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In a message dated 6/9/2004 3:49:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
starsuncloud@... writes:

I'm thinking that Stargirl by Spinelli is also about a homeschooler. It's
been ages since I read it though."

I'm glad you mentioned this one Tia. We've been meaning to buy it, having
heard it recommended by other unschoolers.
Sierra's middle name is Star, and we've been calling her "stargirl" from the
time she was born, before we'd ever heard of the book.:)




<<<<<<


You'll love it, Ren. It's Cameron's favorite book, so far.

~Kelly


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< Stargirl>

I loved it when Brenna lent it to me last year. She just came in and
said..."Stargirl" is the absolute orginal unschooler and my favorite book of all
time! " She has her own copy and I know she's read it multiple times I think
you'll enjoy it!

Gail


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Joanna Wilkinson

--- In [email protected], gailbrocop@a... wrote:
>
>
> < Stargirl>
>
> I loved it when Brenna lent it to me last year. She just came in
and
> said..."Stargirl" is the absolute orginal unschooler and my
favorite book of all
> time! " She has her own copy and I know she's read it multiple
times I think
> you'll enjoy it!
>
> Gail
>
>


We'll have to check it out.
With Carly planning on trying high school in the fall, would it be
an encouragment or a detractor?

Joanna

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In a message dated 6/10/04 8:27:51 AM, Wilkinson6@... writes:

<< With Carly planning on trying high school in the fall, would it be

an encouragment or a detractor? >>

Which do you want it to be? <g>

It might just be a warning to her of some of the realities of willfully NOT
fitting in.

I enjoyed reading Stargirl, but I didn't love it. The character caused
embarrassment and unhappiness without regard for other people's feelings. It's set
in Arizona, and if my experience in New Mexico and similar situations is
validly applied (it might not be, but my memories of being a teen are still
vivid), she wasn't "being herself" so much as she was "freakin'" (transitively, not
"freaking out" but "freaking the crowd"--purposely being freakish).

I saw negatives in it. It's a joyous fantasy, in some ways, but if it were
true in all details and really happened, it's about someone who had little to
no interpersonal intelligence.

There are no doubt a fair number of homeschoolers who are home because they
can't fathom getting along with others, but for those who are fine with
interpersonals, Stargirl might be a tad disturbing. The overriding message is that
kids in school should loosen up, and that's fine.

And maybe I read it too literally and I should loosen up too. <g>

Sandra

Elizabeth Hill

**

With Carly planning on trying high school in the fall, would it be
an encouragment or a detractor?**

Well, I gave a copy to a 14 year old girl who I was trying to discourage from going to school. The book shows that being different from others in school can provoke unpleasant behavior.

Betsy

nellebelle

>>>>>There are no doubt a fair number of homeschoolers who are home because they
can't fathom getting along with others, but for those who are fine with
interpersonals, Stargirl might be a tad disturbing. The overriding message is that
kids in school should loosen up, and that's fine.

And maybe I read it too literally and I should loosen up too. <g>>>>>>

I felt the characters were caricatures. The homeschooled girl "unsocialized" to the point of being anti-social and the school kids "socialized" to the point of being clones of one another. The story is a good starting point for discussions on what it means to fit in.

Mary Ellen

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[email protected]

In a message dated 6/10/2004 10:27:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
Wilkinson6@... writes:

We'll have to check it out.
With Carly planning on trying high school in the fall, would it be
an encouragment or a detractor?




<<<<

I think she'd she it for you what it is: Real. This fun, funky girl tries to
fit in to make her boyfriend happy. They both realize that's NOT Who She Is.

Great book!

~Kelly


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