Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli

Compassionate. Mysterious. Misunderstood. Stargirl explored the ordinary. Stargirl didn’t just scan the surface of things, she went deep. This was a teenager who wasn’t afraid to be real. Stargirl’s ability to accept herself was contagious. It wasn’t so much that Stargirl questioned authority, she more questioned why the world acted the way it did. She was kind of radical. She taught me not to conform to the patterns of this world. Me, I would never think, “I want to be like Stargirl,” she simply left me inspired to be myself, the crazy wacko individual that I am.

Evelyn



Stargirl didn’t care about people’s opinion of her. I applaud that attitude! I was a little disappointed at the end of the story, which maybe is what the author intended, I wish Leo had done more to find Stargirl for the sake of friendship. With Stargirl, Leo was himself because she accepted him and consequently, he totally accepted her for who she was. Actually, Leo loved her when they were alone, but at school he acted ashamed of her and acted as though she was demolishing his social life. Because of his inner conflict Leo encouraged Stargirl to become like “them” to become “normal” which led to the downfall of their friendship. Accepting each other for who we are and not caring about what people think, this is the message of Stargirl.

Hannah

Why Chimneys?

One may have a blazing hearth in one’s soul and yet no one ever came to sit by it. Passers-by see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on their way.
- Vincent Van Gogh


I beg you
do not make this same mistake

Having glanced upon our title
“Chimneypots and Spires”,
you’ve planed to disembark

By all means
come sit beside our fire
warm body and soul

Rekindle that blaze within your mind,
once chilled and numbed
by the routine of existence

We hope to arouse in you
a strong desire to explore

Hence,
don’t pass by our chimney
watching a column of swirling smoke
rise over your shoulder

Do investigate our site
and all there is to discover

Like a spire reaching
connecting earth and heaven

This is an open invitation
to step out into our world

- Evelyn

Welcome!