Literature Letter: To Jerry Spinelli

Dear Jerry Spinelli,


Your remarkable book Stargirl forever changed the way I will look at the world around me. When I was in fifth grade, as a class, we read and studied this book. I enjoyed if very much, listening to the voice and enthusiasm of each character. It wasn’t until this year that I came to a realization of what an impact this one book had made on my stance of life. Stargirl’s behavior and example helped me beyond measure to find and know who I was, and all the bliss I was missing out on. As I looked back at who I was before, I was amazed to see how much an impact this one book had on me that I had never taken the time to be aware of. This is how my story goes.

I grew up in a home where self-esteem mattered, but I could never relate. In my earlier years of growing up, I felt out of place and like an outcast around other people and other friends. I had many great friends, but I never felt like I could fit in correctly. My family is a great wholesome family, I just could never look at myself and see the true me, I couldn’t abide to even looking at myself in the mirror, and by fifth grade my self-esteem was below zero. I could not find one good characteristic about myself that I could voice or even think. I was a big dark cloud of misery and I went into a serious depression stage. Because I didn’t know who I was, I started to evolve as someone new. I became mean and very cocky; I tried to hard to be in the popular clique, I stopped caring about school and my school work, along with acting as if I was too good for everyone else. My world was a big down hill roller coaster, and I could never figure out why nothing ever went my way.

By the middle of eighth grade I was a total mess; I developed habits of severe eating disorders, I started cutting myself, and I would do things that weren’t part of a good healthy diet. I was running away from me; something I could never end up conquering. And let me tell you Jerry Spinelli, I thought I was happy.

In the summer of eighth grade I came across your book Stargirl again. I decided to reread it because I remembered how much I adored it back in fifth grade. As I reread it I can remember paying particular attention to how Stargirl had acted, since her happiness was what I was searching for. I finished the book within two days and set it back in my bookshelf just as every other book. A few days later I put a lot of thought into the matter, and I then realized who I needed to become, me. Over the summer period I had changed drastically. I got out of every single bad habit that I had endured previously all on my own. I started to realize that I was of worth and that I had so many qualities that I never even tried to distinguish. I altered my thinking habits, and eventually saw the real me. I started making friends so much easier and I gained a good bunch of excellent examples. It wasn’t till this year that I recognized how I was able to make this drastic transformation. Just simply reading of a girl who liked herself enough to not care if she stood out, changed my life forever. She didn’t care what other people thought of her, all she cared about was that she was herself, and I too can now proudly say that I am myself and I know who I am. I cannot but only imagine where I would be at this time if I had not come across your book. Stargirl is still present in my mind and hopefully will always exist. Your character taught me to find my one and true spirit, and to not act as anyone else but me. Stargirl, though fictional, helped me defeat the terrible battle I was trying to conquer against myself. I ended up learning a great life’s lesson that will never depart my mind. And I now know and can tell you what true happiness is. Jerry Spinelli, thank you for helping me become who I was always destined to be.

Sincerely,

Tori Fairchild