Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Historical romance leans to soap-opera-style melodrama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In SHAME THE STARS, 16-year-old Joaquín del Toro enjoys life on the family ranch surrounded by family and friends, especially best friend and true love Dulceña. But when violent political events surrounding the Mexican Revolution cause a rift between the young lovers' fathers, Joaquín and Dulceña become separated. Unrest in the area reaches a fever pitch, and the Texas Rangers target the family ranch for harboring Tejano rebels. Joaquín and Dulceña have to decide how they're going to confront the world they live in while at the same time figuring out how they can be together. Eventually, everyone's caught up in or victimized by the violence and turbulence of the times. Can the pair find a way forward -- and a future together?
Is It Any Good?
Historical romance fans will be captivated by this melodramatic story of love during tumultuous times. Author Guadalupe Garcia McCall ably evokes the landscape of South Texas and the lives of the Tejanos during the Mexican Revolution. But the corny, stilted dialogue and emphasis on melodrama make it read more like a soap-opera script than a novel.
Tween and teen romance fans won't mind, though, as Shame the Stars sweeps them up into the lives and events of the likeable protagonists. They'll also learn a lot about Tejano culture and history, and how events of the past continue to affect our lives today.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the events in Shame the Stars. Do you think the real events of those times still affect life there today? How?
Which journal and newspaper clippings at the beginning of each chapter are real, and which are made up? How can you tell? Why did the author include them?
Did you read the poem "Tejano" at the beginning? What do you think "shame the stars" means?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Tu Books
- Publication date : September 15, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate