Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Youth Fiction - 4.5 stars

Another mother/daughter book club selection, Stargirl is the enchanting story of a free-spirited newcomer to a small Arizona high school. Stargirl is told from the point of view of Leo, director of Hot Seat, the school's talk show. Leo becomes the love interest of Star Girl, but her free-spirited ways, at first accepted by the other students, soon become a source of contention between them. To show her love, Stargirl gives up her free-spirited ways and becomes "normal," but her reputation with the other students is beyond repair. She only has one true friend who likes that she is not like everyone else, and is angry when she changes to please Leo.

This sweet story about the price of popularity, the meanness and exclusiveness of high school, and the challenge of first love is probably one of the book club selections that Megan most identifies with. We both loved it. It is a quick read, but so provocative and insightful.