Jerry Spinelli: Stargirl

Stargirl is a celebration of non-conformity and a sensitive look at the bittersweet nature of teenage friendships.

Leo attends Mica Area High School and does his best to fit in with the crowd. But a vibrant new student called Stargirl arrives and everything changes. Stargirl has been homeschooled for 10 years and she has an enthusiastic, "wacky" approach to life that initially charms all her classmates. Leo becomes her best friend and is more than a little in love with her.

However, popularity among teenagers can be a fickle thing, and Stargirl finds herself ostracised for those very same qualities that had won her new friends. Leo is caught between his love for Stargirl and his need to belong to the pack, and he must make the hardest choice of his life. Stargirl will appeal to teenage girls, who will identify with many of the situations in this book.

Publisher: Orchard Books

Price: $16.9

Age: 12-plus