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The Same Stuff as Stars by Katherine Paterson

Summary

11-year-old Angel Morgan needs help. Her daddy is in jail, and her mother has abandoned Angel and her little brother, Bernie, at their great-grandmother's crumbling Vermont farmhouse. Grandma, aged and poor, spends most of her time wrapped in a blanket by the wood stove and is as much of a handful as Bernie. In this dreary world of adult worries and loneliness, there is only one bright spot – a mysterious stranger who appears on clear nights and teaches Angel all about the stars and planets and constellations. Angel's determination to carve out a new life for herself and Bernie gets a boost from her star-gazing friend, and from Miss Liza, the ancient withered town librarian.

244 pages, 4th grade and up

Discussion questions

  1. How does Angel's new interest in star gazing help her?
  2. Why is Angel always reminding people to wear seat belts and eat nutritious food, even though she's just a kid?
  3. Do you have a favorite character from the book? Who is it? Why is this character your favorite?
  4. What do you think about Grandma's relationship with the man she refers to as “Santy Claus?” Why do you think she doesn't want to talk about who he really is?
  5. What role does the "star man" play in the story?
  6. Do you see parts of yourself in any of the characters?
  7. Do you think Angel did the right thing when she hid from her father?
  8. Is this story believable?
  9. At the end of the book, do you feel hope for the characters?
  10. What do you think the author was trying to accomplish? Do you think the author had a message she wanted to convey to readers?
  11. Did you find any flaws in the book?

Snack Ideas: serve tea and canned peaches, or popsicles and Fudgsicles (Angel and Bernie's treats when they visit town), or make cookies cut in the shapes of stars and moons.

Created in part with funds granted by the Oregon State Library under the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library. Send feedback to Katie O'Dell, Reading Promotions Coordinator