70 pages 2 hours read

Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2000

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Paired Texts & Other Resources

Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

Love, Stargirl

  • the 2007 sequel to Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
  • from the perspective of Stargirl
  • relates to themes of Fitting In/Standing Out and Individuality

A Walk to Remember

  • a 2000 novel by Nicholas Sparks about a popular boy who falls for the quiet girl in high school
  • a romantic novel; relates to the themes of Fitting In/Standing Out, Individuality, and Selfless Acts of Kindness

Other Student Resources

Stargirl Movie Trailer

  • the official trailer for the 2020 movie adaptation of the novel
  • relates to the novel’s themes of Fitting In/Standing Out, Individuality, Team Spirit and Selfless Acts of Kindness

An Interview with Jerry and Eileen Spinelli

  • a 2009 interview with Jerry and his wife, Eileen, on writing and the creation of Stargirl
  • connects to the themes of Fitting In/Standing Out and Individuality

Teacher Resources

“10 Ways a Teacher Can Address Bullying”

  • an article from Resilient Educator with strategies for teachers regarding bullying