LitPick Review
The adolescent, whimsical girl who renamed herself Stargirl, and was the main character in the novel Stargirl, appears again in this sequel Love, Stargirl, also by Jerry Spinelli. In the first book, Stargirl had been home-schooled her whole life before moving to Arizona, where her first public school experience is difficult, as she becomes a target for ridicule, when she is not being completely ignored or excluded. Although she is made fun of for being different, she remains a unique, warm-hearted person. She develops a crush on a boy named Leo who returns her feelings but is too embarrassed to act on them. By the end of that book, Stargirl is so hurt and bewildered that she and her family decide to move to Pennsylvania, which is where the sequel Love, Stargirl begins. This was definitely easier to read than Stargirl. I really like the form of the book, a series of letters written to her old boyfriend Leo, as well as a few other characters. Also, it's not just a stream of consciousness, with little plot or climax like the first book. This whole book builds up to the winter solstice when several plot lines are resolved, especially whether Stargirl will choose Leo or Perry, her two main love interests. Archie, the scientist who taught her so much in Stargirl, doesnt physically appear until the end of this book, though several of Stargirl's letters are addressed to him.
Opinion:
Love, Stargirl, in my opinion, is a wonderfully written novel which captivates the reader and draws them into Stargirl's unique life. It focuses on some neat issues, like the fact that Stargirls best friend, Dootsie is only six, and very outgoing, while her other close friend, Betty Lou, is an old, single woman, who is too scared to leave her house. Also, it focuses on the long term relationship between Stargirl and Leo, illustrating that although people might not always be physically faithful they can be emotionally faithful no matter how large a distance separates them. Love, Stargirl seems to be written for a middle to high school audience, and I would recommend it to anyone within that age range.. The main character is a quirky, naive, creative character, whose view of the world may help readers become more open- minded. Even though the narrator is female, I think that boys would enjoy both of these novels.
