Book: The Star That Always Stays (2022)
Author: Anna Rose Johnson
Genre: MG, Historical (1910s)
Publisher: Holiday House
Opening lines from the book …
“Pa promised he wouldn’t sail in shipwreck season anymore.” The wind swallowed up Norvia Nelson’s words, and she wasn’t even sure if her older brothers had heard her. Only one question had circled the house for days: When would Pa come home?
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…
1) Norvia is such a sympathetic character. I was rooting for her the whole time. She’s navigating losing a father to divorce and having to settle down with a new stepfamily. (And I like that the stepfamily members don’t turn out to be evil!)
2) The book takes a look at what it was like for families living through divorce at the turn of the previous century. It was not considered something “nice families” did. And yet, our protagonist has to live with it. I love how her stepfather (particularly) keeps his head high and shows her the high road.
3) I particularly felt for our poor girl at the party she organizes. Oh, the meanness of the other girls at her school! (I was surprised they actually came. But that’s as much as I will spoil.)
4) Love the little sister, Dicta. She’s such a chatterbox.
5) As someone who loves the writings of L.M. Montgomery and Maud Hart Lovelace, I really enjoyed reading a book written in their style. I’ve always loved the Edwardian era, so that was right up my alley as well. It’s definitely slower-paced but worth the read.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Definitely, this book is for fans of Anne of Green Gables and the Betsy-Tacy books. Oh, and Little Women. Highly recommended.
YOUR TURN…
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…
Of Maria Antonia 
It would be interesting to read about divorce affected kids in the 1910s. I don’t think there are too many books about this subject. Thanks for sharing this book this week. I’ll keep an eye out for it.
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No, I think this is the first I’ve read (set in that era).
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This novel sounds so realistic and with believable characters and themes. Think I would enjoy reading this book for myself. Will look for it. Thank you for you lovely review!
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Yes, it’s lovely!
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The style was particularly engaging for those of us who lived and breathed Anne, but it’s done well with my students as well.
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I find that very interesting that it’s doing well with your students. I love that!
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This book is in my TBR stack from the library!
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I hope you enjoy it!
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It’s a very interesting setting for the story, and I felt for poor Norvia! I really liked Anne of Green Gables (other books in the series not so much) and I think this sounds a good read. Thanks for sharing!
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It’s very much akin to Anne!
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I haven’t read this one yet but using the all too common divorce theme in a different era sounds like it works splendidly. The main character and her family situation has me anxious to read this one soon. Thanks for telling us about it on this week’s MMGM.
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Yes, I found that very interesting.
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I love this era. Sounds like a book for my TBR pile
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I think you will!
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This book is at the very top of my TBR list, and I will be hunting down a copy. It sounds like the kind of book I love. Maud Hart Lovelace and L. M. Montgomery are two of my favorite writers. Thanks for your review.
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†hanks for the thoughtful review. I’m an historical fiction fan so I’m glad to see Holiday House publish a new one.
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I love historical! I wish there were more historical being published…
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Me too!! Thanks for highlighting this book and publisher. I saved it!
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