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Quick answer: If you loved Stargirl, read Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee and Loser, then Wonder, Hoot, Holes, Eleanor & Park, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Outsiders. All are novels about outsiders and the cost of being yourself.
Jerry Spinelli's 2000 novel follows Leo Borlock, a high-school student who falls for the eccentric new girl Stargirl Caraway, who dresses oddly, plays the ukulele and cheers for both teams. The school first adores her, then shuns her. The books below offer similar coming-of-age tales of nonconformity.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maniac Magee | Jerry Spinelli | 9-13 | belonging |
| Loser | Jerry Spinelli | Ages 9-13 | underdog |
| Milkweed | Jerry Spinelli | Ages 11+ | child in the ghetto |
| Wonder | R. J. Palacio | Ages 8-12 | kindness |
| Hoot | Carl Hiaasen | 10-14 | humour and nature |
| Holes | Louis Sachar | Ages 9-13 | mystery and humour |
| Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell | 14 and up | slow-burn love |
| The Perks of Being a Wallflower | Stephen Chbosky | 14 and up | letter-format stories |
| The Outsiders | S. E. Hinton | Teen | gang life |
| Speak | Laurie Halse Anderson | 14 and up | serious topics |
| Paper Towns | John Green | 13+ | mystery and road trips |
| Looking for Alaska | John Green | 14 and up | first love and loss |
| Ungifted | Gordon Korman | Ages 9-13 | school comedy |
| The Catcher in the Rye | J. D. Salinger | Adult | teen alienation |
| Fangirl | Rainbow Rowell | Teen | college romance |
1. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
An orphan runs through a divided town and breaks barriers. Funny, kind and thoughtful.
Best for: belonging.
2. Loser by Jerry Spinelli
A boy is mocked but keeps trying. Warm and honest.
Best for: underdog.
3. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
An orphan boy lives on the streets of Warsaw. Haunting and short.
Best for: child in the ghetto.
4. Wonder by R. J. Palacio
A boy with a facial difference starts school. A modern classic.
Best for: kindness.
5. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
A boy in Florida meets a runaway and tries to save burrowing owls. Funny and full of local color.
Best for: humour and nature.
6. Holes by Louis Sachar
A boy is sent to a camp where he must dig holes. Clever and moving.
Best for: mystery and humour.
7. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits fall in love on a bus in 1986. Tender and painful.
Best for: slow-burn love.
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Charlie writes letters about high school, friends and secrets. A moving coming-of-age classic.
Best for: letter-format stories.
9. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Greasers and Socs clash in Oklahoma. A classic of teen fiction.
Best for: gang life.
10. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
After being assaulted, Melinda stops speaking at school. A short, honest novel about trauma and finding a voice.
Best for: serious topics.
11. Paper Towns by John Green
Quentin follows clues left by his neighbor Margo before she disappears. A road-trip mystery with heart.
Best for: mystery and road trips.
12. Looking for Alaska by John Green
A boy at boarding school falls for a wild girl, then faces loss. Funny, sad and sharp.
Best for: first love and loss.
13. Ungifted by Gordon Korman
A mistake sends an average kid to a gifted school. Warm, funny and surprising.
Best for: school comedy.
14. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Holden Caulfield wanders New York after leaving school. A classic of youthful disaffection.
Best for: teen alienation.
15. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
A shy writer starts university and slowly opens up. Warm and bookish.
Best for: college romance.
How to Choose
For more Spinelli begin with Maniac Magee or Loser. For other outsiders choose Wonder, The Outsiders or Speak. For quirky romance pick Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Paper Towns. For humour and heart read Hoot or Holes. Stargirl is gentle and quick, so these picks suit teens and adults. Stargirl was adapted into a 2020 Disney+ film, and Spinelli wrote a sequel called Love, Stargirl. The novel is often read in middle-school classrooms.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Stargirl about?
A quirky girl who changes a conformist school.
Who wrote it?
Jerry Spinelli.
When was it published?
2000.
Is there a sequel?
Yes, Love, Stargirl.
Is there a film?
Yes, a 2020 Disney+ film.
What age is it for?
Roughly ages 11 to 15.
Is it a romance?
It has a romantic thread.
What should I read next?
Try Maniac Magee or Wonder.
Which book here is best for kindness?
Try Wonder by R. J. Palacio, which suits readers looking for kindness.
Which book here is best for slow-burn love?
Try Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, which suits readers looking for slow-burn love.
Which book here is best for serious topics?
Try Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, which suits readers looking for serious topics.
Which book here is best for school comedy?
Try Ungifted by Gordon Korman, which suits readers looking for school comedy.
Which book here is best for underdog?
Try Loser by Jerry Spinelli, which suits readers looking for underdog.
Which book here is best for humour and nature?
Try Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, which suits readers looking for humour and nature.
Which book here is best for letter-format stories?
Try The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, which suits readers looking for letter-format stories.
Which book here is best for mystery and road trips?
Try Paper Towns by John Green, which suits readers looking for mystery and road trips.