Jerry Spinelli is one of my favorite authors. He uses simple expressions and words, but still makes a wonderful story.
Jerry seems like a ordinary, but kind-hearted person to me. His novels seems very unique and special.
The stories he writes seems to sparkle ! He usually writes about a kid. He also writes a lot about a groups in our lives,
and prejudice of the group or of us.
I read four books by him - published by Korean languages, and other as English - ,,
and . I haven't read entirely. I'm still reading it.
My favorite books are and . These are the two books I'm going to write about right now ! :)
☆ Stargirl ★
Just like her name, Stargirl sparkle. She is special and different with others.
Stargirl is the girl carrying a pet rat with her, and wearing a dress that comes down to her feet,
sings birthday songs to anyone who are having birthday, attend any parties or funerals,
giving away valentine cards to everyone - she loves everybody and cares for everybody.
Because she is so unique and different, and hard to understand or to judge - many hates her.
First, they just thought of her as some strange new kid in school. Or the principal's scheme to bring up school's spirit - the
hired actor, or hidden spy. They grown to love this sparkling girl. Everybody called her name and say hi to her - 'Stargirl!'
Stargirl became the school's cheerleader. But when she cheered for other team as well as her team, the school turned on her.
Some said she was just acting differently because she wants attention all to herself.
Some said she was trying to make anyone else feel bad for themselves, for acting like a perfect person.
Some said she was not real, an actress.
But all was wrong. How come she was so special ?
Just simply being herself. Everybody could be special just for being themselves.
But we are keep trying to fit in to other's view - wrong ones.
If everything is wrong except for onething, the right thing must be being yourself.
Stargirl teach us a lessons not be afraid of being yourself - the true you inside.
Stargirl is not an imaginary character, She lives among us, in our hearts. We just don't realize to look deeply.
Altough everyone knows being different isn't a crime, they act like it is. Simply without knowing they are acting that way.
A power of a group is big, and could be dangerous. But in a good way, we could use it to make the world a better place -
Like Stargirl once wondered, why can't the earth be one team ?
Sure, everybody wants different things, we cant' help it. But going for only one goal is not always good.
That might help you develop yourself, but it's no good if you harm others on your way up.
If only everybody could be a Star person.
Maybe, we were all one a star person. But simply by growing up, we lost our sparkles.
If you read this books, you will want to go back to being star person.
This book isn't about a weird, out-standing new girl in school.
This book is about us. Everyone who lives on this world.
★ Wringer ☆
Wringer - every boy's dream. Maybe except for one boy.
This boy is called Palmer. Or his nickname, snots.
Like every other boys in town, Palmer will one day, become a wringer - the boy who wrings pigeon's neck.
This is like a tradition to the town. A final of week-long festival. People shoots pigeons by fun or for trophy.
When a boy reaches on a certain age, he simply becomes a wringer.
The wringer boy must catch a pigeon running away, and wring its neck. Kill it.
But what if a boy doesn't want such things ? What if a boy loves pigeon ?
Palmer grow up all in his life with a fear or becoming a wringer.
One day, a pigeon flew up to his window. He tried shooing it away, but it won't budge.
The pigeon - later named nibbles - was enjoying itself in the boy's warm house. But the town wasn't warm-hearted for it.
Palmer keeps it as a pet secretly. But the fears never go away - fearing of Nibble's death, and becoming a wringer.
The day comes, and Palmer should make a choice.
What choice do you think that the little boy made ?
But before that, most importantly, what choics would YOU have made ?
The story tries to tell people, the humanity and respecting lives are much more important then group's opinion.
People could easily and often foget, what real matters to them. They follow what the group they are involved orders them.
There are choices - like it or not - you have to make in your life. Very many.
This book teaches you, that when you make those choices, always to be sure to make a best choice for yourself.
Not meaning being greedy - but meaning to follow what you think is valuable and right.