A Galaxy of Sea Stars by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo (review)

Eleven-year-old Izzy’s life is falling apart. Her father struggles with PTSD from his time in Afghanistan, her mother hasn’t returned from her summer job, and she’s certain middle school will change her relationship with her best friends, Zelda and Piper. Then she comes home to find that her father has moved his former Afghan translator into the apartment upstairs, and she is expected to help his daughter, Sitara, settle in at school. Izzy doesn’t understand why Sitara insists on wearing her hijab when the other kids tease her, and things only get worse when Zelda becomes one of Sitara’s leading bullies. Emotions are at fever pitch throughout, and Izzy is relatable in her inability to process what’s going on. However, the large cast of characters and oversupply of colorful details, such as excessively thorough descriptions of Izzy’s pond-sounding hobby, bog down what is an otherwise enjoyable story. Where the book shines, however, is in its discussions of loyalty and setting healthy boundaries. Izzy struggles with Zelda’s cruel behavior but believes she must tolerate it or be abandoned. Meanwhile, she feels guilty that she has more in common with bookish Sitara than with her lifelong friends. Ferruolo is wise to leave Izzy’s future in an uncertain but optimistic place, and the last two pages offer redemption for one of her former besties. Readers on the cusp of their own middle school journey are sure to find companionship in Izzy and courage in the changes she makes.