Jerry Spinelli, 2000
(Reread)
Here's my first reread of the holidays. It's the story of Mica High, a normal school in a relatively normal town where everyone acts . . . appropriately. Then Stargirl turns up one day and no one knows what to make of her. They don't understand her long dresses or theme based clothing, they don't understand her singing at lunch time, they don't understand her pet rat. They're not even sure if they love her or hate her. And Leo doesn't know what part he plays in all of this.
This is a relatively easy book to read, and even though the characters are older (Leo's in 11th grade) it's appropriate to put in the hands of younger children. You almost feel washed along by the events of the book, sometimes you see what's going to happen, sometimes you don't, but there's nothing you can do to stop it so you just buckle up for the ride. But it is a book that stays with you afterwards, and one that I've come back to reread a couple of times. I particularly like the way it's narrated by Leo rather than Stargirl, I think we see the reactions of others and Stargirl's bewilderment better from there.
I would connect this book with Schooled by Gordon Korman, as well as other books about characters walking their own paths like The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree and A View from Saturday.
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