Love, Stargirl

I wish I had been brave enough to rename myself in high school. I don't know what it would have been, but I admire Stargirl for doing it.

I finished Love, Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli yesterday. I have to say, I liked it better than the first one. It read like a really fun movie. Her family has moved to Pennsylvania and a new life ensues. Spinelli developed new characters deeper than the first book, and they were more interesting to me. Stargirl had grown a bit from her experience in Arizona at public school. And there was more about her parents, but just enough to make me want to read a book from their point of view. Maybe Raising Stargirl, or Stargirl's Net. 

Coming from someone who is not generally observant, I love how observant Stargirl is of her surroundings. How brave she is in helping others and showing compassion. Just last night my neighbor's, a young single mother, father fell from her roof (he's ok now) and the paramedics and fire came. All of us stood in front of the house wondering what was going on in the backyard, hoping it wasn't her young son who had been hurt, and daring each other to invade her privacy and go check it out. I took a deep breath, thought of Stargirl, and marched into the backyard. My neighbor was glad I was there, she needed someone to hold her up. And now we're closer. Thanks, Stargirl.