Review by Karen McKinnon

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

I expect that every student in grade seven and eight indulges in some confidence-bashing statements in front of the mirror from time to time. “I know my friends like me, but why do I feel like I’m so different from them … How did those kids end up so popular … Why can’t I be that popular… Why does everyone think he’s so cool … I wish I were taller … What is that little freckle doing on the end of my nose…
Stargirl is a story about ‘the new girl’ at school. But where most new girls would kill to fit in, Stargirl really doesn’t seem to care about fitting in. In fact, this new student is so self-assured that she dares to be herself. She wears her hair the way she likes, dresses the way she likes, and does not bother with make-up. To a typically homogeneous group of students, Stargirl stands out. Her confidence confounds the rest of the students, and they become mesmerized not only by her uniqueness, but by her guts.
Stargirl is an intriguing read because, here, we have a girl who is willing to ‘throw out the rule book.’ To any student, Stargirl’s attitude is utterly refreshing. But the really interesting thing about this book is the question it poses – how long can she pull it off. This story challenges each of us to think about our own identity. An identity that may not be so apparent in a blended mass of students in board shoes, blue jeans and hoodies. Stargirl also challenges us to accept that people ought to have the right to be different. In the middle years, it is easy to succumb to peer pressure but this book gives the student a chance to glimpse a character who is willing to fight that pressure. And that, my peers, is a satisfying thing!

Read an excerpt of  “Stargirl”