January 1 Dear Leo, I love beginnings. If I were in charge of calendars, every day would be January 1st. And what better way to celebrate this New Year's Day than to begin writing a letter to my once (and future?) boyfriend. Stargirl has moved and left everything behind: Arizona, high school, enchanted desert places - and Leo. He is all she can think about. But over the following year Stargirl writes letters to Leo, and gradually, she comes to find hope...

It has to be said that upon opening the parcel that contained this book, I danced around my kitchen with delight, much to the bemusement and amusement of my two year old daughter. I adored Stargirl, the prequel to this book, and coincidentally had finished reading it only a day earlier. In the first book, told from Leo's point of view, Stargirl is portrayed as a complete individual, oblivious to the opinions of others, but trying to bring happiness as often as she can. Here, we learn more about Stargirl herself, as the narrative is in the first person and we become privy to her innermost thoughts and feelings. Still undeniably original, Stargirl is sad and her joie de vivre diminished. Her "happy wagon" is down to five pebbles and counting. Stargirl loves Leo, but is miserable at the thought that he might not love her back, driven away by the very quirkiness that brought them together in the first place. Still home schooled and with Cinnamon the rat her ever present companion, Stargirl meets Dootsie, an irrepressibly sparky and precocious five year old that could almost be her younger sister. Through Dootsie, Stargirl's circle of unlikely but interesting companions grows: Betty Lou, an agoraphobic who loves plants. Alvina, a tough talking eleven year old who delivers Betty Lou's donuts. Arnold, who wants to be found, Charlie, who spends his days with his late wife Grace - and Perry. Perry reads Ondine. He sleeps on a rooftop and breaks into the swimming pool. He has a crowd of adoring girlfriends called the HoneyBees who sport matching bumble bee tattoos. Could he help mend Stargirl's broken heart?

Love, Stargirl details the next year in her life, a myriad of interwoven characters and plots, climaxing at Stargirl's Winter Solstice celebration. In some ways very different to the first Stargirl book, but just as charming and delightfully unpredictable, with wonderful detail and original characters. A book to be devoured, in one sitting if you can, for complete escapism into the world of Stargirl. If you haven't read Stargirl, fear not, as this can be enjoyed in its own right, but do read them together if you can, for maximum moving dizziness.

2008-05-26