In the second book chronicling Stargirl Carraway, Jerry Spinelli creates more magic as she tries to fit into her new home while writing a long letter to Leo.
After sweeping the young adult fiction world by storm with his first book about Stargirl Carraway, Jerry Spinelli won big again in his sequel, Love, Stargirl. Published in August of 2007, fans of Stargirl practically sprinted to their local libraries and bookstores to pick up the next edition in the adventures of the vivacious and precocious teen.
Synopsis
After leaving Mica Area High School in the first book, Stargirl Carraway has located and spends the summer trying to make a name for herself in her new home. The problem is that she just cannot forget about her old home, and Leo Borlock. She decides to write him the longest letter ever in diary form, and this creates the text of the book. In it, we see how Stargirl comes to grips with the fact that she has to move on, but not forget everything from her past. She learns these lessons with her two friends at her side: Dootsie and Betty Lou. Readers will continue to enjoy the adventures of Stargirl and the filling and un-filling of her “happy wagon.”
Characters
“Stargirl” Carraway is new to the neighborhood, and is hoping to have a summer worthy of refilling her happy wagon. This “happy wagon,” as she calls it, is a small wagon with little pebbles. For each time she feels a little happy or feels loved, she adds pebbles. However, when she is feeling down or depressed and not so happy, pebbles are removed.
Stargirl is still trying to positively influence the life of everyone she meets, and actually comes quite close to succeeding. Dootsie Pringle is the six-year-old next door neighbor to Stargirl, and truly becomes one of Stargirl’s best friends. Her energy and often poignant insights into life’s troubles endears her into the hearts of many readers.
Betty Lou is a middle-aged woman in Stargirl’s neighborhood whom she befriends because of her agoraphobia (fear of going outside). Finally, Alvina Klecko adds a comically dark twist to the story as the angry preteen who is always wearing a scowl which, next to Stargirl’s ever-smiling face, creates some interesting and fun oppositions.
About the Author
Jerry Spinelli has been writing YA fiction since 1982 when his first novel, Space Station Seventh Grade came out. Since then, he has written some of the most popular and influential young adult fiction of the last 25 years, such as Maniac Magee, Fourth Grade Rats, and Who Ran My Underwear Up the Flagpole. Spinelli graduated from John Hopkins with an M.A., just before serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve for six years. He has won the Newbery Honor twice for Maniac Magee (1991) and Wringer (1998).
