordinary, no one knows how to react. Is she for real? Is she a plant at the school to mix things up? Is she an alien? Leo is incredibly intrigued by Stargirl and as the school year progresses, the pair end up as a couple. Leo is pretty much ok with Stargirl's "differences" until the entire school starts to shun them. When Leo becomes an outcast as well, he asks Stargirl to do the unthinkable. Be normal. This changes everything and the outcome is anything but what Leo could expect.


The story of Leo and Stargirl was not exactly realistic. Though I haven't been in high school for quite awhile, I know that if someone is a complete outcast, as Stargirl certainly was, a normal, almost geeky boy like Leo probably would not be keen on making himself known as the one who befriended the weirdo. Kids want to fit in, no matter how much they deny it. However, I do think the story was sweet and I think the character of Stargirl was very refreshing. I look forward to reading the sequel once it's published.

Reader reviewed by Kelly-girl

I love this book. I can not get over it. The only thing I don't like is how in the beginning they make Stargirl too different from the others. Because in the inside, she has a heart just like everyone else. Otherwise, I totally recommend this book to anybody!!:):):):):):):):)

Reader reviewed by Kellie

I teach 7-8 grade special education students. I had heard that this Stargirl was a wonderful book, so I read it. I loved it so much that I had to share it with my students. They listened to the recorded reading and followed along. I was so impressed. This was the first book that they actually didn't want to put down. Not only was it a great book because of the characters, but it also taught life lessons. I now try to bring out my inner Stargirl and I have noticed my students doing the same.