The adolescent, whimsical girl who renamed herself
Stargirl, and was the main character in the novel
Stargirl, appears again in this sequel Love, Stargirl,
also by Jerry Spinelli. In the first book, Stargirl had
been home-schooled her whole life before moving to
Arizona, where her first public school experience is
difficult, as she becomes a target for ridicule, when she
is not being completely ignored or excluded. Although she
is made fun of for being different, she remains a unique,
warm-hearted person. She develops a crush on a boy named
Leo who returns her feelings but is too embarrassed to act
on them. By the end of that book, Stargirl is so hurt and
bewildered that she and her family decide to move to
Pennsylvania, which is where the sequel Love, Stargirl
begins. This was definitely easier to read than Stargirl.
I really like the form of the book, a series of letters
written to her old boyfriend Leo, as well as a few other
characters. Also, it's not just a stream of consciousness,
with little plot or climax like the first book. This whole
book builds up to the winter solstice when several plot
lines are resolved, especially whether Stargirl will
choose Leo or Perry, her two main love interests.
Archie, the scientist who taught her so much in Stargirl,
doesnt physically appear until the end of this book,
though several of Stargirl's letters are addressed to him.
Love, Stargirl, in my opinion, is a wonderfully written
novel which captivates the reader and draws them into
Stargirl's unique life. It focuses on some neat issues,
like the fact that Stargirl's best friend, Dootsie is only
six, and very outgoing, while her other close friend,
Betty Lou, is an old, single woman, who is too scared to
leave her house. Also, it focuses on the long term
relationship between Stargirl and Leo, illustrating that
although people might not always be physically faithful
they can be emotionally faithful no matter how large a
distance separates them. Love, Stargirl seems to be
written for a middle to high school audience, and I would
recommend it to anyone within that age range..
The main character is a quirky, naive, creative character,
whose view of the world may help readers become more open-
minded. Even though the narrator is female, I think that
boys would enjoy both of these novels.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Hingham, MA USA
