The Starplace

by Vicki Grove

Book Overview

Thirteen-year-old Frannie learns hard lessons about prejudice and segregation when she becomes friends with a young black girl, who moves into her small Oklahoma town in 1961 This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399232079
• ISBN13: 9780399232077
• Release Date: June 1999
• Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
• Length: 214 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.7" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

A Very Great Book

The Starplace was a very great book. It was about a girl named Frannie who lives in a town called Quiver. The setting is back in the 1960s when there was a lot of racism. In the town of Quiver, there aren't many blacks in this town, there is a haunted house were an old man use to live. Everyone thinks that the house is haunted. One ordinary day Frannie was going to her moms work and sees a black man going out from her office. Frannie finds out that he has bought the old haunted house. The man has a daughter named Celeste. When summer break ends and Frannie and her friends go back to school, she sees Celeste at school. No one talks to her because of the color of her skin. When people pass by her in the hallway they stay at least five feet away. Celeste happens to be the first colored girl to go to the Quiver school. Frannie starts talking to her and they become the best of friends. Many other people that Frannie hangs out with talk to Celeste, too. They stick up for her and hang out with her. Celeste is a very good singer. She takes choir class with Frannie. They try out for a group for singers and they both make it. They sing all around the town of Quiver. Then when they have reauditions Celeste does not make the team because the color of her skin. This makes Frannie very upset. Frannie one day sees Celeste and her father in her backyard looking at the field behind her house. Frannie is very curious. Frannie sees them picking up something that looks like a burnt finger. Celeste tells her everything about her great grandfather that had to do with that field and a cave in the woods. Celeste and her dad moved to Quiver because her dad wanted to write a book about the cave and the field. There are many mysteries that have to do with the field and the cave. The book that her dad writes has to do with her great granfather and his time in Quiver. It has to do with the poeple hanging the colored people in their town. In addition, the cave has to do with where a colored guy was dragged after he was beaten and cut many times. Celeste was very sad and emotional over this. When her and Frannie were in the cave they found mangles that happened to be from the colored guy that was beaten. At the end, Celeste gives her the burnt finger which is actually a harmonica that was her great grandfathers. The book is called Starplace because Celeste and Frannie have a place where they like to hang out and they like to sing with each other. They call it their Starplace. They call each other star sisters. The main conflict in this book is just because Celeste is colored people do not talk to her and try to avoid her. Frannie makes a difference by talking to her and had people starting to talk to her. This book has a lot to do about racism. Frannie trys to create a difference by having a colored friend and showing that they are not different then regular white people. This book is good to read if you like books about true friendships. If you like a little mystery there is

Wonderful

This was a great book. It's about a girl named Frannie who becomes friends' with an African-American girl named Celeste. what got me hooked on the book was the secret at the end of it. Read it and find out what it is.

Read, you must!

I absolutely loved this book. It had a great message. I was reading it for a school book report. We had to write our own review too! This book has excitement, racism, a ghost story, and even a luau! The main character is Frannie Driscoll. She is 13 (like me!) She has three best friends. Kelly, who loves horses, Margot, who thinks she's French, and Nancy, who acts like a mom. Frannie meets a new friend Celeste , who is black. Other people look down upon her. Frannie looks up upon her. Frannie sets a good example for the rest of her friends. That's what I love about this book. Frannie shows tolerance and shows that it doesn't hurt to have a black friend. In this book there are mean examples of racism and since it's set in the 60's, no one thinks it's wrong. Well I think you'll enjoy this book. I know I did. Oh, by the way, the starplace is an old rocket ship slide that was apart of a playground that was taken down for haunted purposes. Thanks for reading my review! McKenzie Lambert....

STRONG FRIENDSHIPS

Racism has existed in our country/society for numerous years, and even until today, racism still exists. Frannie lives in town, in which all of the inhabitants are "white." Celeste is an African-American girl and tries to get accustomed to her new surrounding, with Frannie’s help. Frannie learns how racism exists in her society, and also learns the problems Celeste must go through each and every day. The Starplace is a great example of how a friendship will be useful in surviving in the rough society, that people live in. People must realize that life will not be a walk in the park, but more like an endless job. This book greatly describes how people must help each other out, and pull each other through the hard times. I’m not the type of person who reads during my leisure time, but this book was very worthwhile to read. I advise all of you to read this book because this book will describe/explain to you, the importance of sharing honest, fun, and strong friendships with others.

A great read for ALL ages!

this book was a fast read, but it shared a meaningful message about interracial relationships in the 1960's when segregation was a very prominent issue. i found this book extremely touching and i recommend it to anyone, regardless of age! frannie and celeste share a wonderful honest relationship that no one should miss out on!