A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord

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Scholastic Inc., 2017

• 5 Word Booktalk:  Blueberries, Star Friendships, Dog surgery, Beauty Pageant
• Themes: Friendship, Acceptance, Community, Family, Identity
• Summary:
  When Lily's blind dog, Lucky, slips his collar and runs away across the wide-open blueberry barrens of eastern Maine, it's Salma Santiago who manages to catch him. Salma, the daughter of migrant workers, is in the small town with her family for the blueberry-picking season. After their initial chance meeting, Salma and Lily bond over painting bee boxes for Lily's grandfather, and Salma's friendship transforms Lily's summer. But when Salma decides to run in the upcoming Blueberry Queen pageant, they'll have to face some tough truths about friendship and belonging. Should an outsider like Salma really participate in the pageant -- and possibly win?
• Discussion/Activities:
  • The community identity is built around their unique industry of growing and harvesting blueberries.  What do you think our community identity is built around?
  • Lily and Salma develop a friendship even though they have very different life experience.  What do you think bonds them?
  • Lily and Salma prove they are experts in blueberries.  What is something you consider yourself an expert of?