Copyright Date:
2016
Edition Date:
2016
Release Date:
10/25/16
Pages:
341 pages
ISBN:
0-06-227466-X
ISBN 13:
978-0-06-227466-3
Dewey:
Fic
LCCN:
2014047811
Dimensions:
20 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist
In this funny and profound novel, middle-school misfits isolated by their exceptional talents find themselves on a character-building trek, el Viaje a la Confianza ("Journey to Confidence"), through the desert wilderness of West Texas. Audrey is burdened with the unerring ability to tell when people are lying, while Aaron has a photographic (and phonographic!) memory. When the camp bully, Daphne, goes missing, they work together as a team to find her d save her life. Unfortunately, Daphne's backstory is not credible, and the solution to the mystery also strains believability. But what makes the story special is the authors' nuanced understanding of how our special gifts fit into our lives. Each kid's talent is like a powerful medicine that can be used to help or to harm, depending on the dosage and the symptoms: Audrey must learn to temper her love of the truth with mercy, while Aaron must assemble his bits of data into a bigger picture. Satisfyingly, they do learn to use their gifts in context , as the title has it, to "connect the stars."
Horn Book
In alternating narration, we meet thirteen-year-olds Audrey, who can tell when someone's lying, and Aaron, who remembers everything he's ever seen or heard in perfect detail. Because these "superpowers" impede their social lives, they're sent to wilderness camp to gain balance. With a quick pace and acerbic protagonists to draw readers in, what follows is a story of survival and unlikely friendship.
Word Count:
71,032
Reading Level:
5.3
Interest Level:
3-6
Accelerated Reader:
reading level: 5.3
/ points: 11.0
/ quiz: 180282
/ grade: Middle Grades
Reading Counts!:
reading level:5.5 /
points:16.0 /
quiz:Q68724
Lexile:
840L
Acclaimed author duo Marisa de los Santos and David Tague return with a heartwarming middle grade adventure about two misfits discovering the importance of just being themselves, perfect for fans of Counting By 7’s and Hello Universe.
When thirteen-year-olds Aaron and Audrey meet at a wilderness camp in the desert, they think their quirks are enough to prevent them from ever having friends. But as they trek through the challenging and unforgiving landscape, they learn that they each have what it takes to make the other whole.
Luminous and clever, Connect the Stars takes on some hefty topics of the day—bullying, understanding where you fit in, and learning to live with physical and mental challenges—all in a joyous adventure kids will love!