Trouble in the Stars

Trouble in the Stars

by Sarah Prineas

An outer-space adventure about a troublesome little shape-shifter on the run from the law.

Trouble knows two things: they are a shapeshifter, and they are running from something--but they don't know what. So when the government--the StarLeague--shows up, Trouble figures it's time to flee.

Changing from blob of goo form, to adorable puppy form, to human boy form, Trouble stows away on the Hindsight, a ship crewed by the best navigators and engineers in the galaxy, led by the fearsome Captain Astra. When Trouble is discovered, the captain decides to be nice--instead of tossing them out an airlock, she'll drop Trouble off at the next space station.

As the ship travels, Trouble uses the time to figure out how to be a good human boy, and starts to feel safe. But when a young StarLeague cadet shows up to capture Trouble, things get complicated, especially when Trouble reveals a shapeshifter form that none of them could have expected. Soon a chase across the galaxy begins. Safety, freedom, and home are at stake, and not just for Trouble.

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Adventure, Childrens, Space, Humor, Juvenile

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 27, 2021

About the author

Coming in April 2021 from Philomel, Trouble in the Stars! It's a middle grade science fiction adventure about a shapeshifter kid.

And Dragonfell is out in paperback in April 2020.

Happy reading!

My website: www.sarah-prineas.com

Reviews

[Sarah Prineas]

I'm not going to rate a novel that I wrote, but I will say that this is the dearest book of my heart and I absolutely adore Trouble the troublesome shapeshifter kid, and I hope that you will too.

[Greg Eekhout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trouble in the Stars is a delight from first page to last. Sarah Prineas tells Trouble's voyage of self-discovery and search for family with dry humor, whimsy, and moments of heart-tugging poignance. I enjoyed every minute I spent with Trouble and the crew of the Hindsight. The writing sparkles like stars, the action flies fast as a rocket, and the characters will warm your heart like a bowl of stew on a cold spaceship.

[Kathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

This MG science fiction story begins with a shapeshifter with no memory of its past that sneaks aboard a spacecraft, convinced it’s running from something but with no idea what that could be. The crew discovers it in a human form named Trouble. Captain Astra agrees to transport it to the next space station, and the members of Hindsight start to grow attached to Trouble. But when a member of the StarLeague government arrives aboard the ship, answers about Trouble’s past are revealed, and no one is safe.

I requested this eARC because I wanted a book for a reading challenge with a non-human main character. I’d never read anything by the author before, and even though science fiction isn’t my usual genre of choice, I enjoyed this story a lot. One theme was what it means to belong to a family and the definition of “home,” and I appreciated how the author handled it. I liked that the crew came to accept and protect Trouble and defended him even when he gave them a reason to question their loyalty. I also like how Trouble grew as a character and how his self-identity developed. The story advances quickly and keeps the reader invested in discovering Trouble’s past and wondering about his future.

I will be adding this book to my library’s collection and recommend it for Gr. 4-7.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting - couldn't put it down! The story follows a shape-shifting creature that is created in a lab that gains self-awareness when interacting with other alien beings who are gender neutral or fluid or who have several people living within them. The creature names itself, "Trouble", and is rejected by others because it is one-of-a-kind. The themes of oppression, hate, fear, diverse families, diversity, the monster inside, (to name a few) make for good discussions. The craft is well-done with plenty of action and character development. The main arc shows Trouble learning to care for others and learning to love them as a family. His foil is the tentacle girl whose name escapes me at the moment. The author repeats words and ties them in with satisfying results at the end that strengthen the themes and remind me of Kate DiCamillo.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trouble in the Stars is like a Becky Chambers novel for middle grade. (Yes, I'm surprised too!) While there is a plot that takes place in space, the novel is more focused on relationships, belonging, and found family than it is on space travel. This wasn't what I expected, but I still love it. Trouble's ability to shapeshift was fun to explore. There were a few nit-picky details that bothered me as an adult, but I don't think my 5th grade students will care about them. There were a few times in the book where Trouble chose kindness, which I appreciated. A few of the crew members, like Amby, were mostly in the background. Telly isn't even shown on the cover, poor guy. But Trouble, Captain Astra, and Electra are all very memorable. Overall, this was fun. I'm glad to have a new science fiction recommendation for my students.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole time that I was reading it I was thinking about all its similarities to The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. Which, ok, I need more stories like Chambers' because I love that series. And kids need their own version. And this is very well done, actually, with enough differences in the details to be fresh. So, yeah, I enjoyed it and would read a sequel. And if you're interested, definitely give it a look.

(btw, I also wonder if Prineas knew the origin of the word "ansible" or if it's a word that we've come to use generically, heedlessly...)

[Nisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book expresses an agenda with which I find harmful to children and with which I vehemently disagree. I hate when people try to push extreme ideas on kids. It's bad enough for teens and adults. It's downright dangerous for children.

"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose." - THE FAMILY A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD by The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

[Brandy Painter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Prineas is amazing at what she does as always-deep, nuanced themes pitched just right for the target audience. And it's so much fun at the same time. So happy to see this is the start of a new series!

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

A shapeshifter named Trouble is on the run from StarLeague. Why? Good question.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there anything author Sarah Prineas can’t do? With The Magic Thief, Prineas delighted readers with a four-book magical adventure series. With her Winterling trilogy, Prineas created an upside-down version of a Grimms’ fairytale. Prineas’ The Lost Books: The Scroll of Kings, a novel featuring a would-be librarian and the fate of a magical kingdom, kicked off yet another promising series.

And now Prineas has released Trouble in the Stars, a space opera like no other. A shapeshifter stows away on a contraband-laden cargo airship. Nicknamed Trouble, this little alien more than lives up to his name in this humorous and endearing tale. To tell any more would spoil the suspense and the fun, but I only hope that Prineas will be tempted to continue the tale of Trouble, Captain Astra and the crew of the Hindsight.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was sent a print copy of this book by Sarah Prineas in exchange for an honest review. However, I actually listened to the book in he Audible format, which I bought at my own expense. Narrator Alex McKenna absolutely captured the idiosyncrasies, suspense and whimsey of the novel.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trouble is a shapeshifter who finds themself on a spaceship. Trouble can change shape from a blob of goo to a puppy to a human. Trouble’s gender can change between different forms. When they stow away on the Hindsight, Captain Astra decides to keep Trouble on board until they reach the next space station. However, the Hindsight is being chased by the Starleague, the law enforcers of space, who are looking for an escaped prisoner. Trouble and the rest of the crew have to run from the law, while Trouble is also looking for the home that they came from.

This story introduced some complex ideas for young readers who may not have come across them in fiction before. One main idea was gender fluidity. Trouble’s gender changes depending on the shape that they are in. As a puppy, Trouble was a girl, but as a human Trouble was a boy. There were different species of humanoids on the ship that also expressed gender in different ways. Some were gender fluid, like Trouble. Another one shared a mind between different bodies. There were also some humans who identified as their biological gender. This is a great way to introduce complex gender ideas through science fiction characters.

Another large idea that was in this story was what it means to be a person. Since Trouble was a shapeshifter who didn’t have a permanent body, others questioned whether or not they were a person. Trouble also didn’t know where they came from, so they wanted to find their origins. This idea was explored more at the end of the story so I won’t give away the ending. I think this was a great way to introduce a complex idea with a complex character.

I really enjoyed this middle grade science fiction story!

Thank you Penguin for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Dale Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Space truly is as lonely and cold as it first appears. And it can be even worse when you don't know who you are ... where you've travelled ... or the adventures you may have seen. Now something ... somewhere ... seems like it may finally be home. And Trouble isn't just what lies ahead, but may be the answer to freedom, a new "family", and a way to stop a terrible future. And Trouble is just the beginning.

Sarah Prineas has long been a wonderfully talented writer from in the worlds of fantasy for young readers and middle-school imagineers with the MAGIC THIEF series and the WINTERLING Trilogy. to tweens and teens with the ASH & BRAMBLE duology.

Now she breaks out of her wheelhouse and stretches her writing chops with a new and exciting first book set in a science fiction universe with, starships, alien characters, super-scientific technology, and star-spanning entities with truly evil bad guys.

And ... boy ... was this an amazing first jump into the galactic pool.

What starts out as fun story with new characters and new adventures, soon turns into a true coming of age and discovery of self and family. And THAT has always been one of Prineas' strengths as she continually creates and guides her 'children' to new lives and through new adventures.

Always a fan, I have now found new reasons to buy all things Sarah Prineas ... and wonderfully, while writing this review i discovered that book 2 - ASKING FOR TROUBLE - is due to be released March 15th of 2022. Already pre-ordered and waiting!!!

I would definitely recommend this story for young readers finding their way into new worlds and journeys.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade children's fiction novel is a fun outer space adventure. Trouble is an amoeba like shapeshifter that has escaped the laboratory on a StarLeague spaceship, Peacemaker, and is a stowaway on the ship Hindsight. Trouble who morphed into a boy is reluctantly befriended by the ragtag crew made up of humanoids, reptilians, and insectoids. A StarLeague cadet attempts to apprehend Trouble and notifies the Hindsight captain that there is an escaped criminal aboard her ship but the captain refuses. Troubles secret is revealed and Captain Astra decides to seek out "The Knowledge" to help Trouble escape the clutches of StarLeague, but Trouble finds out that there are other shapeshifters and they're on the Peacemaker and he decides to rescue them. This is standard adventure fair, but it also looks at the importance of family and friendship which give this book a little more heart than the average middle grade adventure/sci-fi story. Perfectly suited for 4th-6th graders.

[Davenport Public Library Iowa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warm-hearted, exciting, and inclusive, this is Firefly for children (though adult fans will also enjoy revisiting this kind of world) AND a good children's introduction to the vast diversity of humanity and the universe. Trouble's innocent and matter-of-fact voice will win readers over immediately, and the challenges faced by the crew will leave readers musing long after the final page.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but wow am I happy I picked this up. Trouble in the Stars has so much heart. I found myself saying “awww” so much and I loved watching Trouble grow and learn. I really enjoyed the characters and thought they were dynamic. I would recommend this to fans of Star Trek or anyone who enjoys a found family type story! ​

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this space adventure story about a shape shifter named Trouble who escapes the cell where he was made and sets out to explore the universe. Ultimately he ends up hiding out on an old ship with a rag tag crew that might just have secrets of its own. Very clever affirmation of gender non-binary in Trouble’s exploration of selfhood as he struggles to figure out who he wants to be be vs who everyone thinks he is.
Charming and warm, full of surprises and adventure— I really liked this one. Reminded me of a middle grade version of Serenity minus the prostitutes and assassins, haha.
Great for third grade and up.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute novel! At first it was hard to get into but then once the story got going it got better and better.

Trouble with a T is an unusual human... well he's not human at all, he's a shapeshifter! And Trouble has well... found himself in A LOT of TROUBLE.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Think it was a great book, I devoured it in an hour and loved the story. It's great for anyone who likes star wars and family shows.

[Jessica F · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a heartfelt and humorous middle grade outer space adventure!

[Ashley Fritch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ollie and I both loved this book! We're very excited to read the sequel!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 9 year old who is a book lover said this was one of his favorites! We laughed a lot with this one!

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost quit after chapter 3. Almost.

I am not opposed to Middle Grade fiction. In fact, I enjoy the stories. If they have something to offer…

Garth Nix’s Keys of the Kingdom. Suzanne Collins’ Underland Chronicles. Max Brallier’s Last Kids on Earth. Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven. Daniel Kraus’ Teddies Saga. Lisa McMann’s Unwanted. Neal Shusterman’s Accelerati. Jeremy Kraatz’s Cloak Society (really enjoyed that series).

Initially, Trouble in the Stars felt very condescending. Adults can write Middle Grade fiction without patronising. (See above list.) I wondered if the book wasn’t better categorised as Children’s Fiction (which I can also enjoy if I understand that’s what the book is before I start reading).

So glad I continued.

The story and characters became very human…and surprisingly emotional. The book even provided several humorous observations on human conventions as viewed by an outsider. A story that fosters inclusion and dispenses with the boxes into which we want to place people.

Well done.

The beginning of the book moves slowly. The final third proceeds at a much more breathless pace.

A nod to Star Wars…




And Alien (mixed with a bit of Barry Allen’s Flash)…




Even Borderlands (among many others)…



The book briefly flirts with “peace” under an authoritarian, and heavily militarised galactic government (that didn’t originate from humans).

I am me. No matter what others choose to name me.

The Soundtrack

Trouble

Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Rats shall inherit the universe! (And this book proves their origins are not terrestrial.)

[Devin Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Prineas is my neighbor, my right across the street neighbor. I probably see her every day. I was nervous to read her newest title 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 (she’s also written 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 series and the 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 series, along with books for young adults), because I thought, “What if I don’t like it? I guess I wouldn’t HAVE to write about it if I didn’t like it but I always write about the books I read, and I’d feel like a big faker if I didn’t write about a book I read, but what if it hurts her feelings that her neighbor didn’t like her book?” and so on goes the hamster wheel in my head. ⁣
BUT I LOVED IT! I really did. 5/5 stars! ⁣
I am smiling right now thinking about the main character, Trouble. We first meet him as a blob of goo but then learn that he is a shapeshifter. Next we meet him as a puppy, and then as a boy. Trouble stowaways on a dented tin can of a spaceship, one crewed by a mismatched gang of creatures, and thus begins an adventure story I couldn’t put down. Prineas did an exceptionally great job creating strong characters with distinct personalities. I liked the homey feeling and descriptions of the 𝘏𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 spaceship.⁣
I DO think 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 will take a reader who enjoys science fiction and the thought processes this kind of story requires. It would make a great family read-aloud and classroom read-aloud if a teacher were willing to help all students understand what is going on. It’s perfect for 3rd grade plus. The ending wraps up but is easily open for a sequel. ⁣
(Also, I feel like Trouble and I have similar appetites!)⁣

[Joc · Rating 2 out of 5]

The true story itself was interesting. But the author inserted nonsense due to pandering to societal whims, and also inserted her obsession with nakedness (which had absolutely nothing to do with the plot). So the story was disfigured and wasted.

By the way, it ought to be obvious that the nakedness is totally ridiculous, if you just think about it a bit, but in case anyone feels lazy, I'm going to spell it out here. Firstly, note that a lot of parts of the human body is NOT made up of living human cells at all, including our hair, our nails, the bulk of the plasma in our blood, almost all the vitreous humour in our eyes, and so on. Thus if Trouble can shift to a human, it necessarily implies that he can instantly construct MORE than just living cells. Since clothes are no different from hair or spikes in terms of being a form of covering that is not made of living cells, there is simply no logical reason that Trouble cannot include clothes in the form he shifts to. Secondly, one cannot say that this is just a fantasy element, because it destroys any reason for forcing nakedness into the story in the first place.

And, umm, don't let me get started on the thing about losing memory but still being able to shift...

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book on every level, and my favorite Sarah Prineas book to date! On the surface, it's the story of a mysterious stowaway named Trouble who is just trying to survive. But underneath the space-faring adventure and hijinks is a deeply profound story about found families and making a home even in the most unlikely of places. The relationships shine like stars. I hope people see how special this one is.

[Jenna (Falling Letters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful scifi read that's heartfelt and adventurous without being too dense.

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Finding MG scifi is no easy task and this one was fun and thoughtful and a standalone!

Wonderful characters and an exciting adventure.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

We first meet Trouble about the same time he meets himself, floating in outer space as a blob of goo. He doesn't remember much about himself, other than that he's a shapeshifter. He finds his way on board a space station, then stows away on a departing ship, eventually taking the form of a human boy. At first, the crew of the ship debates throwing him out of an airlock, but they let him stay and he soon becomes part of their odd family, including several different humanoid species, a lizardian and three insectoids that form a single person. Trouble starts to feel safe and at home on board the Hindsight (that's the ship), while trying hard to learn how to be a human and get enough to eat. But the galactic StarLeague is after him, claiming that he's an escaped prisoner, and somehow, their flagship always seems to find them no matter where they hide.

Trouble doesn't remember being a criminal, and as far as he knows, he's the only one of his kind. News that there may be other shapeshifters out there leads Trouble and friends to visit a strange being, or machine, called The Knowledge, in search of, well, you know – knowledge. Of course, this turns out to be the first of a series of traps Trouble walks into, en route to discovering what he really is and where he belongs.

I'm already afraid my synopsis has given away too much, so I'll stop there. Trouble is a fun point-of-view character, discovering for the first time many curious things about human beings that you and I take for granted. As he discovers friendship, the warmth of family, a sense of home, and many other powerful feelings, he becomes a focal point for an emotional experience that will touch the reader's heart. Meanwhile, young minds will absorb fascinating information about traveling through space, meeting alien creatures (some of whom use the pronoun "they," but not all for the same reason) and finding freedom outside the laws of a benevolent galactic government that has turned a bit too bossy and militaristic. It has scary bad guys but also a hero who can be a little scary, too – but who also has good heart, or whatever it is when he's a blob of goo.

This book's sequel, Asking for Trouble, comes out on March 15, 2022. Sarah Prineas is also the author of the four "Magic Thief" books, the Winterling trilogy, two "Ash & Bramble" books and the novels The Scroll of Kings (also supposedly the start of a new series) and Dragonfell.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to retain memories when you are a blob of goo floating through space, so Trouble doesn't really know how they got where they are--they only know they need to find somewhere where they won't be alone and where there is food--lots of food. Shapeshifting burns a lot of energy, after all. When they stow away on a battered old ship called the Hindsight, and learn that being a puppy won't save them from being "spaced" off the ship, Trouble shifts into a boy of the same race as the formidable captain--a human. It works; the captain reluctantly agrees to take Trouble to the next space station, and lets them eat as much as they want. But when the galactic government, StarLeague, sends out scouts to find an escaped prisoner, and one of those scouts finds the Hindsight, Trouble knows that there is more to their history than they can remember. They desperately don't want to leave the family they've found on the Hindsight, but they just as much don't want to put their new family in danger. And also, they desperately want to know if there are any other shapeshifters in the galaxy. Which need will take priority?

I loved this one. Trouble was such a naive, sweet-natured, hapless but necessarily devious character, you can't help but love them. They were so unprejudiced and eager to like everyone and understand everyone, including themselves--because there is a lot more to them than Trouble is aware of at the start. I also appreciated that this was an SF that had good world-building but not an excessive amount, though I did wonder how a small ship like the Hindsight could possibly have as much food as Trouble ate--they ate about four or five times as much as a regular human! As far as pacing goes, the story ran along at a good clip, and had a good balance of interpersonal action and adventure action. And of course, I love found family stories, and this is one of them! When I think about it, though, it's really Trouble's character that made me fall in love with the story. I mean, how can you not love someone observing, "Another weird thing is the fact that male humans have their reproductive organs on the outside. Who thought that was a good idea?" An excellent question, Trouble. Highly recommended.

[Aud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected to like this book. Bloggers I trust said good things, so it seemed like a really safe bet. But I did not expect it to like it as much as I did. This book was delightful! I loved Trouble: he's such a great character, with a wonderful, distinct voice, and a great way of looking at the world.

And his world is great, too. Let's look at the inhabitants: lizardians and insectoids abound, and they are definitely NOT HUMAN. The Shkkka on the ship have a hivemind, and are female (they keep their very few males hidden and protected - sounds legit, according to the biology of insects on Earth). And the Lizardians think, act, and communicate differently from humanoids, too. It adds depth and complexity to the book's universe that Prineas really thought this stuff through. In addition to the general breakdown of the species, it was interesting getting an "outsider's view" on humans! I think kids will really that that part. The individual characters were well developed, as well, not just their species types.

The plot is also wonderful. I'm too inclined to spoil things if I say more than that, so I'm not going to. But it's fast, and interesting, and full of great people. There were bits, especially towards the end, that remind me a lot of Firefly's Serenity movie, but not in a bad way, and I don't think it's a bad thing. I don't know how many kids know that series or that film, anyway, so I don't know how many of them will spot it, though some parents might.

A+ book! Funny and smart and adventurous and exciting, with found family and lots of kinds of gender expression amongst the aliens, because the universe is big. Yay!