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What Came from the Stars
The Valorim are about to fall to a dark lord when they send a necklace containing their planet across the cosmos, hurtling past a trillion starsall the way into the lunchbox of Tommy Pepper, sixth grader, of Plymouth, Mass. Mourning his late mother, Tommy doesn't notice much about the chain he found, but soon he is drawing the twin suns and humming the music of a hanorah. As Tommy absorbs the art and language of the Valorim, their enemies target him. When a creature begins ransacking Plymouth in search of the chain, Tommy learns he must protect his family from villains far worse than he's ever imagined.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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About the author
Gary D. Schmidt
76 books2,175 followersGary D. Schmidt is an American children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels, including two Newbery Honor books. He lives on a farm in Alto, Michigan,with his wife and six children, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, feeds the wild cats that drop by and wishes that sometimes the sea breeze came that far inland. He is a Professor of English at Calvin College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews
July 31, 2012
From a middle school kid point of view, this is a 4, who knows, maybe even a 5-star book. It's clean, start to finish. Rather silly, but hey, you were once 12, too, like protagonist Tommy who's lucky (?) enough to have a necklace from another galaxy land in his lunchbox in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Schmidt is a talented writer of realistic books, but I think all the racket (read: coins in coffers) from the fantasy/sci-fi aisle attractedhis his editor's attention, so here he is (ta-da!). Told in alternating chapters, you go from the planet Valorim to the planet Earth. Lots of weird words on Valorim, but there's a convenient glossary in the back to help you out. Somewhat annoying: the Valorim chapters are written like the King James Version of the Bible. Stuff like "So the Valorim came to know that their last days were upon them... And truly, when the O'Mondim found the Great Hall closed, their fury was renewed... Then did Brythelaf fall... " and so forth.
Meanwhile, back in Plymouth, Schmidt gives us some comic relief in the badinage between Tommy and his friends. The sad part? Tommy's mother died the year before, and her memory haunts him. You'd think that an invader from another galaxy bent on killing him would take his mind off things, but only kind of, sort of.
Nevertheless, there's plenty of derring-do and predictable good vs. evil -- the sort of thing 6th grade kids will probably love. And, slyly, Schmidt includes an evil developer. Anyone familiar with the real Plymouth knows that it is a developer's dreamland. Parking lots, anyone? Maybe those come from other planets, too.
Grumpy adult rating: 3 stars. Cheerful kid rating: 4. So there.
Schmidt is a talented writer of realistic books, but I think all the racket (read: coins in coffers) from the fantasy/sci-fi aisle attracted
Meanwhile, back in Plymouth, Schmidt gives us some comic relief in the badinage between Tommy and his friends. The sad part? Tommy's mother died the year before, and her memory haunts him. You'd think that an invader from another galaxy bent on killing him would take his mind off things, but only kind of, sort of.
Nevertheless, there's plenty of derring-do and predictable good vs. evil -- the sort of thing 6th grade kids will probably love. And, slyly, Schmidt includes an evil developer. Anyone familiar with the real Plymouth knows that it is a developer's dreamland. Parking lots, anyone? Maybe those come from other planets, too.
Grumpy adult rating: 3 stars. Cheerful kid rating: 4. So there.
January 31, 2013
I am a fan of Gary Schmidt and think he's a wonderful writer, but I unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. I am not a fan of high fantasy so that was a problem right there as this book alternates between extremely high fantasy chapters that take place in another world with strangely-named characters that all sound alike and were hard to keep straight, as well as its own language -- not to mention that those chapters were written with old-fashioned wording -- all combined made those chapters tedious to read. The chapters that took place on earth were easier and more interesting reading. They centered on Tommy Pepper, a 6th-grade boy who finds a necklace that came from the other world and, when he puts it on, he suddenly starts understanding their language and wanting to help them. Tommy and his family are going through their own problems, as Tommy's mother had recently died. Though I cared about Tommy and his sister and dad, I really didn't care about the other world and their problems and didn't get why Tommy was giving up so much to help them. New characters kept appearing from the other world to try to get the necklace but it all seemed so disjointed. I really had to push myself to finish this book. Maybe those into high fantasy would get into figuring out all the other world stuff, but it just seemed too much work for me, especially for a story that wasn't that compelling.
September 12, 2012
I'm torn. Torn! Between unbridled enthusiasm for this book and, well, hesitation.
I loved loved loved the family parts of this book. It was wonderful to see a good sibling relationship, and overall good family dynamics. The theme of grief was worked into the book without it totally taking over the plot, and that part just felt really genuine to me.
The second thing I loved about this book was the tone. You know how the best creepy movies are creepy not because of what they show, but what they don't show? That's how I felt about this book. I just had this feeling of dread, because the scariness didn't jump out and bit you all the time, it was just there, lurking in the background.
But the fantasy part of the book...I just didn't know what to think of it. The two stories kinda collided instead of meshed for me. And the stylistic changes in writing seemed to take away from the flow of the book instead of enhance it.
Reservations aside, I would probably recommend this book to someone who was a fan of magical realism. It's definitely solid.
I loved loved loved the family parts of this book. It was wonderful to see a good sibling relationship, and overall good family dynamics. The theme of grief was worked into the book without it totally taking over the plot, and that part just felt really genuine to me.
The second thing I loved about this book was the tone. You know how the best creepy movies are creepy not because of what they show, but what they don't show? That's how I felt about this book. I just had this feeling of dread, because the scariness didn't jump out and bit you all the time, it was just there, lurking in the background.
But the fantasy part of the book...I just didn't know what to think of it. The two stories kinda collided instead of meshed for me. And the stylistic changes in writing seemed to take away from the flow of the book instead of enhance it.
Reservations aside, I would probably recommend this book to someone who was a fan of magical realism. It's definitely solid.
June 9, 2016
I think I would have liked this book better if I'd read the last fifteen or so pages first, because there's a glossary and also an explanation of the Valorium, Ethelim, and O'Mondim that helps the rest of the book make a lot more sense. My biggest frustration with the book was feeling like I had no idea what was really going on in this other world or why it was going on, and the information at the end of the book helped give that back story and tied everything together...but it's irritating to have to get all the way to the end of the book to get that understanding. I did realize the glossary was there partway through my reading and had to flip to it constantly, but I'd highly recommend to anyone reading the end chapter titled "The Testament of Young Waeglim" before reading the book. It doesn't give away the story; it just helps you understand what the heck is happening at the beginning and why.
Good things: Tommy Pepper and his family. I loved seeing how concerned he was for his sister in particular. There were some funny moments, and it's certainly a creative story.
Good things: Tommy Pepper and his family. I loved seeing how concerned he was for his sister in particular. There were some funny moments, and it's certainly a creative story.
October 8, 2012
I have really enjoyed other books by Gary D. Schmidt so I was excited to pick this one up at our public library. Tommy Pepper is in 6th grade. His mother has recently passed away in a car accident for which he holds himself responsible. On his birthday a strange gift shows up in another present - a heavy chain that seems to hold mysterious powers. Suddenly Tommy is filled with strange visions and possesses unusual gifts. In a parallel story, on a planet far from Earth, an evil lord has overthrown the Valorim. In an effort to protect their most valuable possession, it is thrown far into space --- to wind up in Tommy's lunchbox. A battle between good and evil on the faraway planet is played out in Tommy's hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
I was disappointed in this story. I had a hard time paying attention to it, especially in the off-world sections. I also don't think it would hold the attention of most of my 6th graders because they'd have to work to hard to decipher the meanings of the invented language used. It wasn't a terrible book, but I had high hopes for it.
I was disappointed in this story. I had a hard time paying attention to it, especially in the off-world sections. I also don't think it would hold the attention of most of my 6th graders because they'd have to work to hard to decipher the meanings of the invented language used. It wasn't a terrible book, but I had high hopes for it.
February 5, 2016
The concept was good, and there were humorous incidents, but for me it just didn't work. It is clean, moralistic, and ends well. Middle school boys would likely love it .
Read
May 24, 2020
June 9, 2025
I started this one almost a month ago now, and even though I've tried to read it, I just couldn't get into it. I love the chapters about Tommy and his family, Gary D. Schmidt always does a wonderful job in that aspect. But the chapters about the other planet were tedious and confusing. I'm fairly sure this was intentional, but it left me putting the book down as soon as those chapters popped up... 😅
Maybe I'll pick this book up again someday, but for now, I'm returning it to the library.
Maybe I'll pick this book up again someday, but for now, I'm returning it to the library.
May 17, 2012
WHAT CAME FROM THE STARS by Gary D. Schmidt, Clarion, September 2012, 304p., ISBN: 978-0-547-61213-3
“In the end there’s just a song
Comes crying like the wind
Through all the broken dreams
And vanished years”
-- Garcia/Hunter, “Stella Blue”
“’See for yourself.’ said Mr. Burroughs, and they walked into the classroom. They didn’t have to open the door—Tommy thought this was pretty familiar—because the door had already been torn off, broken in two, and thrown down the hall.
“It was probably the only thing in the classroom that was in two pieces—everything else was in a whole lot more. Every chair, splintered. Every desk, smashed. Mr. Burroughs’s desk, smithereens. The whiteboard, shattered. The books, shredded. The shelves they had been on, pulverized. If a hurricane had roared into Mr. Burroughs’s classroom overnight, it couldn’t have looked any worse.
“And the feh smell! Something stank as though it had been dragged up from the bottom of the sea. Like rotten seaweed, only more rotten than any seaweed that had ever rotted before.
“The chain warmed.
“The smell in the room, the feh smell, was the smell of hate.”
No, it is not the resurrection of Sycorax and Caliban. What is happening in Plymouth, Massachusetts -- including what has befallen Tommy Pepper’s classroom at William Bradford Elementary -- is far scarier than was watching those bloated and blighted rodents come falling through the ceiling in THE WEDNESDAY WARS.
With his two Newbery honors, and Printz honor in hand, Gary D. Schmidt could have so easily chosen to craft another extremely fun and notable piece of historical fiction that would undoubtedly sell well and be up for awards six months from now. Being such a fan, myself, I’m certainly hoping to see more of those sorts of stories in the future.
But Professor Schmidt has challenged himself by leaving behind the familiar and, instead, setting his latest group of young characters within an ambitious work of tween science fiction. And yet, at the same time, (and to my delight), he once again tells a story that touches on loss and justice and family and education and how we so often see the American dream falling into the chasm between the privileged in America and us ninety-nine percenters.
So it is that, when the Valorim being pursued by the O’Mondim realize that their last days are upon them, Young Waeglim – who has forged the last of the Art of the Valorim into a chain – sets loose the Chain which flies past galaxies, past comets and nebulae, past entire constellations, and lands squarely in the embarrassingly ridiculous lunchbox that Tommy Pepper’s grandmother has just given him for his twelfth birthday. So it is that the Chain which ends up hanging at Tommy’s throat is being sought by an O’Mondim here on Earth. So it is that Tommy suddenly has sweet and vivid memories of the distant planet he’s never known and is performing feats that nobody in his world can understand.
“pepper give us what we want”
But will the Chain help him save his family’s funky beach house -- the house that was his dead mother’s Eden and which is being relentlessly pursued through legal proceedings by a local politically-connected developer who seeks to build condos on the beach? Will it help him save his train-wreck-of-a-family in the wake of his mother’s death?
“Mr. Pepper went into the main office with the principal to sign them out while Tommy and Patty waited out in the hall. And when they were alone, Patty reached up to her brother’s chest to feel the chain through his shirt.
“’I think so too,’ he whispered.
“She yanked it once.
“’I can’t give it to Dad,’ Tommy said.
“She looked at him, waited.
“’Because it’s harder and harder to remember her,’ he said. ‘I can hardly remember her voice. Or her…But with this…’
“He couldn’t finish. Tommy Pepper tried not to cry outside the main office of William Bradford Elementary School.
“Until Patty put her arms around him.”
Having recently fallen in with a network of east coast classical musicians, I am tuned into what will be the real salvation of Tommy and his community.
I’ve always recognized how different classical music is from the popular songs that have fed my soul for fifty-seven years. But, as a non-musician, I have just belatedly come to realize the obvious and most significant difference between these two species. Unlike pop and rock, which are lyrics-driven and are necessarily performed by those who can speak and sing English, works of classical music are conversations that are shared by those who speak the world’s most universal language: the language of sound patterns and of black notes on pages of sheet music which are understood by every trained musician the world round, no matter what their everyday spoken language or their mastery of English.
As a son whose mother’s death a dozen years ago left a still-gaping hole in me, I read with sadness and empathy about Tommy and Patty’s loss and their resulting dysfunction. And as one for whom music has always done that thing inside of me, I love what comes to pass in this tale of two worlds.
Richie Partington
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
“In the end there’s just a song
Comes crying like the wind
Through all the broken dreams
And vanished years”
-- Garcia/Hunter, “Stella Blue”
“’See for yourself.’ said Mr. Burroughs, and they walked into the classroom. They didn’t have to open the door—Tommy thought this was pretty familiar—because the door had already been torn off, broken in two, and thrown down the hall.
“It was probably the only thing in the classroom that was in two pieces—everything else was in a whole lot more. Every chair, splintered. Every desk, smashed. Mr. Burroughs’s desk, smithereens. The whiteboard, shattered. The books, shredded. The shelves they had been on, pulverized. If a hurricane had roared into Mr. Burroughs’s classroom overnight, it couldn’t have looked any worse.
“And the feh smell! Something stank as though it had been dragged up from the bottom of the sea. Like rotten seaweed, only more rotten than any seaweed that had ever rotted before.
“The chain warmed.
“The smell in the room, the feh smell, was the smell of hate.”
No, it is not the resurrection of Sycorax and Caliban. What is happening in Plymouth, Massachusetts -- including what has befallen Tommy Pepper’s classroom at William Bradford Elementary -- is far scarier than was watching those bloated and blighted rodents come falling through the ceiling in THE WEDNESDAY WARS.
With his two Newbery honors, and Printz honor in hand, Gary D. Schmidt could have so easily chosen to craft another extremely fun and notable piece of historical fiction that would undoubtedly sell well and be up for awards six months from now. Being such a fan, myself, I’m certainly hoping to see more of those sorts of stories in the future.
But Professor Schmidt has challenged himself by leaving behind the familiar and, instead, setting his latest group of young characters within an ambitious work of tween science fiction. And yet, at the same time, (and to my delight), he once again tells a story that touches on loss and justice and family and education and how we so often see the American dream falling into the chasm between the privileged in America and us ninety-nine percenters.
So it is that, when the Valorim being pursued by the O’Mondim realize that their last days are upon them, Young Waeglim – who has forged the last of the Art of the Valorim into a chain – sets loose the Chain which flies past galaxies, past comets and nebulae, past entire constellations, and lands squarely in the embarrassingly ridiculous lunchbox that Tommy Pepper’s grandmother has just given him for his twelfth birthday. So it is that the Chain which ends up hanging at Tommy’s throat is being sought by an O’Mondim here on Earth. So it is that Tommy suddenly has sweet and vivid memories of the distant planet he’s never known and is performing feats that nobody in his world can understand.
“pepper give us what we want”
But will the Chain help him save his family’s funky beach house -- the house that was his dead mother’s Eden and which is being relentlessly pursued through legal proceedings by a local politically-connected developer who seeks to build condos on the beach? Will it help him save his train-wreck-of-a-family in the wake of his mother’s death?
“Mr. Pepper went into the main office with the principal to sign them out while Tommy and Patty waited out in the hall. And when they were alone, Patty reached up to her brother’s chest to feel the chain through his shirt.
“’I think so too,’ he whispered.
“She yanked it once.
“’I can’t give it to Dad,’ Tommy said.
“She looked at him, waited.
“’Because it’s harder and harder to remember her,’ he said. ‘I can hardly remember her voice. Or her…But with this…’
“He couldn’t finish. Tommy Pepper tried not to cry outside the main office of William Bradford Elementary School.
“Until Patty put her arms around him.”
Having recently fallen in with a network of east coast classical musicians, I am tuned into what will be the real salvation of Tommy and his community.
I’ve always recognized how different classical music is from the popular songs that have fed my soul for fifty-seven years. But, as a non-musician, I have just belatedly come to realize the obvious and most significant difference between these two species. Unlike pop and rock, which are lyrics-driven and are necessarily performed by those who can speak and sing English, works of classical music are conversations that are shared by those who speak the world’s most universal language: the language of sound patterns and of black notes on pages of sheet music which are understood by every trained musician the world round, no matter what their everyday spoken language or their mastery of English.
As a son whose mother’s death a dozen years ago left a still-gaping hole in me, I read with sadness and empathy about Tommy and Patty’s loss and their resulting dysfunction. And as one for whom music has always done that thing inside of me, I love what comes to pass in this tale of two worlds.
Richie Partington
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
June 25, 2022
Tommy Pepper has to save his world and a world in galaxy far, far away. That's a lot on a to do list for a newly-minted 12 year old. But do it he does with the help of his gang of friends, his magic necklace, his supportive family, a traveler from the Valorim home world, and his own sense of compassion. I did like Tommy, the main character, and especially liked how his sense of rightness and fairness saved the day. I think middle schoolers would like this as well.
March 24, 2021
This was a stretch for me since I’m not a sci-fi girl. But I do really enjoy Gary Schmidt’s writing, so I thought I’d give it a chance. Well done and beautiful story. I’m still not a sci-fi fan but I’m glad I challenged myself and gave it a whirl with this well written book.
December 10, 2025
not my favorite of Gary’s books—but I enjoyed it
October 8, 2012
In a galaxy far, far away, the Dark Lord Mondus is about to kill the last of the Valorim and thus, seize control of their Art. In a last desperate effort, Young Waeglim forges the Art of the Valorim into a chain and sends it across galaxies and planets. And so it has come to pass that said chain lands squarely in the ridiculous Ace Robotroid Adventure lunch box of Tommy Pepper, a sixth grader from Plymouth, Mass. Thinking the chain is just another birthday present from his grandmother, Tommy starts wearing it and soon enough and almost without realising it, Tommy absorbs the language and the collective memory of the Valorim.
What he does notice – and very clearly too – is how the memories of his late mother become more vivid. And so under the influence of the Art of the Valorim, he is able to draw and paint her face, and to sing his grief and love. His life becomes a little bit more bearable because of that, even though his family is still grieving, even though his sister won’t utter a word, even though they might lose their home.
In the meantime, the Dark Lord Mondus is relentlessly pursuing the Art of Valorim and a creature made of sand causes havoc around Tommy’s town. The story progresses alternating between what is happening back in that distant planet and what is taking place in Plymouth, in a mixture of Fantasy with Contemporary MG.
I am slightly torn about What Came from the Stars. On the one hand, this is vintage Schmidt with the usual assuredness with which the author writes kids and their dialogue. Tommy’s group of friends is fun and I loved seeing their realistic interaction with each other. Similarly, Tommy Pepper’s grieving family and the beautiful relationship between them, especially between Tommy and younger sister Patty are expertly handled and easily the best thing about the novel. I love reading about siblings that get along well and it was heart-warming to see Tommy being so protective and loving toward Patty.
On the other hand, I can’t help but to feel that What Came from the Stars is an incredibly familiar story not only in relation to the author’s previous book Okay for Now but also in a broader Fantasy context. With regards to the former, one of the most important themes present in Okay for Now is present in this new book as well: the importance given to art as part of a healing process. It is evidence of how torn I am about the book that I even include this here because I often love stories about how important art is but given how the memory of Okay for Now is so fresh, I see it as a repetitive thematic core…if that makes sense? I guess first-time readers of Schmidt’s work would not find the same problem.
This brings me to the Fantasy side of the story, which is another aspect that left me conflicted about the book. The Fantasy storyline, with the Valorim and the O’Mondim, its motifs of Good vs Evil and the creation of the One Chain is kind of derivative Fantasy. That said, there is an obvious affection for an old-fashioned Tolkien-inspired Fantasy setting and What Came from the Stars could be a great introduction to Fantasy for a Middle Grader.
To summarise: this was perhaps not the right book for me and despite seeing obvious qualities about it, I was ultimately not impressed.
What he does notice – and very clearly too – is how the memories of his late mother become more vivid. And so under the influence of the Art of the Valorim, he is able to draw and paint her face, and to sing his grief and love. His life becomes a little bit more bearable because of that, even though his family is still grieving, even though his sister won’t utter a word, even though they might lose their home.
In the meantime, the Dark Lord Mondus is relentlessly pursuing the Art of Valorim and a creature made of sand causes havoc around Tommy’s town. The story progresses alternating between what is happening back in that distant planet and what is taking place in Plymouth, in a mixture of Fantasy with Contemporary MG.
I am slightly torn about What Came from the Stars. On the one hand, this is vintage Schmidt with the usual assuredness with which the author writes kids and their dialogue. Tommy’s group of friends is fun and I loved seeing their realistic interaction with each other. Similarly, Tommy Pepper’s grieving family and the beautiful relationship between them, especially between Tommy and younger sister Patty are expertly handled and easily the best thing about the novel. I love reading about siblings that get along well and it was heart-warming to see Tommy being so protective and loving toward Patty.
On the other hand, I can’t help but to feel that What Came from the Stars is an incredibly familiar story not only in relation to the author’s previous book Okay for Now but also in a broader Fantasy context. With regards to the former, one of the most important themes present in Okay for Now is present in this new book as well: the importance given to art as part of a healing process. It is evidence of how torn I am about the book that I even include this here because I often love stories about how important art is but given how the memory of Okay for Now is so fresh, I see it as a repetitive thematic core…if that makes sense? I guess first-time readers of Schmidt’s work would not find the same problem.
This brings me to the Fantasy side of the story, which is another aspect that left me conflicted about the book. The Fantasy storyline, with the Valorim and the O’Mondim, its motifs of Good vs Evil and the creation of the One Chain is kind of derivative Fantasy. That said, there is an obvious affection for an old-fashioned Tolkien-inspired Fantasy setting and What Came from the Stars could be a great introduction to Fantasy for a Middle Grader.
To summarise: this was perhaps not the right book for me and despite seeing obvious qualities about it, I was ultimately not impressed.
March 27, 2013
This is a perfectly fine book, but it could have been a much better book had someone consulted with me first.
I love Gary Schmidt, and was excited when I heard he was doing a science fiction book in 2012. But weirdly, this book is falling short of what a Gary Schmidt science fiction book should be.
It alternates between a send-up of classic science fiction and the daily life of a kid in the sixth grade in Massachusetts. What with long lists of bizarre names and references to epic battles on another planet in another galaxy and weirdly styled artifacts, science and technology that is a mix with magic and arts and crafts -- the science fiction part is a Space Opera dialed up to 11. A relic from this narrative somehow finds its way to earth, where it is found by a sixth grader. When the kid puts on this chain, he suddenly knows all the information from this culture, their history and language and issues.
This should be the set-up for comedy gold, a kid in sixth grade is now a representative of an alien civilization. And I'm basing that on Schmidt's previous books -- he is so awesome at portraying what is hilarious about how middle school kids think and act and talk, and never in a way that undermines the emotional resonance of the things they experience. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why this didn't happen here. The middle school parts are almost entirely played for straight, so there isn't enough contrast between middle school and the saga unfolding over on the alien planet. A little bit of the hilarity creeps in during the final showdown, which makes it even more noticeably missing from the rest of the story. This alien artifact in the hands of Holling Hoodhood would have been a far better way to go.
The other kid characters could have been more fleshed out, especially the girls (usually not an issue with Schmidt so this was surprising to me).
And, it also ended with my Absolutely Least Favorite Way to End A Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel. I mean really, the worst. I hate it every time it happens and cannot think of a single example where it works to make the story better. It always makes the story suck.
I guess after all that I should say why I thought it was okay. It is an interesting premise and the story moves along nicely. The part where the emotional hook is supposed to punch you in the throat? I felt punched in the throat.
But still, this should have been a much better book.
I love Gary Schmidt, and was excited when I heard he was doing a science fiction book in 2012. But weirdly, this book is falling short of what a Gary Schmidt science fiction book should be.
It alternates between a send-up of classic science fiction and the daily life of a kid in the sixth grade in Massachusetts. What with long lists of bizarre names and references to epic battles on another planet in another galaxy and weirdly styled artifacts, science and technology that is a mix with magic and arts and crafts -- the science fiction part is a Space Opera dialed up to 11. A relic from this narrative somehow finds its way to earth, where it is found by a sixth grader. When the kid puts on this chain, he suddenly knows all the information from this culture, their history and language and issues.
This should be the set-up for comedy gold, a kid in sixth grade is now a representative of an alien civilization. And I'm basing that on Schmidt's previous books -- he is so awesome at portraying what is hilarious about how middle school kids think and act and talk, and never in a way that undermines the emotional resonance of the things they experience. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why this didn't happen here. The middle school parts are almost entirely played for straight, so there isn't enough contrast between middle school and the saga unfolding over on the alien planet. A little bit of the hilarity creeps in during the final showdown, which makes it even more noticeably missing from the rest of the story. This alien artifact in the hands of Holling Hoodhood would have been a far better way to go.
The other kid characters could have been more fleshed out, especially the girls (usually not an issue with Schmidt so this was surprising to me).
And, it also ended with my Absolutely Least Favorite Way to End A Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel. I mean really, the worst. I hate it every time it happens and cannot think of a single example where it works to make the story better. It always makes the story suck.
I guess after all that I should say why I thought it was okay. It is an interesting premise and the story moves along nicely. The part where the emotional hook is supposed to punch you in the throat? I felt punched in the throat.
But still, this should have been a much better book.
September 9, 2012
So there's this kid Tommy Pepper, a sixth grader in William Bradford Elementary School, Plymouth, MA, who found a chain necklace in his Ace Robotroid Adventure lunch box which was a birthday present from his beloved Grandma. What's with the chain necklace? Later.
I kind of liked the characters in this book, specifically Tommy and Patty. Their mom recently died so it must be really hard for them. I liked the melancholic feel of the way the story had started with Tommy and how they're struggling with their situation. His sister doesn't speak and his father, well... still grieving. They all were. And that's not the only problem. Their house on the seaside was at risk of being taken away. Poor folks.
So the necklace, yes. It contained the art and knowledge from this weoruld (planet) Valorim. A weoruld with so many odd words. Refer to the glossary provided in the book.
During Tommy's possession of the necklace, he started to do weird things. Things like talking about two sunsets in a day (crazy, I know), saying some quite odd words (refer to the glossary in case you're frustrated to what the words even mean; just like I did), and he even made his paintings seemed to be moving, more alive.
However, as much as all of these stuffs interest and fascinate me, somehow, I didn't feel connected to it. Some parts in this book were very realistic I suppose. And eac (also), the O'Mondim has some kind of a Tolkien feel to it. Not fully like the Hobbit or the LOTR but rather mixed. And meanwhile, in Valorim, as an alternate story of the book, the O'Mondim tried to get the necklace back. And that's mainly the conflict of the plot. The dark lord was kinda cruel in Volarim. Mind you, he slaughtered everyone. But, you know how the story goes, bad - loser, good - winner. Stereotyping 101.
ANYWAY... the book, as my rating said, was okay. I did quite like it though but it just wasn't enough for me to really like, like, like it.
So yeah, there you go.
I kind of liked the characters in this book, specifically Tommy and Patty. Their mom recently died so it must be really hard for them. I liked the melancholic feel of the way the story had started with Tommy and how they're struggling with their situation. His sister doesn't speak and his father, well... still grieving. They all were. And that's not the only problem. Their house on the seaside was at risk of being taken away. Poor folks.
So the necklace, yes. It contained the art and knowledge from this weoruld (planet) Valorim. A weoruld with so many odd words. Refer to the glossary provided in the book.
During Tommy's possession of the necklace, he started to do weird things. Things like talking about two sunsets in a day (crazy, I know), saying some quite odd words (refer to the glossary in case you're frustrated to what the words even mean; just like I did), and he even made his paintings seemed to be moving, more alive.
However, as much as all of these stuffs interest and fascinate me, somehow, I didn't feel connected to it. Some parts in this book were very realistic I suppose. And eac (also), the O'Mondim has some kind of a Tolkien feel to it. Not fully like the Hobbit or the LOTR but rather mixed. And meanwhile, in Valorim, as an alternate story of the book, the O'Mondim tried to get the necklace back. And that's mainly the conflict of the plot. The dark lord was kinda cruel in Volarim. Mind you, he slaughtered everyone. But, you know how the story goes, bad - loser, good - winner. Stereotyping 101.
ANYWAY... the book, as my rating said, was okay. I did quite like it though but it just wasn't enough for me to really like, like, like it.
So yeah, there you go.
December 29, 2012
What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt is the story of a civil war involving a dark lord in a far-off world that sends a chain containing its history & arts to Earth and into the hands of sixth grader Tommy Pepper of Plymouth, Massachusetts, with resulting dangers that must be confronted.
The dual stories, on Earth and on a planet far, far away, are told in alternating chapters, with the Valorim's story written in a saga-like style and lyrical language, printed in italics. A Glossary in the back gives (with humor) definitions of Valorim vocabulary. A final chapter, The Testament of Young Waeglim, gives necessary background to the story of the Valorim, Ethelim and the O'Mondim.
Schmidt's writing remains descriptive, beautiful and insightful. The dialog between Tommy and his friends sounds extremely realistic. The relationship between Tommy and his family is well realized. The chapters in Plymouth focus on the struggle of Tommy, his sister and his father with the loss of Tommy's mother, the relationship between Tommy and his friends, the struggle with a realtor, and the action stemming from Tommy's gift of the chain.
The story of the Valorim is more challenging reading, requiring readers to check the glossary frequently and use their imagination. The final chapter should, in my opinion, be read first, and, imo, should have been placed at the beginning of the book. Science fiction and fantasy readers may enjoy this book more than others.
This book worked for me. It will not be for everyone and may be challenging for many middle grade readers, which in my opinion is not necessarily a bad thing, but may result in less readership. The writing, voice, science fiction story, and the use of the imagination required makes this a 4 star read for me.
For ages 10 to 12, fantasy, science fiction, grief, loss, friendship, heroes, and fans of Gary D. Schmidt.
The dual stories, on Earth and on a planet far, far away, are told in alternating chapters, with the Valorim's story written in a saga-like style and lyrical language, printed in italics. A Glossary in the back gives (with humor) definitions of Valorim vocabulary. A final chapter, The Testament of Young Waeglim, gives necessary background to the story of the Valorim, Ethelim and the O'Mondim.
Schmidt's writing remains descriptive, beautiful and insightful. The dialog between Tommy and his friends sounds extremely realistic. The relationship between Tommy and his family is well realized. The chapters in Plymouth focus on the struggle of Tommy, his sister and his father with the loss of Tommy's mother, the relationship between Tommy and his friends, the struggle with a realtor, and the action stemming from Tommy's gift of the chain.
The story of the Valorim is more challenging reading, requiring readers to check the glossary frequently and use their imagination. The final chapter should, in my opinion, be read first, and, imo, should have been placed at the beginning of the book. Science fiction and fantasy readers may enjoy this book more than others.
This book worked for me. It will not be for everyone and may be challenging for many middle grade readers, which in my opinion is not necessarily a bad thing, but may result in less readership. The writing, voice, science fiction story, and the use of the imagination required makes this a 4 star read for me.
For ages 10 to 12, fantasy, science fiction, grief, loss, friendship, heroes, and fans of Gary D. Schmidt.
October 26, 2012
This was one weird book, and I still don't think I really got the whole thematic picture. There's an alternate planet on which lives a Lord of the Rings type society, complete with Beowulf type early/middle English narration, and the epic stature of Homer. Then it's blended with a modern day kid who lives in Plymouth, MA, but is somehow linked to this society. But he's grieving deeply for his mother who has died.
The two worlds collide inside the kid's lunchbox when a chain arrives from space and lands there. The chain is the heart and soul of one group who has just about been slaughtered by the evil Lord and his orc-like minions. And they want it badly.
There's elements of John Hughes' Iron Giant in there, too.
I usually love Schmidt's work, but this one threw me for a loop, and I am really not sure a regular kid is going to like it, even one who likes Ranger's Apprentice, Pendragon, or something like that. The alternate world chapters are pretty heavy - very melodic, but heavy to read. Tommy Pepper is really a regular kid and there are some very funny and poignant depictions of being a regular kid. Schmidt blends the language of the alternate world into the modern world for some interesting twists. But at the end it gets very deep, and I just didn't get it. The grief Tommy feels for his mother - is it just stirred up with the arrival of the chain and the bad guys and the one good guy left? Is it embodied in the chain? I wasn't sure, and I never really felt like it got resolved or at least settled to a point where he could live with it. That's how unsatisfying the ending was to me.
And if I was confused, imagine a kid reading it. I just don't think a kid will get it either.
The two worlds collide inside the kid's lunchbox when a chain arrives from space and lands there. The chain is the heart and soul of one group who has just about been slaughtered by the evil Lord and his orc-like minions. And they want it badly.
There's elements of John Hughes' Iron Giant in there, too.
I usually love Schmidt's work, but this one threw me for a loop, and I am really not sure a regular kid is going to like it, even one who likes Ranger's Apprentice, Pendragon, or something like that. The alternate world chapters are pretty heavy - very melodic, but heavy to read. Tommy Pepper is really a regular kid and there are some very funny and poignant depictions of being a regular kid. Schmidt blends the language of the alternate world into the modern world for some interesting twists. But at the end it gets very deep, and I just didn't get it. The grief Tommy feels for his mother - is it just stirred up with the arrival of the chain and the bad guys and the one good guy left? Is it embodied in the chain? I wasn't sure, and I never really felt like it got resolved or at least settled to a point where he could live with it. That's how unsatisfying the ending was to me.
And if I was confused, imagine a kid reading it. I just don't think a kid will get it either.
August 17, 2013
I admit that I love Gary Schmidt, so maybe I am predisposed to highly rate anything he does. And I admit that this book is quite different from what we have come to expect from Schmidt. But there is much to like in this science fiction/fantasy tale set in two worlds with alternating chapters taking place on earth and on the planet of the Valorim. The earth chapters read like contemporary fiction, while the Valorim's tale is told in the formal style of high fantasy and the medieval bards, which will be difficult for some readers to follow.
This is a novel of contrasts, and it is those contrasts that make it a book worth reading and discussing with students. First, Schmidt's invented Valorim language provides readers with excellent practice in using context clues to construct meaning while reading. Schmidt even provides the means to check readers' interpretations of those words in an afterword humorously titled, "A List of Weird and Strange Words that Came Out of the Mouth of Tommy Pepper and Which He Now Claims He Never Said But He Did Say Even If He Says He Didn't or Doesn't Remember He Did." The alternating chapters promote the study and analysis of setting, style and character. The Valorim chapters are characterized by complex sentence structure and syntax, formal tone, and flat/static characters while the Earth chapters are mostly in modern vernacular, a blend of narrative and dialogue, and more rounded/dynamic characters.
Will children like What Came from the Stars? I'm not sure. Many will not because they aren't willing to invest the effort that the formal style requires. But for those readers who do, or for those who will read it in class or discussion groups, a treat is in store.
This is a novel of contrasts, and it is those contrasts that make it a book worth reading and discussing with students. First, Schmidt's invented Valorim language provides readers with excellent practice in using context clues to construct meaning while reading. Schmidt even provides the means to check readers' interpretations of those words in an afterword humorously titled, "A List of Weird and Strange Words that Came Out of the Mouth of Tommy Pepper and Which He Now Claims He Never Said But He Did Say Even If He Says He Didn't or Doesn't Remember He Did." The alternating chapters promote the study and analysis of setting, style and character. The Valorim chapters are characterized by complex sentence structure and syntax, formal tone, and flat/static characters while the Earth chapters are mostly in modern vernacular, a blend of narrative and dialogue, and more rounded/dynamic characters.
Will children like What Came from the Stars? I'm not sure. Many will not because they aren't willing to invest the effort that the formal style requires. But for those readers who do, or for those who will read it in class or discussion groups, a treat is in store.
November 16, 2012
I've read 3 books by Schmidt before this book, and this is completely different from all of them except in one thing: the writing is still beautiful. In fact, half the time that's what kept me going in this book was how beautiful it came across to me. Even in the fantasy world chapters where I was often confused, I was mesmerized by the lyrical language.
This is definitely a book to put the reader's imagination to work. Some things so well-described--I could FEEL the cold of the snowstorm and hear the music described. Yet so many other things, especially the fantastical parts, that were left up to the reader to see in their minds. A great way to stretch a younger reader's visualization.
The story gripped me even if I wasn't always sure I was getting what I was supposed to. Loved Tommy and his family and how they came to grips with their grief. Loved his friends and the relationships he had with them. I liked that Tommy's loved ones trusted and supported him even when so much he said and did was odd.
This is a hard book to talk about for reasons I don't even know how to explain. All I know is that throughout the book and now after, one word remains: Beautiful. I had a glimpse of that in "Lizzie Bright..." so it was nice to feel that the entire book. I recommend anyone to read it just to see what they get out of it. Probably not for some, but others it will touch somehow.
This is definitely a book to put the reader's imagination to work. Some things so well-described--I could FEEL the cold of the snowstorm and hear the music described. Yet so many other things, especially the fantastical parts, that were left up to the reader to see in their minds. A great way to stretch a younger reader's visualization.
The story gripped me even if I wasn't always sure I was getting what I was supposed to. Loved Tommy and his family and how they came to grips with their grief. Loved his friends and the relationships he had with them. I liked that Tommy's loved ones trusted and supported him even when so much he said and did was odd.
This is a hard book to talk about for reasons I don't even know how to explain. All I know is that throughout the book and now after, one word remains: Beautiful. I had a glimpse of that in "Lizzie Bright..." so it was nice to feel that the entire book. I recommend anyone to read it just to see what they get out of it. Probably not for some, but others it will touch somehow.
March 26, 2014
This book was charming, fascinating, and intricate. I loved the uniqueness and individuality in the plot, the characters, and the book itself. It is about a boy named Tommy Pepper who lives with a little sister who no longer speaks and a father trying to hold the three of them together after his mother's death. When a mysterious green and silver chain is found in his lunchbox on his twelfth birthday, Tommy puts it on and finds knowledge he had never known before--knowledge of wars raging in other worlds, and things no one else has ever heard of. Tommy soon realizes he has other battles to fight, and as he solves these cosmic problems he tries to piece together his family, his friends, his life, and himself. I have to admit that at first glance I didn't think I would enjoy it much, but it turned out to be better than I'd expected. The advice I would give to a reader is not to give up after the first chapter or so, because it is a little confusing at the beginning. But I think that's intentional, because we learn more as the story goes on.
July 5, 2012
Wanted to love this, because I love this author (and I love fantasy). But I didn't.
Tells two stories - the more realistic story of a tween boy grieving his dead mother in modern day Mass was pretty good, with some lovely writing in true Gary-Schmidt-style. But the parallel fantasy story involving a conquered race many light years away who send their last hope in the form of a necklace down to Earth read (not even kidding) like a kids' attempt to write a fantasy novel. I actually thought the opening chapter was tongue-in-cheek, so I skimmed ahead only to realize that it was an actual attempt at high fantasy. (Shudder.)
So sad not to be able to recommend this.
Tells two stories - the more realistic story of a tween boy grieving his dead mother in modern day Mass was pretty good, with some lovely writing in true Gary-Schmidt-style. But the parallel fantasy story involving a conquered race many light years away who send their last hope in the form of a necklace down to Earth read (not even kidding) like a kids' attempt to write a fantasy novel. I actually thought the opening chapter was tongue-in-cheek, so I skimmed ahead only to realize that it was an actual attempt at high fantasy. (Shudder.)
So sad not to be able to recommend this.
October 8, 2012
This novel is quite a departure for Gary Schmidt and one I wish he'd not taken. The story is an odd mix of realism and fantasy with chapters alternating between the life of sixth-grader Tommy Pepper and a civil war on a distant planet written in epic-like fashion. Especially peculiar is the use of rather difficult Old English-like vocabulary and Beowulf-like names in the extraterrestrial chapters. Some readers may find it an enjoyable story but it doesn't work for me. I prefer when Schmidt's stories stay completely within the realm of reality.
January 24, 2016
This book was a slow start for me. But, by page 185, it really picked up. The Wednesday Wars, Okay for Now, and Lizzie Bright are phenomenal books, and part of the reason they are is that they are believable in their moments of implausibility/improbability. In What Came from the Stars, implausible and fun and touching things happen, but I struggled to believe it as when I read some other Gary Schmidt books. I liked it more and more as it went on. Also, too many alien words.
February 22, 2019
To repeat what I previously said, I don't understand reviewers and readers confusion over the back and forth between worlds. At the back of the book is a summary in English of the other world's history and Alice wrote a dictionary of the terms used by Timmy that came from the other world. Great story, well told. Gary Schmidt is 3 for 3, but I move on.
March 17, 2018
What a wild story this was! If I had to describe it...it's like a Lord Of The Rings slash Star Wars slash middle school coming-of-age story. I was all about it. One star off for maybe just being a little weird at times, since part of the story takes place on Earth.
In a galaxy far, far away (Star Wars reference), the Valorim are fighting against Lord Mondus, who wants to steal the Art Of The Valorim and do all manner of evil with it. In desperation, Young Waeglim forges the Art Of The Valorim into a chain (reminiscent of Lord Of The Rings, only this piece of jewelry is good) and sends it out into the universe, where it sails across the stars and lands in Tommy Pepper's lunch box. He puts the chain on and starts creating other-worldly art, and dreaming about the Twin Suns of this faraway planet. At the same time he is struggling with grieving his mother, who died the year before, and the Art Of The Valorim helps him remember her. But now Lord Mondus's henchman are on Earth, trying to get the Art Of The Valorim back, and Tommy has to decide whether to save some distant planet or his own family.
I thought this book was quite imaginative, and the was Schmidt writes it is just plain fun. Despite the echoes of more serious fantasy stories, there is a lot of humor woven into this book, especially when Tommy starts referring to things from this distant planet that no one here has heard of. There is a humorous "dictionary" in the back of the book that adds some levity after the story ends.
The story deals with some more serious topics, like grief and evil and bravery, but I liked how it ended on a hopeful note. There were some weird plot points here and there, but even though part of this whole story takes place on Earth, it felt like pure imagination and not like it was trying to say anything weird about God or Christianity (which is what I didn't love about A Wrinkle In Time, if you saw that recent review). I really enjoyed What Came From The Stars, maybe because the language sometimes took me back to my own middle-school years when I read Lord Of The Rings, and maybe because I just think Schmidt is a really smart writer. I'd recommend it, especially if you have ever read and loved Lord Of The Rings.
Parents' Guide: I probably wouldn't hand this to my child until they were 12 years old or so, and preferably not until they had read LOTR because I think it's more fun if you've read that first. Some creepy scenes with these characters from the other planet, who have some "powers" over objects and possibly can cause storms. Tommy also has some ability to move objects and create amazing art and bring a creature from his other planet to life using this mysterious "Art Of The Valorim". Most adults are respected pretty well in this story, which I liked. Some words from this other world are used which are implied as name-calling. One lie is told to foil the bad guys. That's all I can think of.
In a galaxy far, far away (Star Wars reference), the Valorim are fighting against Lord Mondus, who wants to steal the Art Of The Valorim and do all manner of evil with it. In desperation, Young Waeglim forges the Art Of The Valorim into a chain (reminiscent of Lord Of The Rings, only this piece of jewelry is good) and sends it out into the universe, where it sails across the stars and lands in Tommy Pepper's lunch box. He puts the chain on and starts creating other-worldly art, and dreaming about the Twin Suns of this faraway planet. At the same time he is struggling with grieving his mother, who died the year before, and the Art Of The Valorim helps him remember her. But now Lord Mondus's henchman are on Earth, trying to get the Art Of The Valorim back, and Tommy has to decide whether to save some distant planet or his own family.
I thought this book was quite imaginative, and the was Schmidt writes it is just plain fun. Despite the echoes of more serious fantasy stories, there is a lot of humor woven into this book, especially when Tommy starts referring to things from this distant planet that no one here has heard of. There is a humorous "dictionary" in the back of the book that adds some levity after the story ends.
The story deals with some more serious topics, like grief and evil and bravery, but I liked how it ended on a hopeful note. There were some weird plot points here and there, but even though part of this whole story takes place on Earth, it felt like pure imagination and not like it was trying to say anything weird about God or Christianity (which is what I didn't love about A Wrinkle In Time, if you saw that recent review). I really enjoyed What Came From The Stars, maybe because the language sometimes took me back to my own middle-school years when I read Lord Of The Rings, and maybe because I just think Schmidt is a really smart writer. I'd recommend it, especially if you have ever read and loved Lord Of The Rings.
Parents' Guide: I probably wouldn't hand this to my child until they were 12 years old or so, and preferably not until they had read LOTR because I think it's more fun if you've read that first. Some creepy scenes with these characters from the other planet, who have some "powers" over objects and possibly can cause storms. Tommy also has some ability to move objects and create amazing art and bring a creature from his other planet to life using this mysterious "Art Of The Valorim". Most adults are respected pretty well in this story, which I liked. Some words from this other world are used which are implied as name-calling. One lie is told to foil the bad guys. That's all I can think of.
January 21, 2020
I feel about this novel the way I feel about U2's Achtung, Baby album. Everyone else was like, "Why won't U2 do Joshua Tree forever and ever until they die because we love Joshua Tree?" And I was like, "Hey, it's new. They tried something unusual. It's got good stuff there."
One of my favorite books is The Wednesday Wars, and What Came From the Stars has some of what makes that book special---a young male protagonist, quirky friends of said protagonist, tenderness and goodness. It also has a fantasy story running parallel to it at the beginning that meshes with the "in real life" story. You can't help but think of Lord of the Rings or similar fare.
This book would be a good way to introduce the concept of using context clues to figure out word meanings. When Tommy Pepper wears the necklace, he starts thinking in ways that the people of the other world think and using their words, which no one around him understands. But the reader CAN make sense of the terminology by using context clues. A teacher and his/her class could have fun with this throughout the book.
And I just feel compelled to make a comment about readers who say "Why should Tommy Pepper care about what happens on another world?" Why should Frodo care about the ring when the Shire hasn't yet been destroyed? Why should I care about starving people across the world from me? The answer is because tragedy is tragedy, no matter where you live. And Tommy's mother would have wanted him to do the right thing. Period. As all mothers do. [Stepping off soapbox now]
One of my favorite books is The Wednesday Wars, and What Came From the Stars has some of what makes that book special---a young male protagonist, quirky friends of said protagonist, tenderness and goodness. It also has a fantasy story running parallel to it at the beginning that meshes with the "in real life" story. You can't help but think of Lord of the Rings or similar fare.
This book would be a good way to introduce the concept of using context clues to figure out word meanings. When Tommy Pepper wears the necklace, he starts thinking in ways that the people of the other world think and using their words, which no one around him understands. But the reader CAN make sense of the terminology by using context clues. A teacher and his/her class could have fun with this throughout the book.
And I just feel compelled to make a comment about readers who say "Why should Tommy Pepper care about what happens on another world?" Why should Frodo care about the ring when the Shire hasn't yet been destroyed? Why should I care about starving people across the world from me? The answer is because tragedy is tragedy, no matter where you live. And Tommy's mother would have wanted him to do the right thing. Period. As all mothers do. [Stepping off soapbox now]
March 12, 2024
I love all of the author's books that I have read, but after reading many of the reviews for this book on Goodreads, I have to agree with most of them. He needs to stick with realistic situations. The parts of the story set in our world are well written and the kids are easy to like. The parts that are supposed to take place on a planet in a galaxy far away, are written with so many weird made up words and objects that it was hard for me to follow. I wish I had known about the glossary and summary for the history of the other world, that was at the back of the book. It might have helped my understanding. I tended to skim most of those parts. The main story set on earth and the ending was enjoyable.
April 10, 2022
I wanted to like this book and expected to like most of it, but it didn't meet my expectations. At first I liked the pairing of the destiny of some other world's galaxy being in the hand of a 6th grader. I liked the kids and the class and Tommy and his family, but it was just too much for me. I feel it would have been better to end the story in Tommy's voice.
There's definitely a "creep factor". Predatorial, maybe. And while every good story needs tension for a good plot, it's not great when the main characters are middle schoolers and the predator-like character is an adult male.
There's definitely a "creep factor". Predatorial, maybe. And while every good story needs tension for a good plot, it's not great when the main characters are middle schoolers and the predator-like character is an adult male.
March 8, 2022
Very different book with a Sci-fi fantasy combining worlds and cultures from other planets. Good characters, but unusual approach. I loved Tommy and his family, but I found myself skimming the other world sections.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2024
This was a very unique book. It was a rich story and I enjoyed it. It also caught me off guard a bit with the science fiction factor implementation.
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