Hello everyone! It's Phoebe welcoming you back to another post. Today I wanted to write a post reviewing Stella by Starlight, a novel by Sharon M. Draper. I recently read this book and I enjoyed it a ton! I've left out any big spoilers from the synopsis but there are plenty of captivating plot twists that'll keep you hooked once you start reading it. Let's get onto the post! Stella Mills is an eleven years old living in Bumblebee North Carolina, a town facing severe segregation in 1932, with her mama, papa, and little brother. Stella and her family are living with the "unwritten rules" that Negros were expected to follow: take care of your own problems and take care of each other but don't mess with white people. Stella isn't allowed into some stores because of the color of her skin which she finds awfully unfair and confusing as other stores have their doors wide open to anybody. Some white people are kind to her like Ms. Cooper or Mr. O'Brian, but some are downright mean and treat her and her family as if they were nobodies. Stella also finds herself going to school in a worn down old schoolhouse with every negro child in town aged six through seventeen in the same room with only one teacher. Despite the fact that the white children have a shiny new school books and supplies and different classrooms, Stella likes her teacher Mrs. Grayson, loves learning and fueling her raging curiosity, and enjoys the company of her classmates and neighbors whom she has grown up with. That's really the only constant in Stella's life: community. The whole negro side of town is there for each other, comes together to tell stories and share food, and lends a helping hand when a family needs it the most. To Stella, the hatred and the kindness all sort of even out. The Klan hasn't caused any trouble lately, and people are moving in the right direction. But one night, Stella and her little brother JoJo witness the flames of a burning cross and the white robes of men on horses--Klansmen. With uncertainty and fear in the world now bigger than ever, will Stella decide to choose bravery? Because, after all, "What's the sense of living if you're ashamed of yourself?". Throughout the story, Stella is determined to write. She sneaks out at midnight to write by starlight, in secret, where she won't have to worry about what anyone thinks of her and she won't let self doubt creep into her mind like it does in the daytime. Writing helps Stella fight fear and build up bravery which she'll need in these chaotic times. I found this story really compelling. I love the characters that Draper so wonderfully illustrated and I felt a real connection to many of the characters because they were very relatable. I won't give anything away but there was one tender moment in the book that brought tears into my eyes. I especially loved how Draper gave such a sense of love within the families of the African American community. Also, the writing is so wonderful and captivating that it made me feel like I was right there in Bumblebee along with the characters (I guess that's part of what I mean when I say it's a relatable story). Although it's a fantastic book to read anytime, February is Black History Month and this is an amazing historical fiction book on that exact topic so I would totally recommend this book to anyone (probably age 9 and older). Thank you so much for reading this post! I'll see you next time. -Phoebe Have YOU read Stella by Starlight? What did you think? What was your favorite character? Would you recommend this book to your friends? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW!
4 Comments
Jaida Seadore
2/9/2018 02:26:05 pm
I read Stella by Starlight and really enjoyed it I would definitely recommend it to friends (Since I already did).
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Wendy
2/10/2018 07:38:17 pm
I haven't read it, Phoebz, but it sounds really good. Have you read anything else by the same author? How did it compare?
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Phoebe
2/11/2018 04:28:47 am
Thanks for your comment! I am in the middle of reading Out of my Mind by the same author (Sharon Draper). So far I'm not quite as captivated as I was with Stella by Starlight but am still enjoying the book. I will update you when I've completed Out of my Mind, though, because I may have different thoughts then!
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Mia Bunch
9/6/2018 05:42:42 pm
Hi Phoebe! I just recently finished Stella by Starlight!!! SO GOOD!!!!!!
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