The Trouble with Shooting Stars

by Meg Cannistra

Twelve-year-old Luna loves the nighttime more than anything else. It’s when no one gives her “that look” about the half mask she has to wear while healing from a disfiguring car accident. It’s also the perfect time to sit outside and draw what she sees. Like the boy and girl from the new family next door…zipping out of the window in a zeppelin and up to the stars.

At first she thinks she’s dreaming. But one night the siblings catch her watching. Now Luna spends her nights on adventures with them, as they clean full moons, arrange constellations, and catch jars of stardust. She even gets to make a wish on a shooting star they catch.

But Luna learns that no wish is strong enough to erase the past — as much as she may hope to.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure, Childrens, Magic, Young Adult

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2019

Reviews

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was an intriguing fantasy combined with a difficult reality. It had wonderful lessons, but I didn’t feel like I was being taught or lectured.

[BookishStitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartwarming story of a girl learning to love herself again after a horrible car accident leaves her with facial scars. Throw in a bunch of moon magic and some amazingly yummy Italian cooking and you have a great middle grade read.

[Lucas Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Cannistra’s debut novel, The Trouble with Shooting Stars, feels a bit anachronistic to me, in that it feels like a book that I would have read and adored as a child, but yet I get to experience this perfectly magical and emotional tale as an adult instead, looking intrinsically, finding that childlike wonder still buried in myself.

Cannistra weaves two tales together masterfully; one side carries the personal and family drama the main character, Luna, must endure, the other the mysterious and magical new neighbors that Luna spies on from her window. The story might seem simple at first, but the story digs deep into Luna, and what comes is a poignant, yet uplifting, tale.

Having no interest in giving too much away, I simply urge anyone to read this novel, especially anyone who is fan of fantastical children’s literature. Meanwhile, I’ll be impatiently awaiting her second novel.

[Kathy Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story about accepting trials in life. Luna and her father were involved in a car accident just before the start of seventh grade, As a result Luna does not start school at the beginning of the year, but has a classmate bring her work to her each week.. She is afraid to talk to her best friend as she is burnt and her nose is broken, forcing her to wear a compression mask.. The word "ugly" hangs in the air.

During this time of isolation, Luna meets the spacitricci, star sweepers, who clean the moon and stars and keep them shining. They go up in a ship, that resembles a steampunk airship, but shrinks in size to a child's toy. Luna spends a lot of time sitting outside her window watching Alessandro and Chiara when they move into the neighborhood. the real world and magic collide in this story to heal a twelve year old and her family.

[CynnieRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious.

[Celan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a journey. If you asked me what I would rate this 100 pages in, it would have been 5/5 stars. But some of the middle sections were very hard to get through, ad the beginning is kind of like: Luna, just figure it out already!" which was kind of frustrating. But, the good parts were very good. There were some great quotes, cool magical moments, and even some deeper moments, which is why I enjoyed it. Over all, it's a good read, but just be careful because you might be very bored in some parts.

[Rachel | The Tea Cup Half Full · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful children’s/middle school coming-of-age tale about overcoming obstacles and growing up. Hands down: I’d hand this out to anyone I knew around that age to read and enjoy. Heck, I’m an adult, and I enjoyed it. This book reminded me of what would happen if Ramona Quimby stumbled upon Italian magic. Everyone needs a little twinkle of stardust and moondust in their life. ⭐️🌕⭐️

[Jasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Jasper is a Non-Speaking Autistic 9 Year Old, I will re-write this when he is open (if he has an opinion))

So this book is really good, I'm gonna start there. As a mother of a "disabled" child, hearing Luna talk about her facial difference was enlightening but what I appreciated the most is her openly talking about the anxiety and what it feels like. Jasper was just diagnosed with "severe anxiety disorder" on top of his other disabilities and he really resonated with Luna.
This book is so whimsy and magical, but more so than that, it's very emotionally vulnerable. It shows the good, bad and ugly of Grieving your Life as you knew it.

Jasper has rarely asked for his audiobooks, normally it's just part of the routine, but even with his Auntie and Dad in the car, he would ask for this book! Definitely a must read for Tweens out there!

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book on January 22. It is now November 23 and I have been procrastinating writing this review because I am afraid that words will not do it justice.

Cannistra has written a paean for families who have undergone a deep tragedy and are still living with its aftermath. The words on the page are simple, but Cannistra conveys the Bianchinis' pain in a way that was realistic and all to relatable to this reader whose family has undergone their own share of tragedy.

Within the books pages you will find characters who are believable as part of old Italian folk tales. There is no way for me to convey to you who are reading this how hypercritical I am of authors who attempt to create new folk tales because often it is clear that they are trying to hard. As I read Trouble with Shooting Stars I found myself Googling spazzatrici to see if such a tale actually existed and Cannistra had just built upon it, but alas, my searches only found Italian cleaning products. And so, as the story of the Sapienti family unfurled I became more and more in awe of Canistra's talent.

In fact, it brought to mind an author whose status as a TERF has made me want to banish their name from my lexicon. A comparison that is very apt because like She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Cannistra uses language is a savvy way to give us clues about various characters and their traits. (I only have two years of college Italian and was able to pick up on a lot of the word play!) This comparison is why I was reluctant to review the book because I was trying to write my way around it. However, it is comparison that many readers will understand and that I hope will make people curious enough about this book that they go pick it up.

And I haven't even mentioned the drawings! (You'll have to see them for yourself and read the book to see how they moved people far and wide.)

If I still taught middle school English I would ask my school to add this to my class's reading list. It is a stunning novel that will move readers of all ages. It is one of those books that I'll reread, but I'll be sad that I can never again experience the magic of reading it for the first time.

Brava!

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Trouble with Shooting Stars by Meg Cannistra, 321 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2019. $18.

Language: G Mature Content: G Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Luna is having a hard time accepting the facial scarring she’s had since the car accident. The mask she wears doesn’t help. She doesn’t want to go to school and won’t return her friend’s calls. Then a new family moves in next door and they are anything but ordinary. Luna sees them playing with stars and before long she is invited to join them on their nightly voyages to sweep the moon, care for the stars, and collect their dust. Luna is most hopeful about catching a shooting star so she can have her wish granted.

This book is both realistic fiction and fantasy. It’s easy to be drawn into Luna’s tragic world where she must let go of the person she once was and accept the person she is now. However, the fantasy part with stars that talk and have personalities might not be for everyone. The best way to describe it is a little bit Peter Pan and a little bit Wonder.

Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, MLIS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luna has had a rough time since a car accident landed her father in the hospital, and landed her with severe facial burns and damage requiring she wear a compression half-mask all the time. She's stopped going to school, stopped responding to her best friend, and hates going anywhere at all because people just stare and say things that further break Luna's heart. Plus her father is furious at his own condition and his inability to help at the family deli, and the relationship between her parents is rocky. But then Chiara and Alessandro move in next door, and Luna quickly discovers--because she is always observant and stays awake at night, when no one can see her--that they are magic. In fact, they are "spazzatrici"--star cleaners--who go up at night to clean the moon and stars, and raise baby stars until they are ready to go off on their own. As Luna becomes more involved with them and their magic, she begins to wonder if there's any magic that can help her and her family.

A student recommended this, and I did enjoy it, with some caveats. I thought the "problem novel" part of it with Luna's issues and family troubles did work really well, and Luna is a sympathetic character, as are her struggling parents. This feels like a struggle the author knows well, and is very believable. The magic part is delightful, but felt to me as if it belonged in a book for younger children--the problem novel is a middle school story, but the star story is more for elementary. It didn't quite work for me, being a bit too twee and explicitly message-y (the problem novel part had some of those issues as well). I also wasn't sure what era this was set in, since no one seemed to have computers or cell phones, but it wasn't explicitly stated. Maybe that's not necessary, but I do think modern kids would be confused at the lack of tech with no explanation of the time period.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those books I wanted to love but couldn't fully get there.

Luna and her father are trying to deal with the physical challenges following a car accident. Luna has facial scarring and wears a Phantom of the Opera type mask. Her father is recovering in a wheel chair. Both of them have become rather reclusive, not wanting to deal with people and their stares. Luna has avoided her best friend despite her efforts to visit.

Not long after the accident, a family with magical powers moves in next door. Luna follows them into the woods one night and finds them playing with baby stars. They decide to include Luna in their adventures and allow her to come with them on their nightly adventures into space. They are tasked with taking care of the moon and stars. Luna's attitude begins to improve, while waiting to capture a shooting star. To her dismay, when that finally happens, the star can't help her.

I always have a tough time with books that try to be both realistic fiction and fantasy. I'm not sure why. That's what Peter Pan is after all. Personified stars is just a little much for me. I wish the stars had been people. Angels would have been ok. Something more along the lines of It's a Wonderful Life. Stars. Nope. I enjoyed all of the realistic components. A girl struggles to move forward after a catastrophe rocks her world. A major takeaway is that there is no such thing as wishes. We all have it in us to make happen whatever it is we want. I like that a lot.

Do not like the cover. It does not sell the book.

[Beth ~Book Loving Is My Superpower~ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unpopular review here:

This one was a flop in my eyes. The premise sounded amazing and the book was touted as a fantastical middle grade coming of age story which it did hit upon but again, ultimately, fell flat. I almost put it down and left it on the shelf for good but I felt that I needed to put my heartfelt (yet unpopular) review out there so people who are debating on whether or not to pick up this read could see that it didn't vibe with everyone. There are a bunch of glowing reviews and I respect that but for me, this one was sluggish and a bore. World building was okay and character development was too but it lacked some...Jun use qua to tie everything together into an interesting, cohesive work of art.

Overall:

This is magically unique and has a great premise but ultimately doesn't deliver. It might be a case of "it's not you, it's me" but the tedium and lack of oomph ruined it for me. I didn't care one whit what was going to happen next and not caring for the plot or the characters, as a general rule, is a surefire recipe for a harsh rating. It seems that this is a Love it or Hate it read... and you know where I fell on that scale.

Actual Rating: 1.5 Stars

*** I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ***

[Frank Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was longer than I expected so listened and fast-forward read through the second half to see if (spoiler alert) Luna ever decides the balloon is her own imagination, but - from everything I read she does not, and the same goes for her two magical next-door friends.

Luna is 12, and I find it hard to believe someone that age still believes in magical beings, but she does. I thought it was like her Mom said - perhaps her pain medication was responsible for her hallucinations, or the fantasy was her own sleep-generated dream to escape the pain of her injuries and troubled home life - and losing her best friend. But, the author held to the fantasy that Luna believes was real.

The rest of the story was believable, my being of the same culture from the same locale, but the balloon issue was too much for me to accept. It is a Middle-Grade book, and written for any age level, but the balloon fanasy (as one reviewer on another side said, a "Wonder meets Mary Poppins" story) does make the story more suited for grade school readers.

[Chrystopher’s Archive · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay entry in my furthering quest to read more middle grade. It started very slow and took me a while to get into it, but it brought up some interesting ideas.

It was a cute concept in the flying ship and stars as metaphor category. I also thought it was interesting to see Italian-American rep with part of the magic supposedly based on Italian folklore, although I suspect some of the Italian words are not quite on the money.

The story has disability and disfigurement rep, and while I liked the positive portrayal of therapy, I'm not too sure about the rest of it since it's somewhat outside my experience.

Another thing that bothered me was the main character's parents' (particularly her mother's) lack of respect for her autonomy. This is especially bad during one scene with the grandmother, who forces her way into Luna's room. She says something along the lines of "privacy? You're 12, you don't need privacy."

Overall I think it will appeal to quieter, artsy kids who kind of feel out of place and isolated.

[Zazie · Rating 3 out of 5]

while I enjoyed most of this book, I find it hard to rate it because all throughout the book they talk about facial scarring and at some point someone calls the main character ugly. I feel that a child has to be the smart kind to be able to read this book and not feel the need to call someone ugly outside the book. Maybe it'll help some kids but it will not help other kids in a positive way so make sure you know the kid you're gifting this to so that you aren't gifting it to a kid with the tendency to be mean to people with issues that make them feel different.

Personally, I enjoyed most of this book but I was sick of hearing about the facial scarring and the mask and whatnot. It's the only thing this book is about aside from kids putting stars in the sky. Part of this book was weird while other parts were great or dumb to me. I can't rate this 4 stars because of all these issues.

I hope that, if you choose to buy this book for yourself or someone else, that you or the other person will enjoy this book despite the issues in it.

[Katie Kaboom · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is one of my Jasper reads, which I don't always leave reviews on, but considering how "long" this one was, I think it counts for me as well.... On top of the fact that it had me and my inner child crying too.

There was a review of this book that said "as a kid I would have loved the fantastical magic in the story, but as an adult I got the emotional tale too" and I think that sums it up perfectly. Jasper would get real vocal at a lot of the "conflict" in the book (meaning he was uncomfortable, mood) through the book, but in those parts I found my own Inner Child in Luna.
And of course Luna has a massive family and anyone from a massive extended family can relate to a lot of those pressures alone.

Very whimsy, and Jasper loved it! So it's definitely a win in my book.

[Ace Penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book in my tween years 12-13 ish. As someone who experienced quite a bit of their life inside and isolated, I found that I related to this book a lot. I actually haven't read the official version yet; I've only seen the uncorrected proof, and it still meant so much to me. Ever since I first read this book, it changed me on such a fundamental level that I still don't have the words to describe the exact emotions I felt. The best way I can describe this emotion is Gustav Holst's 'The Planets - Jupiter, the bringer of jollity' (song) combined with the most mind-bending and eye-opening crying session, and it changed my brain-chemistry on such a primal level. I Really liked the book. ✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡

[Barbra · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Luna’s car accident she struggles to regain her old life and her old self. Then the neighbors move in and she magically escapes with them on journeys to release baby stars and shine the moon. If she can only catch a shooting star she may be able to change things. From the beginning to the end we struggle along side Luna, hope, pray and cheer for her. This wonderful story of turning tragedy into triumph will touch the hearts of young readers aged 8 to adult. I loved this uplifting book that makes you wonder if imagination can exist with determination.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a car accident, 12-year-old Luna struggles to come to terms with the mask she wears while her facial injuries heal. She is enjoying drawing things she sees through her binoculars in her neighborhood. This is how she first notices the Sapienti siblings, her new neighbors who secretly watch over infant stars. As Luna gets to know the Sapientis, she enters a world of magic, adventure, and history.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely an unusual and interesting story. I really felt for Luna and all that she was going through and dealing with. The magical aspect of the story was certainly different. That wasn't my cup of tea but others will likely enjoy that. I did like the end a lot, things improved for Luna and there was definitely hope for better days ahead for Luna and her family. Quick and easy and good read.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruno wears a half mask because she is healing from the side effects of a terrible car crash. She does not like going out in the day but loves staring at the stars out her window at night. A curious family moves in next door and The children befriend Luna and take her on incredible adventures. Along the way she learns to heal inside, and helps her family heal as well. A great book!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read The Trouble with Shooting Stars. This novel was the first thing I have finished in months, and I am so glad for it. You can’t help but feel personally invited into Luna’s little world, and we are all the better for it.

P.S. - if you cry often, make sure you have tissues nearby.

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good!!!!

[Emily Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely magical

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs this book for one reason or another! Luna’s story will stay with you for a long time. And you’ll never look at the stars the same way.

[Tasslyn Magnusson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and magical. I really loved it.

[Lindsey Haderlie Boulier · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Wonder and A Monster Like Me, than you will love this book as well!

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book was very fun to read.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for work. A book that mixes magic with the heartache of real life. A lot more somber than I expected, but very well written.