Age: 7th-11th grade

"Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first.

Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal" (Goodreads featured review).

This magical dive into a conformist world unveil the disconnection and lethargy of blaize lives living as one without unique differences and without dangerous verbosity. Stargirl is everything dangerous to Mica High. She is the Saguaro cactus in the dry desert, branching out into her surroundings. But she is far from perfect. Her desire to spread love and happiness into others' lives occasionally backfires, leaving her in confused despair. While some see her nonconformist attitude as a desire for attention, I believe it is because she strives to spread happiness and joy at all costs, celebrating all life's moments and morning with the tragic moments. Stargirl also brings up the question: why are we all so scared to be noticed?

Spinelli has a mesmerizing writing style that freshly incorporates nature, the desert environment, and deeper questions of identity and belonging.