Parents' Guide to

Girl Made of Stars

By Mary Cosola, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Gripping story of girl's twin brother accused of rape.

Girl Made of Stars Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 15+

Good

This book is about the struggle it takes for a victim of sexual assault to come out to everyone. It shows how they feel and what they go through.
age 15+

This title has:

Educational value
Great role models

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (5 ):

This emotional story of family and friendship tackles lots of tough issues, including rape, consent, sexual and gender identity, and teen relationships. In Girl Made of Stars, author Ashley Herring Blake successfully shows why it is so hard for victims of sexual violence to come forward. She also highlights the ripple effect sexual assaults create on the lives of the victims and those close to them. Mara's a relatable and enjoyable narrator. It's easy to feel everything she is going through and fully understand her struggle over who to believe in the rape case: her brother or one of her closest friends. All the characters, even the minor players, have depth and range, which sometimes seems all too rare in YA novels.

Readers will get insight into what gay, bi, and nonbinary teens go through, both in their inner struggles and in dealing with the ignorance of others. And while it is admirable that Blake takes on so many issues in one book -- rape, consent, victim shaming, sexual and gender orientation, sexist dress codes, feminism, family dynamics, male privilege, bullying -- it feels like she's on overdrive, trying to cram too much into one novel. Sometimes Blake hits the reader over the head with her messages, instead of letting the story flow.

Book Details

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