Star-Crossed

Locations
Call Number: Y Fiction / Dee, Barbara
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Y Fiction / Dee, Barbara	4-week checkout	On Shelf

When Mattie is cast as Romeo in an eighth-grade play, she is confused to find herself increasingly attracted to Gemma, a new classmate who is playing Juliet.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Excellent book for those middle grades! submitted by ValerieL on May 30, 2017, 1:36pm Our main character, Mattie, is a very complex character. She's not liked by the "popular" crowd, but she doesn't seem to mind too much. Instead, she has her friends Tessa and Lucy to hang out with and she's okay with that. Until she meets Gemma at a costume party the "popular" crowd was having that she wasn't actually invited to. All of a sudden there's a change in her. She doesn't even really see it at first; Lucy points it out to her. Even then, she's still not sure and struggles with whether or not it's true. I liked that the author showed us Mattie's struggles.

The supporting characters are well-rounded and developed enough that they do not come off as flat, two-dimensional characters. The settings in this book had great descriptions without going overboard. The plot line moves along at a steady pace. At no point did I think that it was moving too slowly or too fast.

This is an incredible book for tweens and early teens who may be struggling with their sexuality and what all those feelings are inside. Yet, it's not at all preachy or condescending. The author does a really great job keeping a balance between examining what Mattie's feeling without the sole focus being on just her sexuality. There's a good balance between other things in life too, her schoolwork, her play rehearsals, etc.

I highly, highly recommend this middle grade fiction for all ages really. It was incredibly well-written and a wonderful, delightful read.

Perfect! The Queer Middle Grade Novel We Need (and Deserve) submitted by Meginator on June 19, 2019, 6:46pm I loved this book, and it lingers in my memory as one of the best reading experiences I’ve had in years. For me, this book is about as close as something can get to perfection. Barbara Dee completely understands what it is like to be a young person facing their first confusing crush, and Mattie describes so many little details that feel utterly true to life throughout the course of the book that it’s easy for all of those feelings to rush back in a flood. I think it’s important, too, that Mattie’s crush is a queer one, and that this is both a big deal and not within the story; it is a huge deal insofar as she (gently) grapples with what this might imply about her, but none of the people she tells react at all adversely to the revelation. Sure, this may be a slightly rosy picture of reality, but queer readers desperately need positive, welcoming stories like this, if only to imagine that this type of acceptance is possible (and it is). And though the plot definitely hinges on the romance angle, Dee packs in plenty of other themes, including the importance of honesty in friendships and the power of self-confidence, as well as providing a masterclass on Romeo and Juliet. Packed with humor and heart, this is the type of book that middle grade queer readers deserve, and its depth makes it an excellent choice as a pick-me-up for a more mature audience as well.