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Stargirl #2
Love, Stargirl
LOVE, STARGIRL picks up a year after Stargirl ends and reveals the new life of the beloved character who moved away so suddenly at the end of Stargirl . The novel takes the form of "the world's longest letter," in diary form, going from date to date through a little more than a year's time. In her writing, Stargirl mixes memories of her bittersweet time in Mica, Arizona, with involvements with new people in her life.
In Love, Stargirl , we hear the voice of Stargirl herself as she reflects on time, life, Leo, and - of course - love.
From the Hardcover edition.
In Love, Stargirl , we hear the voice of Stargirl herself as she reflects on time, life, Leo, and - of course - love.
From the Hardcover edition.
288 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2007
999 people are currently reading
20960 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Spinelli
113 books4,009 followersWhen Jerry Spinelli was a kid, he wanted to grow up to be either a cowboy or a baseball player. Lucky for us he became a writer instead.
He grew up in rural Pennsylvania and went to college at Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University. He has published more than 25 books and has six children and 16 grandchildren.
Jerry Spinelli began writing when he was 16 — not much older than the hero of his book Maniac Magee. After his high school football team won a big game, his classmates ran cheering through the streets — all except Spinelli, who went home and wrote a poem about the victory. When his poem was published in the local paper, Spinelli decided to become a writer instead of a major-league shortstop.
In most of his books, Spinelli writes about events and feelings from his own childhood. He also gets a lot of material from his seven adventurous kids! Spinelli and his wife, Eileen, also a children's book author, live in Pennsylvania.
He grew up in rural Pennsylvania and went to college at Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University. He has published more than 25 books and has six children and 16 grandchildren.
Jerry Spinelli began writing when he was 16 — not much older than the hero of his book Maniac Magee. After his high school football team won a big game, his classmates ran cheering through the streets — all except Spinelli, who went home and wrote a poem about the victory. When his poem was published in the local paper, Spinelli decided to become a writer instead of a major-league shortstop.
In most of his books, Spinelli writes about events and feelings from his own childhood. He also gets a lot of material from his seven adventurous kids! Spinelli and his wife, Eileen, also a children's book author, live in Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,696 reviews
March 2, 2018
I just finished Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. And I have not been able to pick up another book because I don't want to lose the feeling of satisfaction that came from finishing it. At first, I didn't think that this book could be as good as it's "prequel" Stargirl, but not I'm hard-pressed to say which was better.
Love, Stargirl picks up where Stargirl left off. She has left Mica High in Arizona and, more importantly, her boyfriend Leo. The story reads as a year-long letter to Leo as Stargirl lives life as only she can and tries to understand how things went wrong with Leo and what her feelings are for him now.
Spinelli brings in a lot of memorable characters. My favorites are Charlie and Betty Lou. Betty Lou, particularly, has a special place in my heart because she gives some of the best advice I have ever heard when she tells Stargirl to live in the now and make the most of each today that she finds. Which, being Stargirl, she does. As the story progresses, Stargirl changes from a stranger to an integral part of her new hometown. Through small kindnesses, unexpected friendships, and leaving behind lots of oranges, Stargirl makes as much of an impression here in Pennsylvania as she did at Mica High-maybe even more.
The entire novel, especially the ending, is magical. I am as enchanted with Stargirl now as I was when I read Spinelli's first novel about her. It was refreshing to see this amazing girl's thoughts and hear things from her point of view (the first book is told in Leo's POV). If you aren't touched by Stargirl and her little kindnesses and the beauty of this book, then you are beyond all help. These books are fairly quick reads with straightforward prose, but both are the rare books that I feel strongly everyone should read (definitely read Stargirl before picking up this one since they are basically two parts of one, larger story). I think that if everyone tried to be a little more like Stargirl the world would be a better place.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
Love, Stargirl picks up where Stargirl left off. She has left Mica High in Arizona and, more importantly, her boyfriend Leo. The story reads as a year-long letter to Leo as Stargirl lives life as only she can and tries to understand how things went wrong with Leo and what her feelings are for him now.
Spinelli brings in a lot of memorable characters. My favorites are Charlie and Betty Lou. Betty Lou, particularly, has a special place in my heart because she gives some of the best advice I have ever heard when she tells Stargirl to live in the now and make the most of each today that she finds. Which, being Stargirl, she does. As the story progresses, Stargirl changes from a stranger to an integral part of her new hometown. Through small kindnesses, unexpected friendships, and leaving behind lots of oranges, Stargirl makes as much of an impression here in Pennsylvania as she did at Mica High-maybe even more.
The entire novel, especially the ending, is magical. I am as enchanted with Stargirl now as I was when I read Spinelli's first novel about her. It was refreshing to see this amazing girl's thoughts and hear things from her point of view (the first book is told in Leo's POV). If you aren't touched by Stargirl and her little kindnesses and the beauty of this book, then you are beyond all help. These books are fairly quick reads with straightforward prose, but both are the rare books that I feel strongly everyone should read (definitely read Stargirl before picking up this one since they are basically two parts of one, larger story). I think that if everyone tried to be a little more like Stargirl the world would be a better place.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
August 13, 2012
Didn't love it.
Stargirl was such a totally charming book. Open-ended somewhat, and I wanted to know what happened next.
This is a sequel, I guess, a what-happens-sort-of-next and this time it's narrated by Stargirl. But it isn't the same Stargirl of the first book. All of the things Stargirl does and has done for years are absent here. There are flashes of Stargirl behavior, it's like this girl is a Stargirl wannabe who is sort of faking it.
I was disappointed that it didn't even reach as far in time as the end of Stargirl (which sort of zips forward fifteen years in the last chapter) and so there's no real resolution to that book. And it throws in so many bizarre things that weren't in Stargirl. The characters are neither as real-life nor as endearing.
True confessions: I skipped probably a third of the book, just decided to skip ahead and see if it was ever going to get to the part I wanted it to. The quirky situations and characters (that had nothing to do with the original story I loved) weren't enough to keep me interested.
I'm utterly unfulfilled!
Stargirl was such a totally charming book. Open-ended somewhat, and I wanted to know what happened next.
This is a sequel, I guess, a what-happens-sort-of-next and this time it's narrated by Stargirl. But it isn't the same Stargirl of the first book. All of the things Stargirl does and has done for years are absent here. There are flashes of Stargirl behavior, it's like this girl is a Stargirl wannabe who is sort of faking it.
I was disappointed that it didn't even reach as far in time as the end of Stargirl (which sort of zips forward fifteen years in the last chapter) and so there's no real resolution to that book. And it throws in so many bizarre things that weren't in Stargirl. The characters are neither as real-life nor as endearing.
True confessions: I skipped probably a third of the book, just decided to skip ahead and see if it was ever going to get to the part I wanted it to. The quirky situations and characters (that had nothing to do with the original story I loved) weren't enough to keep me interested.
I'm utterly unfulfilled!
December 4, 2013
God, I am so elated right now. I just finished this book and it was, I am happy to say, just as extrordinary as the first.
You know, I started reading this because I'm a senior in high school and I'm tired of assigned books of Great Literature. Don't get me wrong, The Scarlet Letter is one of my favorite novels ever, but I wanted something lighter and when I heard Stargirl, the book that WAS my sixth grade had a sequel...well, I ran out and got it.
And I loved it. Oh god, do I love this book. It's as magical, sweet, emotional and zany as the first book, if not more so. We hear the titular heroine speak, as you've probably noted from other reviews and she's really everything we could expect. She's never cloying, trite, or too fished-up-from-the-sixties--she is, as she would have us percieve her, entirely Stargirl Caraway.
I don't understand the complaints that she's somehow diluted in this book--she's as ukulele strumming and rat-toting as usual, she smashes all the clocks in the house for god's sake and the book's climax takes place during her 5 AM Winter Solstice party. But beyond that, people are saying she's turned into this moon-eyed teenager, pining for her white knight to come home, and to that I say bullshit ( a word that does appear in this book, though in a less abrasive way). This reminds me of another book for young readers that's read by all ages anyway (yes, Harry Potter). When the sixth book came out, I knew a few people that railed against Hermione, the smart, pragmatic one, going all weepy over a *boy*. Oh, heavens and calamity, no! I'm not going to lie, Stargirl spends a good chunk of this book upset over the loss of Leo (or Starboy, as she once addresses him) and yeah, the book is essentially a massive letter/diary to him. But so what? She can't be...well, a teenage girl? One of the core components of her character is that she's intensely emotional and besides that dreamy--when she falls for a boy, she's going to fall hard and she does. This doesn't mean she isn't the fairylike Ondine (hee hee) we've come to love--frankly, I liked that it humanized her. If we hadn't seen this sighing girl within, she would've been a bit too enchanting, crossing that line into Role Model for Grade Schoolers and yeah...that would've sucked. So psshhh to all of the qualms with her feelings--they were some of the best parts of the book in my opinion.
Oh yeah: Dootsie was cute too. Go read this book.
You know, I started reading this because I'm a senior in high school and I'm tired of assigned books of Great Literature. Don't get me wrong, The Scarlet Letter is one of my favorite novels ever, but I wanted something lighter and when I heard Stargirl, the book that WAS my sixth grade had a sequel...well, I ran out and got it.
And I loved it. Oh god, do I love this book. It's as magical, sweet, emotional and zany as the first book, if not more so. We hear the titular heroine speak, as you've probably noted from other reviews and she's really everything we could expect. She's never cloying, trite, or too fished-up-from-the-sixties--she is, as she would have us percieve her, entirely Stargirl Caraway.
I don't understand the complaints that she's somehow diluted in this book--she's as ukulele strumming and rat-toting as usual, she smashes all the clocks in the house for god's sake and the book's climax takes place during her 5 AM Winter Solstice party. But beyond that, people are saying she's turned into this moon-eyed teenager, pining for her white knight to come home, and to that I say bullshit ( a word that does appear in this book, though in a less abrasive way). This reminds me of another book for young readers that's read by all ages anyway (yes, Harry Potter). When the sixth book came out, I knew a few people that railed against Hermione, the smart, pragmatic one, going all weepy over a *boy*. Oh, heavens and calamity, no! I'm not going to lie, Stargirl spends a good chunk of this book upset over the loss of Leo (or Starboy, as she once addresses him) and yeah, the book is essentially a massive letter/diary to him. But so what? She can't be...well, a teenage girl? One of the core components of her character is that she's intensely emotional and besides that dreamy--when she falls for a boy, she's going to fall hard and she does. This doesn't mean she isn't the fairylike Ondine (hee hee) we've come to love--frankly, I liked that it humanized her. If we hadn't seen this sighing girl within, she would've been a bit too enchanting, crossing that line into Role Model for Grade Schoolers and yeah...that would've sucked. So psshhh to all of the qualms with her feelings--they were some of the best parts of the book in my opinion.
Oh yeah: Dootsie was cute too. Go read this book.
April 7, 2022
i've said it before and i'll say it again: stargirl is john green for children.
this is like...the looking for alaska equivalent.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
this is like...the looking for alaska equivalent.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
February 7, 2008
I really liked Stargirl, so I was excited to read this sequel. But at first I found it unnerving to be reading Stargirl's point of view, her first-person narrative, instead of Leo's. Stargirl in Stargirl had seemed more a character in a story, but Stargirl in Love, Stargirl was suddenly a person, and at first I didn't like that. Reading her actual thoughts, and her reactions to her thoughts, removed her aura of mystery and magic and left her a real, thinking, feeling, human girl. But maybe that's the real charm of Stargirl - even though we're normal human beans, to quote Stargirl's 6-year-old new friend Dootsie, we can still share magic with those around us.
These are things Stargirl did that I particularly liked:
- wrote a book-length letter to her old boyfriend that she sometimes wanted him to see and sometimes didn't.
- got rid of watches and clocks at home but made her own calendar by marking the points of sunrise in an empty field once a week. I really liked the poem she wrote about time, too.
- continued to keep track of her level of happiness by placing pebbles in or removing them from her happy wagon. It's an intriguing idea, quantifying happiness. I think it would make you more aware of your feelings, which could make you enjoy your good times more or realize how it's usually the little things that make you put in or take out a pebble. But if you got compulsive about it, that would be bad.
- witnessed and celebrated the appearance of the vanilla-scented flower on her friend Betty Lou's night-blooming cereus that blooms just one night a year. I wanted to be there with them.
- ate donuts frequently enough to enjoy them, but sparingly enough to appreciate them. What book isn't made better when the characters get to eat freshly made donuts?
These are things Stargirl did that I particularly liked:
- wrote a book-length letter to her old boyfriend that she sometimes wanted him to see and sometimes didn't.
- got rid of watches and clocks at home but made her own calendar by marking the points of sunrise in an empty field once a week. I really liked the poem she wrote about time, too.
- continued to keep track of her level of happiness by placing pebbles in or removing them from her happy wagon. It's an intriguing idea, quantifying happiness. I think it would make you more aware of your feelings, which could make you enjoy your good times more or realize how it's usually the little things that make you put in or take out a pebble. But if you got compulsive about it, that would be bad.
- witnessed and celebrated the appearance of the vanilla-scented flower on her friend Betty Lou's night-blooming cereus that blooms just one night a year. I wanted to be there with them.
- ate donuts frequently enough to enjoy them, but sparingly enough to appreciate them. What book isn't made better when the characters get to eat freshly made donuts?
July 14, 2008
I was already worried about the premise of this book when I started reading it. What I loved about the original Stargirl is the mystery behind the exuberant, eccentric stranger who comes into Leo's life and turns everything upside down. The first book is about not conforming to expectations, being true to yourself, putting other people first, and learning to see beyond yourself. Archie even explains that star people are not meant to be understood by the rest of us.
So, why would I want to read a book from Stargirl's perspective? When I first started Love, Stargirl I was disappointed to read that she was a normal teenage girl who was pining over Leo, humiliated by his betrayal at the school dance, and barely noticing all of the unique people around her. But, I kept reading and as Stargirl started to find herself again (with an assist by the loveable Archie) I started to love her again. I suppose even star people need a break to collect themselves every once in a while.
So, why would I want to read a book from Stargirl's perspective? When I first started Love, Stargirl I was disappointed to read that she was a normal teenage girl who was pining over Leo, humiliated by his betrayal at the school dance, and barely noticing all of the unique people around her. But, I kept reading and as Stargirl started to find herself again (with an assist by the loveable Archie) I started to love her again. I suppose even star people need a break to collect themselves every once in a while.
January 8, 2014
كتاب را شرح مي دهم: شروع كني و بعد مجبور شوي به جلسه بروي و بعد بخواني و بعد در راه سينما باز بخواني و بعد در راه برگشت و بعد خوابت ببرد و فردا صبح در حال مراقبت هم چند صفحه اي بخواني و بعد جاي صحيح كردن برگه ها و حتي در جلسه ي شوراي تربيتي وقتي همه در حال بحثي هستند كه حس مي كني به تو مربوط نيست چند صفحه، پشت چراغ قرمز وقتي بايد 100 ثانيه و بعد تر 84 ثانيه معطل بماني و توي اتاق قبل از آنچه روسري ات را برداري و تمام مي شود و حس مي كني : هاااااه.
بعد تر فكر مي كني كه نمي خواهي برايش يادداشت بنويسي لااقل حالا نه!
بعد تر فكر مي كني كه نمي خواهي برايش يادداشت بنويسي لااقل حالا نه!
July 25, 2013
Dear Stargirl,
You left me asking e tu Stargirl? I loved the first book about you and was excited to dive into this sequel written in letter/diary form by you. You were an amazing role model for young girls your age in your first book as an independent, free-spirited and eccentric girl. Even though you were different than other kids you were charming and I felt drawn to you. That's why I was so disappointed that you spent almost half of your next book pining over Leo back in Arizona. I guess I'm not very sympathetic, but I am tired of reading about girls your age that get overly obsessed and whining over boys. (i.e. Bella!) I guess I expected you to be well, more you. It seems like even if you were feeling bad about a boy that you wouldn't lose yourself in the process. I was sad that you did. My daughter read both of your books and I was hoping that we could continue to have discussions about what it means to be yourself, about following the crowd, and about finding your own star. Now with this second book I'm finding we will have a very different discussion.
By the end of the book you started to come around and in the process the book got a bit more interesting. But, it was all a little too late for me.
Love,
Julia's Mom
P.S. If book three is love, marriage and the baby carriage for Stargirl and Leo then I will take back my letter and review.
You left me asking e tu Stargirl? I loved the first book about you and was excited to dive into this sequel written in letter/diary form by you. You were an amazing role model for young girls your age in your first book as an independent, free-spirited and eccentric girl. Even though you were different than other kids you were charming and I felt drawn to you. That's why I was so disappointed that you spent almost half of your next book pining over Leo back in Arizona. I guess I'm not very sympathetic, but I am tired of reading about girls your age that get overly obsessed and whining over boys. (i.e. Bella!) I guess I expected you to be well, more you. It seems like even if you were feeling bad about a boy that you wouldn't lose yourself in the process. I was sad that you did. My daughter read both of your books and I was hoping that we could continue to have discussions about what it means to be yourself, about following the crowd, and about finding your own star. Now with this second book I'm finding we will have a very different discussion.
By the end of the book you started to come around and in the process the book got a bit more interesting. But, it was all a little too late for me.
Love,
Julia's Mom
P.S. If book three is love, marriage and the baby carriage for Stargirl and Leo then I will take back my letter and review.
November 30, 2007
I was really disapointed in this book. I had high hopes because it is the sequel to one of my favorite books. The spirit of Stargirl wasn't as powerful or as meaningful in this book as the previous book. She was spending the year trying to get over Leo and her suffering from a broken heart in such a way didn't seem to be her. I also thought the theme of the book, to live in the moment and see where life takes you, was forced. I also thought that this sequel was definitely for more advanced readers than Stargirl because some of the content. It was nice to still hear about a young person with a free spirit who tries her best to bring happiness to the world but it seemed very deliberate.
June 28, 2020
3.5 solstice stars for this companion book to "Stargirl." Now that I have read both books, I can say that the first can be read and enjoyed without the second. On the other hand, the second must be preceded by the first. In other words, the sequel does not quite live up to the original. Book #2 is written as a letter from Stargirl to Leo. Actually it is more like journal entries with occasional statements directed at Leo. Donuts are a staple in this book and now I really want to go to Krispy Kreme. There are some great quirky, supporting characters and the whole thing is very much in character with the Stargirl we meet in the first book. If you liked the first book, you will be glad you also read this one. The audio book narrator sounds very much like I would imagine the real Stargirl would sound like. So, well done!
July 23, 2011
I finished this super fast because Stargirl bored me to death and I skimmed through it.
Anyway, like my rating, I thought this book was simply ok. I mean, there was nothing truly magnificent about it. The only characters that I seemed genuinely interested in were Archie and Perry. Wise, old man Archie. Mysterious, daring boy Perry. Stargirl just kept whining about her relationship with Leo. MOVE ON, LADY! Those little "codes" annoyed me to death. I hated her poems as well. She's a crappy writer. I hated her little "mini-imaginary-conversations" with her and Leo. They were so pathetic and such a waste of time. She's still in love with a guy who truly does not give a crap about her. It's so obvious.
1. He made her change herself.
2. He didn't take her to the dance.
3. He gave up on her.
4. He doesn't feel any remorse whatsoever.
5. He's a dull, freaking jerk.
Perry would have kicked Leo's butt by spitting lemon seeds at him. He would die a horrible death, being attacked by lemon seeds.
Anyway, like my rating, I thought this book was simply ok. I mean, there was nothing truly magnificent about it. The only characters that I seemed genuinely interested in were Archie and Perry. Wise, old man Archie. Mysterious, daring boy Perry. Stargirl just kept whining about her relationship with Leo. MOVE ON, LADY! Those little "codes" annoyed me to death. I hated her poems as well. She's a crappy writer. I hated her little "mini-imaginary-conversations" with her and Leo. They were so pathetic and such a waste of time. She's still in love with a guy who truly does not give a crap about her. It's so obvious.
1. He made her change herself.
2. He didn't take her to the dance.
3. He gave up on her.
4. He doesn't feel any remorse whatsoever.
5. He's a dull, freaking jerk.
Perry would have kicked Leo's butt by spitting lemon seeds at him. He would die a horrible death, being attacked by lemon seeds.
April 7, 2017
Light, enjoyable and quite fun. But, I enjoyed the first book about Stargirl sooo much more.
September 16, 2020
Nothing in this book even remotely lined up with the original Stargirl.
She acted like a 5 year old in this book, and it was practically impossible for me to think of her as the 16 year old she was. It also didn’t feel like the same character. Like Spinelli couldn’t seem to capture anything from her perspective correctly.
I feel like this was honestly just a last minute decision type of book. Jerry decided “you know what? i’m going to make another book because the other one got me some recognition”.
I didn’t come here for a 5 year old to sulk about her boyfriend that she left without a word to. Stargirl even ended off whenever Leo already had a job, and it was 15 years into the future. So these don’t line up at all if it’s only a few months after Stargirl left Leo. Anyways, I had trouble even finishing it, though it’s such a short book. It was painful for me to continue reading this. But I can’t physically leave a book unread (unless it’s The Hobbit, that’s an exception) so i pushed through. My pride wouldn’t let me dnf this at all.
What the heck Spinelli. Why did you do me dirty like that?
I would definitely recommend Stargirl to my friends, but the follow up is completely and utterly unnecessary. I had some expectations for this book and it didn’t meet any of them.
Though oddly it had its good parts, the times when I saw the Stargirl I previously read about. That’s kind of contradictory but that’s besides the point. There were times when the book was actually okay and readable but there just weren’t enough of those good moments in there to have a better rating. But that ending was kinda amazing 😌🤚
This is going to be a 3 stars which sucks because I liked Stargirl so much. And the only reason it’s 3 is because I liked Perry 🥱 and that ending.
She acted like a 5 year old in this book, and it was practically impossible for me to think of her as the 16 year old she was. It also didn’t feel like the same character. Like Spinelli couldn’t seem to capture anything from her perspective correctly.
I feel like this was honestly just a last minute decision type of book. Jerry decided “you know what? i’m going to make another book because the other one got me some recognition”.
I didn’t come here for a 5 year old to sulk about her boyfriend that she left without a word to. Stargirl even ended off whenever Leo already had a job, and it was 15 years into the future. So these don’t line up at all if it’s only a few months after Stargirl left Leo. Anyways, I had trouble even finishing it, though it’s such a short book. It was painful for me to continue reading this. But I can’t physically leave a book unread (unless it’s The Hobbit, that’s an exception) so i pushed through. My pride wouldn’t let me dnf this at all.
What the heck Spinelli. Why did you do me dirty like that?
I would definitely recommend Stargirl to my friends, but the follow up is completely and utterly unnecessary. I had some expectations for this book and it didn’t meet any of them.
Though oddly it had its good parts, the times when I saw the Stargirl I previously read about. That’s kind of contradictory but that’s besides the point. There were times when the book was actually okay and readable but there just weren’t enough of those good moments in there to have a better rating. But that ending was kinda amazing 😌🤚
This is going to be a 3 stars which sucks because I liked Stargirl so much. And the only reason it’s 3 is because I liked Perry 🥱 and that ending.
October 5, 2007
I was so excited when I heard this was coming out. SO EXCITED. I'm sorry to say, though, that I actually kind of hated it. Stargirl herself is kind of lame. All she does is moons over Leo and acts vaguely obnoxious. Why doesn't she have any friends her own age? The side characters are supposed to be wacky, but they just come off as forced. Also, they all seemed like less good versions of characters from Maniac Magee. Dootsie feels like a bad Hester and Lester, and Alvina is a poor man's Piper and Russell. Betty Lou is an agoraphobic Grayson. Perry isn't like a character from another book, but I struggle to understand what Stargirl sees in him. I mean, he litters! And the "Honeybees" are idiots. And I get a little mad thinking about them.
I love Jerry Spinelli, but I think this one is a miss. I'm so disappointed!!!
I love Jerry Spinelli, but I think this one is a miss. I'm so disappointed!!!
April 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this one!! Not quite as much as I liked the first one, but still. Stargirl returns not long after moving away and writes the longest letter ever to Leo, the love she left behind. She may be sad she’s not with Leo, but along the way to happiness she makes so many meaningful and sweet connections with those around her. She’s like a magnet for interesting people and I love that about her! The cast of characters include little Dootsie, Betty Lou, Margie, Perry and more!
Dootsie is one of my favorites because she’s such a precocious child. And each character brings with them a story that pulls you into the book. Stargirl misses Leo tremendously, but by the end, she’s not unhappy about it. Lol… and you get to meet all these sweet and not so sweet people.
I recommend this to those who enjoyed the first one. Stargirl is likely to captivate you again with her strange and beautiful ways!!
Dootsie is one of my favorites because she’s such a precocious child. And each character brings with them a story that pulls you into the book. Stargirl misses Leo tremendously, but by the end, she’s not unhappy about it. Lol… and you get to meet all these sweet and not so sweet people.
I recommend this to those who enjoyed the first one. Stargirl is likely to captivate you again with her strange and beautiful ways!!
June 30, 2020
3,5 Stargirl Stars
I prefer the first book.
This one we can see the real Star, but I think she lost her personality.
I prefer the first book.
This one we can see the real Star, but I think she lost her personality.
September 18, 2010
Di bagian awal saya agak kecewa dengan lanjutan kisah Stargirl. Terlalu datar dan serius. Maksud saya, kita sedang bicara tentang Stargirl bukan? Gadis yang tak pernah mencemaskan hari esok dan hari kemarin, mengapa dan bagaimana...
Tapi rupanya perpisahan dengan Leo membekaskan luka yang begitu mendalam padanya, sehingga Stargirl terus berpikir dan bertanya-tanya dan sedih sepanjang waktu. Ya, itu kesan untuk bagian awal buku ini. Murung.
Namun sedikit demi sedikit Stargirl mulai kembali menemukan dirinya. Melalui pertemanan yang tidak biasa dengan Dootsie, anak perempuan 'edan' berumur 6 tahun, Alvina si gadis galak, Betty Lou yang sudah 9 tahun tak pernah keluar rumah karena menderita agorafobia, dan Charlie yang selama 4 tahun setelah kematian istrinya Grace, setiap hari duduk dengan setia di sisi makam sang istri. Karena menurut Charlie, cerita hidupnya adalah cerita Charlie dan Grace, yang dicintainya sejak mereka berumur 6 tahun. "Tidak ada sebelum Grace."
Saya pun makin cinta pada orangtua Stargirl, yang memberikan ruang seluas-luasnya kepada putri tunggal mereka untuk menjadi diri sendiri. Berapa banyak orangtua yang bersedia menghancurkan seluruh jam di rumah mereka karena putrinya menganggap hidup tidak sepatutnya dibatasi oleh waktu? Berapa banyak yang mau menjahit tenda besar dari kain super tebal agar putrinya bisa merayakan Titik Balik Matahari setelah 46 minggu harus bangun dini hari setiap Kamis untuk mengantar putrinya menancapkan penanda waktu alami di puncak bukit yang gelap?
Meskipun begitu, terus terang saya sempat skeptis, kok bisa Stargirl menemukan teman-teman seunik itu dalam satu wilayah perumahan. Terlalu dramatis? Bisa jadi. Tapi kemudian saya berpikir, mungkin kalau kita mau membuka mata dan tidak terpolusi oleh pendapat umum tentang apa yang dianggap 'normal,' sebenarnya orang-orang yang menarik seperti itu bertebaran di sekeliling kita. Hanya saja kita langsung mencap mereka aneh dan tidak mau repot-repot berteman dengan mereka. Apa lagi memahami keunikan mereka...
Stargirl sekali lagi menunjukkan bahwa menjadi diri sendiri, diri kita yang sebenar-benarnya, tanpa terpengaruh siapa pun...adalah hal paling indah dan paling damai di dunia.
Tapi rupanya perpisahan dengan Leo membekaskan luka yang begitu mendalam padanya, sehingga Stargirl terus berpikir dan bertanya-tanya dan sedih sepanjang waktu. Ya, itu kesan untuk bagian awal buku ini. Murung.
Namun sedikit demi sedikit Stargirl mulai kembali menemukan dirinya. Melalui pertemanan yang tidak biasa dengan Dootsie, anak perempuan 'edan' berumur 6 tahun, Alvina si gadis galak, Betty Lou yang sudah 9 tahun tak pernah keluar rumah karena menderita agorafobia, dan Charlie yang selama 4 tahun setelah kematian istrinya Grace, setiap hari duduk dengan setia di sisi makam sang istri. Karena menurut Charlie, cerita hidupnya adalah cerita Charlie dan Grace, yang dicintainya sejak mereka berumur 6 tahun. "Tidak ada sebelum Grace."
Saya pun makin cinta pada orangtua Stargirl, yang memberikan ruang seluas-luasnya kepada putri tunggal mereka untuk menjadi diri sendiri. Berapa banyak orangtua yang bersedia menghancurkan seluruh jam di rumah mereka karena putrinya menganggap hidup tidak sepatutnya dibatasi oleh waktu? Berapa banyak yang mau menjahit tenda besar dari kain super tebal agar putrinya bisa merayakan Titik Balik Matahari setelah 46 minggu harus bangun dini hari setiap Kamis untuk mengantar putrinya menancapkan penanda waktu alami di puncak bukit yang gelap?
Meskipun begitu, terus terang saya sempat skeptis, kok bisa Stargirl menemukan teman-teman seunik itu dalam satu wilayah perumahan. Terlalu dramatis? Bisa jadi. Tapi kemudian saya berpikir, mungkin kalau kita mau membuka mata dan tidak terpolusi oleh pendapat umum tentang apa yang dianggap 'normal,' sebenarnya orang-orang yang menarik seperti itu bertebaran di sekeliling kita. Hanya saja kita langsung mencap mereka aneh dan tidak mau repot-repot berteman dengan mereka. Apa lagi memahami keunikan mereka...
Stargirl sekali lagi menunjukkan bahwa menjadi diri sendiri, diri kita yang sebenar-benarnya, tanpa terpengaruh siapa pun...adalah hal paling indah dan paling damai di dunia.
January 3, 2021
5 stars ⭐
I'm not gonna lie, I surprised myself by liking this book more than Stargirl since I enjoyed reading that one so much, but I'm so happy that's the case.
Love, Stargirl follows Stargirl a year after the events of the first book of this duology since she's moved away to Pennsylvania. She is home schooled again and meets a plethora of new people each bringing something unique to her life.
I loved reading from Stargirl's perspective because it's so enjoyable to see the world through her eyes and read what goes on inside her head. The things she does throughout the story would never have crossed my mind but they really scream Stargirl. I really fell in love with her character in this book. This novel is actually written as "the world's longest letter", as Stargirl describes it, to Leo, her ex-boyfriend. Throughout this story you see Stargirl struggling to let go of him and going back and forth regarding whether or not she likes him.
The side characters are phenomenal as well. There's:
Dootsie - a 6-year-old girl who Stargirl befriends and who helps the latter meet a lot of new people. She is adorable and very smart for her age.
Perry - a troublemaker who Stargirl starts to develop feelings for.
Betty Lou - a woman suffering from agoraphobia who hasn't left her house in years. Stargirl and Dootsie visit her almost every day and they help each other out.
Alvina - a bit of a brat who is very vehement about hating boys. Stargirl teaches her valuable life lessons and is like a big sister to her.
I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the events that happen in this story, but I will say that I highly recommend this book as it has become one of my all time favourites!
I'm not gonna lie, I surprised myself by liking this book more than Stargirl since I enjoyed reading that one so much, but I'm so happy that's the case.
Love, Stargirl follows Stargirl a year after the events of the first book of this duology since she's moved away to Pennsylvania. She is home schooled again and meets a plethora of new people each bringing something unique to her life.
I loved reading from Stargirl's perspective because it's so enjoyable to see the world through her eyes and read what goes on inside her head. The things she does throughout the story would never have crossed my mind but they really scream Stargirl. I really fell in love with her character in this book. This novel is actually written as "the world's longest letter", as Stargirl describes it, to Leo, her ex-boyfriend. Throughout this story you see Stargirl struggling to let go of him and going back and forth regarding whether or not she likes him.
The side characters are phenomenal as well. There's:
Dootsie - a 6-year-old girl who Stargirl befriends and who helps the latter meet a lot of new people. She is adorable and very smart for her age.
Perry - a troublemaker who Stargirl starts to develop feelings for.
Betty Lou - a woman suffering from agoraphobia who hasn't left her house in years. Stargirl and Dootsie visit her almost every day and they help each other out.
Alvina - a bit of a brat who is very vehement about hating boys. Stargirl teaches her valuable life lessons and is like a big sister to her.
I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the events that happen in this story, but I will say that I highly recommend this book as it has become one of my all time favourites!
September 14, 2007
I was excited when I heard this book was coming out - a sequel to one of my favorite books, Stargirl. But it's a bit like those who write sequels to Jane Austen novels and Gone with the Wind. How could it possibly hold up? I think maybe its biggest problem is that this time Stargirl is the narrator. She was so mysterious and surprising in Stargirl because you didn't know what she was thinking and what she would do next. This is still a good book, but I plan on reading Stargirl many times in the future and I probably won't ever return to this one.
September 4, 2007
One of my favorite characters from all of YA literature returns! Told from the point of view of Stargirl herself this time, the novel takes the form of a very long letter to her ex-boyfriend, Leo. Not quite as amazing as the orignal, Love, Stargirl takes a little while to get going. Spinelli seems to struggle with finding an authentic voice for his quirky but lovable character. Once he does, however, Stargirl shines as bright as ever. Reading this one, like reading the original, makes you long to know and be more like the ukulele-playing, rat-loving, solstice-celebrating Stargirl.
August 15, 2024
this book just didn't hit the same as stargirl, and thats ok.
especially bc i feel like i might hate stargirl if i reread it now lmao. but at the time i loved it so much and i really wanted to see what happened w/ her & leo in this book.
well, i found out! it was sweet, it was quirky, it was a fun read. but the characters didn't pull on my heartstrings the way they did in the frst book - everything and everyone just felt a little more distant. but maybe that's just my closed-off heart lol. who knows.
especially bc i feel like i might hate stargirl if i reread it now lmao. but at the time i loved it so much and i really wanted to see what happened w/ her & leo in this book.
well, i found out! it was sweet, it was quirky, it was a fun read. but the characters didn't pull on my heartstrings the way they did in the frst book - everything and everyone just felt a little more distant. but maybe that's just my closed-off heart lol. who knows.
December 12, 2024
سلامی دوباره.
واقعیتش برام سخت خواهد بود نوشتن درمورد کتابی که باهاش همزاد پنداری کردم. خیلی وقت بود که خواندن این کتاب رو پس ذهنم داشتم ولی سمتش نمیرفتم تا به زمان درستش رسیدم. انگار وقتی روی چیزی پافشاری نکنی و بذاری زمان درستش برسه، بیشتر خوشحال میشی، بیشتر میفهمیش، بیشتر ازش درس میگیری و بیشتر آروم میشی.
استارگرل برای من همین بود. انگار قبل اینکه کتاب رو بخونم شبیه خودش شدم. چون استارگرل هم گیر کرده بود بین آینده و گذشته و حال رو فراموش کرده بود. درگیر گذشته بود و سنگهای داخل واگنش کم میشد، درگیر آینده بود و توجهی به اطرافیانش نداشت.
اما خودش رو جمع و جور کرد. با کاردکهایی که داشت چیزی ساخت که امید دوباره بهش برگشت.
واقعیتش برام سخت خواهد بود نوشتن درمورد کتابی که باهاش همزاد پنداری کردم. خیلی وقت بود که خواندن این کتاب رو پس ذهنم داشتم ولی سمتش نمیرفتم تا به زمان درستش رسیدم. انگار وقتی روی چیزی پافشاری نکنی و بذاری زمان درستش برسه، بیشتر خوشحال میشی، بیشتر میفهمیش، بیشتر ازش درس میگیری و بیشتر آروم میشی.
استارگرل برای من همین بود. انگار قبل اینکه کتاب رو بخونم شبیه خودش شدم. چون استارگرل هم گیر کرده بود بین آینده و گذشته و حال رو فراموش کرده بود. درگیر گذشته بود و سنگهای داخل واگنش کم میشد، درگیر آینده بود و توجهی به اطرافیانش نداشت.
اما خودش رو جمع و جور کرد. با کاردکهایی که داشت چیزی ساخت که امید دوباره بهش برگشت.
January 9, 2024
I enjoyed it more than the first one tbh
July 16, 2020
There are spoilers ahead for Stargirl. A year after Stargirl vanishes from Mica Area High School, she and her family have settled comfortably into a small town in Pennsylvania. She’s returned to homeschooling after her disastrous first attempt at public high school, and she’s decided to write her ex-boyfriend, Leo, the World’s Longest Letter about her current life. In it, she chronicles her adventures with her five-year-old best friend, Dootsie, their agoraphobic friend, Betty Lou, who hasn’t left her house in years, and the strange boy Stargirl sees around town who keeps stealing things. Part breakup story, part love story, and all friendship story, Love, Stargirl is a unique look through the eyes of a girl who’s more different–and more like us–than we ever imagined. Trigger warnings: death of a spouse (off-page), grief, agoraphobia, some violence.
I love this book almost as much as the first and, in some ways, a little more. In Stargirl, we see things from Leo’s perspective, but Love, Stargirl gives voice to one of my favorite literary characters of all time. Stargirl is more like an average teenage girl than Leo ever gives her credit for, with extra helpings of creativity and kindness–and it’s really that kindness that sets her so far apart from the average human, not the ukulele playing or the rat ownership or the costumes. I love the way she’s able to look at ordinary things as though they’re magical, which makes them become magical, and how she’s always thinking of how to make the world around her a little better, the people in her life a little happier.
I also enjoy the book’s extended cast. Stargirl is mostly about Leo and Stargirl, with a few side characters who play small roles in the novel’s events. Love, Stargirl expands on her universe and her wholesome relationship with her parents, plus all the people she meets in her daily life–and there are a lot. From Betty Lou, afraid to leave her house and forced to be her own best entertainment, to Charlie, who sits every day at his wife’s grave to talk to her, I love meeting the sweet, quirky, interesting people in her life. Dootsie occasionally feels a little forced to me, too much a character in a novel to be a real child, but most of the characters have that slightly exaggerated feel to them (in a good way? if that’s possible). I don’t like Perry as a love interest, but I like him as a character, and I like the way that he slowly develops into a real, complicated person as Stargirl gets to know him.
Like its predecessor, there are a lot of themes packed into a deceptively simple novel. It’s very much a recovering-from-heartbreak novel, and even though a year has passed and Stargirl finds herself attracted to someone new, she’s nowhere near over Leo. I like how levelheaded she turns out to be about her relationship with Perry, and how she manages to separate the romance from her actual feelings. Again, it’s not a traditional love story, and I like the nuance and realism Spinelli brings to teen romance. It’s also a novel about friendships and community, the one that Stargirl makes for herself by taking a genuine interest in the people around her, and those things turn out to be more important than any romance threads. It’s sweet, sincere, heart-warming, funny, and insightful, much like Stargirl herself.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
I love this book almost as much as the first and, in some ways, a little more. In Stargirl, we see things from Leo’s perspective, but Love, Stargirl gives voice to one of my favorite literary characters of all time. Stargirl is more like an average teenage girl than Leo ever gives her credit for, with extra helpings of creativity and kindness–and it’s really that kindness that sets her so far apart from the average human, not the ukulele playing or the rat ownership or the costumes. I love the way she’s able to look at ordinary things as though they’re magical, which makes them become magical, and how she’s always thinking of how to make the world around her a little better, the people in her life a little happier.
I also enjoy the book’s extended cast. Stargirl is mostly about Leo and Stargirl, with a few side characters who play small roles in the novel’s events. Love, Stargirl expands on her universe and her wholesome relationship with her parents, plus all the people she meets in her daily life–and there are a lot. From Betty Lou, afraid to leave her house and forced to be her own best entertainment, to Charlie, who sits every day at his wife’s grave to talk to her, I love meeting the sweet, quirky, interesting people in her life. Dootsie occasionally feels a little forced to me, too much a character in a novel to be a real child, but most of the characters have that slightly exaggerated feel to them (in a good way? if that’s possible). I don’t like Perry as a love interest, but I like him as a character, and I like the way that he slowly develops into a real, complicated person as Stargirl gets to know him.
Like its predecessor, there are a lot of themes packed into a deceptively simple novel. It’s very much a recovering-from-heartbreak novel, and even though a year has passed and Stargirl finds herself attracted to someone new, she’s nowhere near over Leo. I like how levelheaded she turns out to be about her relationship with Perry, and how she manages to separate the romance from her actual feelings. Again, it’s not a traditional love story, and I like the nuance and realism Spinelli brings to teen romance. It’s also a novel about friendships and community, the one that Stargirl makes for herself by taking a genuine interest in the people around her, and those things turn out to be more important than any romance threads. It’s sweet, sincere, heart-warming, funny, and insightful, much like Stargirl herself.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
February 4, 2015
Wow. Just, wow. Yet again, I have been introduced to Jerry Spinelli's FANTASTIC writing and characters.
This book was better than the first. I LOVED reading from Stargirl's POV, and I fell in love with every single character. I cried a few times while reading this book, not because I was sad exactly, but because of various emotions that were all over the place. I felt all the feels.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, and their growth. There wasn't a character that I didn't like, and I wanted more of them. I don't want to say too much because this book is best if you walk in blind, but they were all so good.
I did feel like there were some things left unfinished- some loose ends that need to be tied in. I felt like the ending was a little abrupt, but I liked it oddly enough.
I loved Stargirl and I love this book even more. I definitely suggest this book to anyone and everyone.
This book was better than the first. I LOVED reading from Stargirl's POV, and I fell in love with every single character. I cried a few times while reading this book, not because I was sad exactly, but because of various emotions that were all over the place. I felt all the feels.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, and their growth. There wasn't a character that I didn't like, and I wanted more of them. I don't want to say too much because this book is best if you walk in blind, but they were all so good.
I did feel like there were some things left unfinished- some loose ends that need to be tied in. I felt like the ending was a little abrupt, but I liked it oddly enough.
I loved Stargirl and I love this book even more. I definitely suggest this book to anyone and everyone.
June 18, 2016
آیا می شود بدون از دست دادنِ خودت، فرد مورد علاقه ات را از دست بدهی؟ -استارگرل
September 15, 2007
Three stars is more of a "grand scheme of things" than a "enjoyed in the moment" thing.
Stargirl returns. The POV is now from Stargirl and not from Leo. This changes things. I feel like her voice gets lost a little in the transfer. Before you see Stargirl in this almost mythical proportion, because Leo is so enamored. When you hear things from her POV, she starts to seem more human, and slightly less magical.
She doesn't lose her hippiness, which is good. She does spend a little too much of the book heartbroken.
Actually the shining star of this story is Dootsie, Stargirl's 6 year old best friend. She provides all of the magical insights.
But don't get me wrong. I definitely enjoyed this book in the moment. It's just hard not to compare it to its predecessor.
Favorite quotes:
"Under each tombstone lay a memory, a dead day. Here Lies the Day in the Enchanted Desert. Here Lies the Day We Followed the Lady at the Mall and Made Up Her Life. Each night I lie down in a graveyard of memories."
"I think I had discovered that the closest I could come to reliving the past was to tell my story to someone, the right someone."
"Snow lay over the earth like piled moonlight."
Stargirl returns. The POV is now from Stargirl and not from Leo. This changes things. I feel like her voice gets lost a little in the transfer. Before you see Stargirl in this almost mythical proportion, because Leo is so enamored. When you hear things from her POV, she starts to seem more human, and slightly less magical.
She doesn't lose her hippiness, which is good. She does spend a little too much of the book heartbroken.
Actually the shining star of this story is Dootsie, Stargirl's 6 year old best friend. She provides all of the magical insights.
But don't get me wrong. I definitely enjoyed this book in the moment. It's just hard not to compare it to its predecessor.
Favorite quotes:
"Under each tombstone lay a memory, a dead day. Here Lies the Day in the Enchanted Desert. Here Lies the Day We Followed the Lady at the Mall and Made Up Her Life. Each night I lie down in a graveyard of memories."
"I think I had discovered that the closest I could come to reliving the past was to tell my story to someone, the right someone."
"Snow lay over the earth like piled moonlight."
April 30, 2010
This is one of those rare reads where you can allow your heart to open up wide and let the story sink deep. A series for every teenage girl: just reading it makes you a better person, teaching you to laugh, to listen, to enjoy, to love, to care...
In spite of the attractive eccentricity of the main character, Stargirl is more real than any other book for teens. It is set in the erratic climate of teen emotions, realistically depicted through ordinary events and conversations.
These are presented from a variety of points of view, creating a web of relationships and perspectives that reflects the reality of a life truly lived with others.
We gain a richer understanding of humanity, one that’s not merely theoretical but gained from practice, from emotions stretched and purified through giving. These stories meet you where you are and show you how to be better. They mould character with such a light and breezy style that while aware that you are feeling, you don’t realise that you are learning.
If they could have a spiritual comparison, they are Jacques Philippe in story form, for a younger audience. They teach you how to truly live in the present, sharing your life with others.
In spite of the attractive eccentricity of the main character, Stargirl is more real than any other book for teens. It is set in the erratic climate of teen emotions, realistically depicted through ordinary events and conversations.
These are presented from a variety of points of view, creating a web of relationships and perspectives that reflects the reality of a life truly lived with others.
We gain a richer understanding of humanity, one that’s not merely theoretical but gained from practice, from emotions stretched and purified through giving. These stories meet you where you are and show you how to be better. They mould character with such a light and breezy style that while aware that you are feeling, you don’t realise that you are learning.
If they could have a spiritual comparison, they are Jacques Philippe in story form, for a younger audience. They teach you how to truly live in the present, sharing your life with others.
March 29, 2008
I looked back at my review for Stargirl to find inspiration to write this one, but I didn't review Stargirl! I'm not sure why because I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Love, Stargirl was just as good as Stargirl, but maybe even slightly better because this story was told by Stargirl herself in long letter/diary format. It was a nice contrast being in her head versus being in Leo's head as he observed his confident, non-conformist girlfriend win over and then become alienated by his public high school classmates.
In the second book, Stargirl has moved away and is back to being home-schooled, but it doesn't take her long to make friends in her new town. She is drawn to broken and damaged characters, and they are inevitably drawn to her because of her positive spirit and charisma. Through her, they begin to heal, and through them, Stargirl works through the pain of losing her first love.
Love, Stargirl was just as good as Stargirl, but maybe even slightly better because this story was told by Stargirl herself in long letter/diary format. It was a nice contrast being in her head versus being in Leo's head as he observed his confident, non-conformist girlfriend win over and then become alienated by his public high school classmates.
In the second book, Stargirl has moved away and is back to being home-schooled, but it doesn't take her long to make friends in her new town. She is drawn to broken and damaged characters, and they are inevitably drawn to her because of her positive spirit and charisma. Through her, they begin to heal, and through them, Stargirl works through the pain of losing her first love.
February 4, 2008
Oh Stargirl, how I missed you. You can make me laugh, cry, love and think really deep thoughts like no one else. And at the end of reading this, your second story, I just wanted to reach through the pages and give you a big hug to let you know it will all be all right. But you knew that already, didn't you? :-)
Just as good as the first book, this volume finds Stargirl one year older and a lot sadder. Her happy bucket is almost empty of pebbles, and she is still pining for her lost love Leo. But an assortment of strange and beautiful characters in her new hometown begin to crack through her grief, and the Stargirl we know and love begins to shine through.
I would recommend this book to everyone who loved Stargirl the first time around, and who can appreciate the struggle we must all face to be true to ourselves.
Just as good as the first book, this volume finds Stargirl one year older and a lot sadder. Her happy bucket is almost empty of pebbles, and she is still pining for her lost love Leo. But an assortment of strange and beautiful characters in her new hometown begin to crack through her grief, and the Stargirl we know and love begins to shine through.
I would recommend this book to everyone who loved Stargirl the first time around, and who can appreciate the struggle we must all face to be true to ourselves.
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