Stargirl, a relatively new book by Jerry Spinelli, is a great book for any MEMS student since it deals with school issues and love.

Before Stargirl walked the halls of Mica High School in Arizona, every student was expected to be normal. Nobody could stand out except for the popular ones. Everyone followed that unwritten rule until Stargirl came.



Stargirl was just different. Everyday she wore something unique and exotic, like a Marilyn Monroe dress. She played the ukulele in public and even danced outside in the rain. Everybody in Mica High wondered what was wrong with her. Some said she was just being like that to get attention.



It took a while for the students to warm up to Stargirl. It was December when people started really liking her and accepting her. After that everybody changed. They started being nice to her. They were being themselves in their own unique way. Stargirl even found a boyfriend: Leo Borlock.



The students of Mica High really liked Stargirl and her uniqueness for a while. But, they soon tired of her. The main reason was that in basketball games, she would cheer for both teams no matter who was playing. The students didn’t like that. They were a competitive school and disliked anybody who cheered for the opposing team. Stargirl was shunned.



When Stargirl left Mica High, everyone realized how great she was for their school spirit. She left a lasting effect on the whole town. The high school developed a new club called "The Sunflowers." To join, members had to sign an agreement promising to do “one nice thing per day to someone other than myself."



This book shows that being unique is life’s best path. So, get Spinelli's new book and have fun!