Spirals and Stars - by Kate Gordon Gordon (Paperback)

About the Book

Set in the 90s, Spirals and Stars is a timeless story of friendship loss and gain, finding your place in the world, and breaking free from expectations. Set on a backdrop of small town life, nerd culture and the big life moments that many young people experience, Spirals and Stars features a diverse cast, a found family, a protagonist on the cusp of self-discovery, and a wealth of 90s era fun.

Book Synopsis

Its 1993. Beth McMaugh is eleven years old and about to start her final year of middle school. Her best friend since kindergarten is Ashlee, but Ashlee is changing. She wears surf brand clothes now, and watches teenage TV and knows all the words to all the songs by Girlfriend and Peter Andre. Beth is terrified of losing her when they get to senior school, but Ashlee assures her that grade six is going to be the best year ever.
On the first day, though, Beth enters her new homeroom to find Ashlee sitting with Kristy, Abbi and Nikki – the popular girls. The mean girls. What is Beth going to do? Ashlee cant really want to be one of them. They must have trapped her into being part of their group, through some sort of heinous bribery. Beth has to save Ashlee, but how?
Further complicating matters, there is a new kid in class – a strange, loud, smart kid from Brisbane, called Jools, who listens to Queen and is obsessed with science fiction and all things nerdy. So obsessed that, on her first day at her new school, she starts the Cooee Middle School Nerd Club and she wants Beth to be her first member – despite the fact that Beth has never even seen Star Wars! Behind all of this – behind everything – is a secret from Beths past, a secret so terrible it stays with her, every day, whispering in her ear: Wash your hands.
Behind everything is that day at the beach, when Kristy saw her in her worst moment. Is that why Ashlee doesnt want to be friends with Beth anymore? Is that why her mother doesnt want to be near her? Has Beth ruined everything? And if she has, can a nerdy girl with mismatched socks, a rebellious punk, a popular boy and a science fiction movie trilogy set it all to right?
Real Friends, by Shannon Hale, meets Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, meets The Friendship Matchmaker, by Randa Abdel Fattah, this is a story of growing up, of friendship, of finding your tribe and unlocking your hidden talents ... plus Star Wars.

Review Quotes

" An honest book about a situation that is all to
common, particularly in schools"
-Magpie's Magazine

"A coming
of age story set in the 90s?!! Yes please!

I love this bridge between middle grade and young YA - this is a great read,
introducing young readers to diversity and acceptance- of being yourself and
that awkward stage of growing up. Friendship dynamics, sleepovers and school
experiences plus topics such as parents mental health ( in a kid friendly way
"adults have hard times too")
-Kat_Bookworm (Instagram)

"A heartfelt must-read story for any
kid who has felt "othered" in their life, with the hope that they find support
and community."

-School Library Journal