Starlight Comes Home

by Janet Muirhead Hill

Book Overview

Miranda Stevens decides being a teenager and in junior high school is complicated. Her best friend's seventeen-year-old cousin comes to live with Laurie--and to break up her friendship with Miranda. A new boy in school wants all of Miranda's attention when she would rather be riding horses with Christopher. But Chris is spending his time with Jody, the new girl in their class. Miranda much prefers the world of horses. But that gets complicated, too,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0971416168
• ISBN13: 9780971416161
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Raven Publishing Incorporated of Montana
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Lessons for all ages

Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (5/06) "Starlight Comes Home" is the sixth and final book in the Starlight Series. The ending to this saga is bittersweet. Cute new foals are born, but there is also death to come to terms with. Miranda turns thirteen in this book and as she becomes a teenager, her mom hopes that she will become interested in more than just horses and not be such a tomboy. But Miranda likes things just the way they are. As she says to her dad when he suggests she expand her horizons, ""I like my horizons just fine." As Miranda has matured over the course of this series, the issues she and her friends and family face grow as well. This book brings up current issues of dating, drug use, and lying to protect friends. Miranda likes the comfort of visiting her horse as often as possible and hanging out with her friends Chris and Laurie and their horses. But her horizons get an unexpected expanding when two new students join their school. Dennis is a new boy from the city, and Rose Marie is Laurie's seventeen-year old cousin who has gotten into trouble and comes to stay with the Langley's in Montana for a while. When Dennis asks Miranda to a party, she agrees to go with him because she wants to be polite, but she really has no interest in boys. Plus Laurie really wants her to go. At the party, drugs and alcohol are present and Miranda tries marijuana. She feels terrible about the incident and wants to talk to her parents about it, but can't without betraying Laurie and her cousin. Miranda ends up estranged from her friends and ostracized by all of her classmates because they think she has ratted on them and caused a drug raid on the school. And, unbeknownst to Miranda, Chris is jealous of her friendship with Dennis. As things get more complicated in her home and school life, the horses are her refuge. But when Mr. Taylor says he is taking some horses to a race, and Starlight is gone the next morning, Miranda thinks Mr. Taylor has taken the horse to be sold to pay off some gambling debts. When he returns without Starlight, it becomes clear that he has been stolen from the ranch. Now, Miranda has no friends and no horse to turn to. As with all of the books in this series, serious issues are dealt with in a realistic manner. Miranda faces some of her toughest challenges in this book. But as readers of the series know, Starlight and Miranda are sure to save the day. And by the end, Starlight and Miranda are reunited, the Stevens family has grown by two members, plus the horses that come to live on their ranch, newly named Heavenly Acres. The entire Starlight Series was a joy to read. Janet Muirhead Hill knows her horses and accurately portrays the trials and tribulations of a middle school girl as she grows up. Pat Lehmkuhl's illustrations also grow with the series and we see subtle physical changes in Miranda. The attention to detail that the author and illustrator provide in this book gives it and the series validity. Y

Writers Notes 2005 Book Award Winner

Miranda grows up as the Starlight series draws to a close with its sixth and final book. It's another exciting story that aims to please and teach. The maturity of the characters, as well as the theme of understanding others, is on target for its intended audience. Hill, a skilled and talented writer, maintains the values of trust and loyalty that made earlier books in this series so memora-ble. We appreciate the simplicity of her language without talking down to younger readers. As many YA novels layer on the gore and depravity, it's a pleasure to find a straightforward and meaningful series that we could recommend to any age.

"Two thumbs up", plus a high five, for Janet Muirhead Hill

Janet Muirhead Hill, author of "Starlight Comes Home," is a wonderful writer of children's books. She shows it through her characters. She not only brings Miranda, Chris, Laurie, and especially, Starlight, to life, she also fills each chapter with action and suspense. Janet Muirhead Hill deserves a thumbs up, plus a high five, for the hard work that has been put into this heart-felt book. Not only is "Starlight Comes Home" an awesome page turner, but it is also a very enjoyable read. Excitement jumped from every page. "Starlight Comes Home" is recommended for all teenagers. --Wanda Maynard, Sime~Gen.com reviewer

Loved it!

Miranda Stevens turns thirteen, but her life does not slow down at all. If anything, it speeds up and gets more complicated. Miranda did not realize that two guys are attracted to her. Her thoughts are mainly on her horse, Starlight, and those closest to her. Miranda's mom is due to deliver another baby, Margot dreams of being adopted by the Stevens and feels unwanted, and there are two new kids at school. Laurie's cousin, Rose Marie, comes to live with Laurie's family for awhile. Rose Marie is seventeen. She is always in trouble, wears dark make up, smokes, and hangs out with a bad crowd. Envious and jealous of Miranda, Rose Marie begins turning all the kids against Miranda, including her closest. No one seems to like Miranda anymore ... and then Starlight disappears! ***** This is an excellent ending to the series. Throughout the books, Miranda has grown up and matured, making complicated decisions as she went. She shows that no matter how bad things become, one must do the right thing and hope for the best. Eventually, events will come together. In my opinion, this series will attract more than just the girls who love horses. Miranda is a great role model. She is so realistic that kids cannot help but relate to Miranda and her problems. At the same time, readers can follow Miranda during all her adventures. Outstanding! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.