Every Soul a Star

Kids figuring out who they are and what their place in the world might be with the help of a solar eclipse and the beauty of nature. Enjoyed the science and astronomy info, and it was cool to read this story after seeing a solar eclipse myself in august!

Wonderful book. Weaving of three different lives that turn out to be wonderful friendships. Ally loves Moon Shadow campground where she has lived most of her near thirteen years now having to move to the big city. Bree, in the A-clique at school, looking forward to being a model finds herself

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having to rethink her upturned life, living at Moon Shadow campground instead of the burbs. Jack, flunks science and gets to take a trip to Moon Shadow instead of taking summer school, he lives unnoticed at school and becomes very noticed at Moon Shadow campground.

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Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass is a wonderful book combining three completely different lives of teenagers. Ally, Bree, and Jack had no idea they were about to meet each other let alone that they didn’t even know one another. The only reason why they do end up meeting in the story is because of

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one major event… an eclipse. Bree and Jack head off to the campground where Ally already is. Now, Ally is already there because her parents, her little brother, and she run the entire campground.
As the story continues you really get to know the characters along the way, they slowly “unravel” into really showing themselves to one another the more they get to know each other.
When I read the book Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass I really felt like I was there throughout all of the commotion and drama. I also felt like i was there throughout all of the twists and turns. I always wanted to pick up the book and get to look forward to what was going to happen next. I loved reading this book because I could really relate to a couple of situations throughout the story. This book really caught my attention to reading and I was hooked ever since I picked it up. Out of all of the books I have read this would definitely be one of my top choices. I rated this book four stars because I really truly enjoyed reading it. Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass was definitely worth my time reading and worth my reading experience. I really hope this book will be worth your reading experience as well.
- Veronica

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Don't get me wrong, I liked this book but I felt something was off. Firstly, the main characters "felt" older to me. Ally came across as more responsible and mature that the average 12 year old, while Bree came off is too worldly for her age. I also was looking for something a little more climactic

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toward the end and I felt it was a bit flat.

I did like the characters and the way the book was written from each perspective. I enjoyed Ally's straight-forward love of live and simplicity. I also liked the fact that she and her brother got on so well. Bree was not really a likable character as she was incredibly self-centered but I appreciated her growth and acceptance of her blossoming "inner-geek." However; the truly inspiring character was Jack. A lump by most standards who realized he was more and he could be more.

I am looking forward to sequel that will bring these characters back together and perhaps bring them closer to the stars.

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Dina Patel,
Every Souyl a Star is a mystrious book. ally lives right in the middle where an eclipse is going to hit in just amount of weeks. Ally is down to earth person she has never cared about what she looks like. But thats all going to change when Bree a girl who cares nothing but looks comes

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to take the campground from Ally. Neither wants to switch but their parent do. Then theres Jack the guy whose failing and has to go to summer school and his teacher told him if he assisted the eclipse tour than he won't have to go to summer school. 3 lives are about to change foreve

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Ally, Bree and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carry thing the burden of their own problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they will find. ljh 6/09

I really enjoyed this book. The arrangement of chapters is unique for this age group (young adult) because each of 3 main characters has a chapter 1, chapter 2, etc. The title Every Soul a Star comes into play as each character discovers their inner self and overcomes their personal fears. This

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takes place during a total eclipse. As the characters develop their stories intertwine and you see each persons perspective of similar events.

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Ally loves living at the Moon Shadow campground in the middle of nowhere. Now thousands of people are coming to see a total solar eclipse. Bree hopes to become a fashion model, and has no interest in living in the middle of nowhere. Both their lives and their attitudes are about to change.

Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carrying the burden of different personal problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they find.

Let me begin by saying that I found out about this book because of my (former) babysitting charge's hearty recommendation. She just finished reading this with her mom and they both loved it. I love it when 13 year olds tell me that I simply must read a book!

Ally, Bree, and Jack tell their stories

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in alternating chapters of their experiences at the Moon Shadow campground, building up to a solar eclipse. I was immediately drawn to Jack and really found his thoughts resonating deeply with me. I think he reminded me a little of myself at 13 or 14. Mass includes just enough elements of astronomy to pique your interest without making you feel like you are -gasp!- learning something, which is just perfect for the target audience of middle schoolers.

Ally lives at the campground with her family where she is homeschooled. Bree, dragged to the eclipse by her family is the stereotypical mall-bound and materialistic tween, which leads me to my only complaint of the novel. I felt that Bree's character was too one-dimensional and predicable for most of the book. It isn't until about three quarters of the way through the book that her character begins to show some multi-dimensional characteristics that the reader can begin to relate to,and she really turns out to be the surprise character twist of the novel. Where the novel shines is with the character of Jack. He reluctantly agrees to go to the campground in order to pass his science class. More interested in drawing and keeping to himself, Jack undergoes a transformation to become a leader of sorts among the campground's inhabitants.
As the story progresses, we see the characters grow and develop as they form unlikely friendships and become more comfortable with themselves.

Lastly, I loved how the book was built around the facts of astronomy in general, and solar eclipses in particular (the author includes some informative endnotes on astronomy and also provides some helpful websites). Mass is very engaging and keeps the reader on their toes throughout the entire novel.

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In the beginning of Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass, Ally opens the story explaining her isolated life at the Moon Shadow Campground, the campground her parents own. The special thing about Moon Shadow is that it is the only spot in the world where a complete solar eclipse is visible every

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hundred-or-so years. By the middle of the book, two characters, Bree and Jack, are also introduced. Bree is nearly certain she is adopted because despite growing up in a family of science geeks, she dreams of being a model. She’s pretty and popular, and she refuses to wear anything not designer brand. Jack is an overweight, lonely student who has failed science. His teacher says if he signs up for the Moon Shadow eclipse-viewing trip, he won’t have to repeat the class over the summer. Bree’s parents are astrophysicists, and they have agreed to take over the Moon Shadow campground after eclipse season so Ally’s family can adapt to civilization. Both Ally and Bree are repulsed by the idea of leaving their homes, and even more disgusted by the idea of change. The book ends with the three newfound friends watching the beautiful eclipse, where they can see what is probably the most beautiful view of that solar eclipse. (322/322)

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I am becoming a devoted fan of Wendy Mass. I loved Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life .Ever Soul a Star has quirky characters, a plot that unwinds at a satisfying pace, and a sense of wonder about life, just like Jeremy Fink. Ms. Mass is on my "Must Read" list of authors for my students.

Ally has grown up living in an isolated campground since she was four. She has a love for all things astronomy and cares very little for things that most teens her age would care about.

Bree is the stereotypical teenager. She characterizes herself and others according to popularity, and cannot

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imagine living a day without makeup and designer clothing.

Jack is a loner--he enjoys reading science fiction, drawing, and being alone. He failed his science class due to lack of caring, not lack of ability and would do anything to get out of having to go to summer school.

Ally, Bree and Jack's lives suddenly merge after a series of events that bring them to Ally's beloved campground. Bree learns that her parents are picking up everything and moving to the middle of nowhere to manage a campground where they can further their research. Ally learns that she is leaving the campground she loves so much because her parents want to give her and her brother a life of more opportunities. Jack learns that the only way out of summer school is to go on a trip to the campground where his teacher needs help with an astronomy project.

All three teens grow up and evolve in this book in a beautiful way. It is a simple and direct read without complicated characters to memorize. If you are looking for a nice book about growing up, you will love this one.

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Set at camp Moon Shadow, where people are gathering to see a total eclipse of the sun, three teenagers are brought together, Ally's family has run the camp and Bree's family is going to be taking over the camp, while Jack is there as his teacher needs help and promised to get him out of summer

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school. Unlikely friendships develop during the two weeks. A touching story where I picked up some astronomy knowledge.

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Every Soul A Star
* * * * 1/2
In this bustling three character novel, Every Soul a Star, three kids, Ally, Bree, and Jack, make their way through common teenager struggles, for example, popularity and changes in their lives such as moving away or parental struggles.

This book starts out with you

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meeting a girl named Ally, who lives on a campground called the Moon Shadow, which her parents own, in which eclipse chasers and stargazers go to. Basically it’s an astronomy camp. She has not seen the real world since she was born because the Moon Shadow is located deep in the wilderness and her parents moved there after she was born. Her only entertainment are chores and stargazing, until she finds out that she is moving, and another family is taking over the business.

One of the girls who live with that family is named Bree. Bree is a fashionable prom queen who just found out that she is moving away from her glamorous lifestyle in the city to the old campground. She is totally mortified because she had to leave her friends behind and by the look of the campground, which was old and dirty. I personally loved Brees character most of all because she was extremely mean to a point, she was ridiculous.

The two then meet a boy named Jack, who has come to the camp for an out-of-summer school acceptation trip with his teacher Mr. Silver to watch an eclipse.

Through the book a lot of things happen such as, Ally and Bree devise a plan to not move away or to move into the camp but that fails. The three also discover an exo-planet and watch a majestic eclipse.

I gave this book 4 and a half stars because of a lot of reasons. Here is some of the reasons why.When I started reading this book I thought it would be too long, with 330 pages, but it was very enjoyable. I just love when Wendy Mass writes about moral issues such as judging yourself and popularity. She shows judgment in the quote, “I’m here two hours and already I messed up”. “What if Pete had died because I couldn’t follow a simple instruction?” You can see that Jack always looks down at himself from just that quote, but Wendy Mass made it that it set up Jacks character and it shows the reader not to be judgmental of yourself. She also showed popularity in the quote, “See how my eyes look even bigger now? And big eyes are good? Why?” and “This girl is hopeless. They just are”, I tell her. “Who would want small eyes?” This made me think automatically of a diva that has a modeling career because Bree is so engrossed with her looks. This made me not want to listen to her from that point on because I do not like mean girls ruining a good story, but then she softened up and it turned out that I did like her.

I have very little criticisms. The only major one is, in my opinion, third perspective books are not my usual reading pattern. Long story short is that I don’t like them but that’s just my opinion. In this book it was especially true because each character had its own section in every chapter which made the book very long for me at some points. Sometimes there were some parts that weren’t even necessary such as the licorice case that the old lady in the pink sweat suit had. Although at some points, I loved the three section chapters, because Wendy Mass created overlapping stories. At the end of the stories, there were always cliffhangers, and I love the suspense of a good cliffhanger. In my opinion all of the information that was in each section, daily life and human struggles, could have all been put into a one perspective book, making Ally the main character. I say Ally, because I think she is most important because the story generally revolves around her campground and about her moving. Other than that, it was an amazing book, but now I have to wait for the next one just like it.

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Ally is bright, home-schooled, self-assured, and fascinated with astronomy. She lives with her family in a remote campground called Moon Shadow.

Bree is popular and beautiful. She’s definitely “A” list at her suburban school; and she knows exactly what she wants out of life.

Jack is artistic, a

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dreamer and a bit of loner. He attends the same school as Bree, but is definitely not on the “A” list. In fact, he just failed science.

Bree’s parents are scientists, Jack’s science teacher is a veteran eclipse chaser and tour director, and Ally’s family’s campground lies directly in the path of the upcoming total solar eclipse. The lives of Ally, Bree, and Jack are about to align as sure as surely as the moon and sun.

Written in the alternating first-person accounts of Ally, Jack, and Bree, Every Soul a Star recounts the confluence of life-changing events that bring the three teens together at Moon Shadow to view the total eclipse of the sun. While searching the skies for exoplanets and signs of life on other galaxies, the teens learn as much about themselves as they learn about the heavens.

Readers are lucky to occasionally find a book that truly ‘speaks’ to them. Wendy Mass’ book will speak to many teens – the popular, the artistic, the intelligent, the extroverted, the introverted, the analytic, and their many combinations. Every Soul a Star is a celebration of what makes each of us unique - and if we learn something about the cosmos in the process, so much the better!

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The lives of three young teenagers are changed when they view a solar eclipse. Bree, who cares only about being popular and her looks; Allie, pretty much Bree's opposite, lives in the middle of nowhere and couldn't care less about her appearance; and Jack, overweight, overlooked, with no self

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confidence. When they meet at an isolated campground and prepare to view the eclipse . . . they learn about more than astronomy, they learn that they have strengths, talents and interests that they never knew about.

This was such a joy to read! My 12-year-old daughter read this in 2 days and recommended it to me and I enjoyed it every bit as much as she said I would. My other daughter is reading it now and then we plan to go to the Griffith Observatory, as all of the information about the eclipse was so darn interested . . . but worked so well into the story that it doesn't feel like you're learning anything. Highly recommended to 5- 8 year olds.

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Loved this book ! You have to pay attention because each chapter changes perspectives of the story between 3 different characters. These 3 characters learn about themselves and each other while experiencing a rare total eclipse of the sun. Although it's a realistic book, it seems quite magical! :-)

A great book about accepting yourself and others. This book was very fun and a fast read. Detailed astronomy.

I spent the better part of yesterday with this book and loved it. Chapters and point of view alternate between Ally who loves her life at the Moon Shadow campground with her knowledge of nature and the stars, Jack who failed science so is coming to view the eclipse with his teacher in lieu of

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summer school and Bree who is so not into science and geekdom and so into her looks and belonging to the in group. They all grow in their awareness of their world and themselves in a story well told.

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Listening to audio edition - so far the narration for all three characters is excellent except for one tiny instance where a bit of dialogue slides slightly out of the already established vocal patterns. Still, I'm definitely enjoying it right now, although I haven't seen enough plot yet to cover 7

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full audio CDs and since I've previously thought some of Mass' titles dragged on, I'm a little worried about that here.

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This is one of my favorite books about changing your self into a whole new person and spending time with friends and workin hard to achieve your goals.

Very excellent story. Ending was perfect.

For a book that I thought suffered from a slow start, this one really came together by the end. I was fascinated by amount of character growth that occurred even if it did seem artificially fast growth at times. You really can learn about astronomy as well. I like that Wendy Mass didn't soften the

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hardship of the experience but instead focused on learning to deal with change and learning to grow from accepting it. I felt bad for Ally, smugly satisfied that Bree was thrown out of her superficial comfort zone, encouraged and tormented for Jack, but hopeful for every one of them. That's the sign of a great job at character development. When a reader is drawn to a character even though they are flawed and unfairly burdened in some cases.

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