A Ceiling of Stars

By Ann Howard Creel

Book Overview

In a series of letters and journal entries, twelve-year-old Vivien describes being abandoned by her mother and struggling to survive on the streets of a big city while searching for her family. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1562477536
• ISBN13: 9781562477530
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: American Girl Publishing, Incorporated
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

For mature children, a lesson on poverty and empathy

This book is a short, fast-paced, technically easy read for kids who are around middle school age. The silly nicknames and lack of direct violence make it accessible to a younger age range, if the child is emotionally stable and has someone to process the difficult themes with. I say that because, emotionally, this book is a major frontal-lobe developer. As a little girl, this book changed the way I looked at the world, at unhoused people, at the concept of poverty and social responsibility. I remember sobbing multiple times during my first read. It still impacts me to this day, almost 30 years later. I believe that my adult convictions- advocacy for the unhoused, and my dedication to socialist political ideals- began with this book. I suspect there are better books on the subject, but this is the one that I remember. Empathy is not a skill that can be taught, but a natural extension of understanding the suffering of others. This book is an opportunity to experience that suffering in a safe and comprehensible way for children. If you are an adult who desires to provide a challenging emotional read for a child in your life, this is the book. I would advise providing it with context and support.

A Ceiling of Stars

A Ceiling of Stars Do you like a story with lots of adventure, and touching, sentimental moments? A Ceiling of Stars is a very heart-warming book that will keep you anxious to read more. It is told through a 12 year old girl, Vivian's, journal entries. After reading this story I was very grateful for all of the things God has blessed me with. The story began after Vivian's father dies. Vivian and her mother are trying to get to Oregon from Ohio. They had little money so they stayed in a camping tent Vivien and her mother owned. While in Denver, Colorado, Vivien's mother went to find a job in the city to raise some money for the rest of the trip. She never came back that night, like she told Vivien she would. After three days of waiting, Vivien left the camp in search of her mother. She met many homeless people, including her new friend Locket, on the way. Locket and Vivien lived together on the streets for a long time. They would sleep in sleeping bags under bridges or any place that was warm. In the middle of the story, Vivien and her friend met Gabe. Gabe worked at a place called the Arch House. The Arch House was a place for the homeless and street youth. There they gave you food, clothes, a bed, and whatever else you needed. Vivien decided to stay there with Locket. After she and Locket were there for a few days, they started to search for Vivien's mother again. They asked the homeless people all over if they had seen Vivian's mother. No one knew her except one person named Mags. Mags was another homeless girl who had been helping to look for Vivien's mother. She knew right where she was, in the hospital! She wound up there because she was out late everyday drinking alcohol. Vivien was so happy just to hear that her mom was alive. From then on, Vivien and her friends lived on the street again. Soon, Vivien was caught by the police and was taken to the police station. She did not tell them her mom was in the hospital so she was sent to a foster home. She liked her new home, but wanted to be at the Arch House again. She was afraid, but had to go to a new school. This is where the journal entries end knowing where her mother was, even though she couldn't be with her, would have to be enough for Vivian. In conclusion, I liked this story a lot. It had a lot of adventure and many sentimental moments that almost made me cry. Overall I would give this story a four out of five because of the lack of a strong ending.

A Ceiling of Stars

I LOVED this book. Its almost made me cry. Hey, if you liked this book, or want to read this book, you should also read 'StarGirl' and 'A Song For Jeffery'

A Ceiling of Stars

A Ceiling of Stars starts out with Vivien sending a letter titled, "to the person who finds this tent". Through letters and journal entries, Viven tells how she survived without a mother who had been seen around at bars late at night and her father who died even before that. Vivien becomes a city girl known on the streets as "Copper Top" and her range of friends include Skinny Willie, Sergeant Sam ( who thinks he is an officer) Catman, Mags and Locket. Vivien tells the hardships she has to face and visions about life before her father and mother basically disappeared out of her life.

Excellent

In absoulutly loved the book it was so good. It almost made me cry.

I really enjoyed this book

This book moves fast and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Vivien next. I could really feel the way Vivien missed her father because she remembered so much about the stories he used to tell her. I think Vivien was a really strong girl and I liked the book alot.