People Like Stars by Patrice Lawrence

Three ordinary teens with an extraordinary story – People Like Stars explores telling the truth, forming relationships and understanding what makes us who we are. As each teen tells their story, readers are challenged to think about how individuals are connected and how much our actions impact others.

Aryton, Stanley and Senna take turns to narrate from their own point of view. As their stories alternate throughout the book, readers are left wanting to know more about each character and their unique challenges. Gradually, their stories become so intertwined that they must come together to find a resolution.

When Aryton was a baby, he was stolen while his mother was distracted in a shop. This terrible incident has haunted his mother ever since, causing her to be incredibly protective and extremely anxious. One brief incident changed their life forever. Stanley doesn’t know that his “forbidden grandmother”, estranged from the family and who his mother refuses to talk about, is the woman who took Aryton. Meanwhile, Senna and her mother are lodging with Vixen, a famous artist, who might be Stanley’s grandmother and the woman Aryton fears. Having been close to homelessness so many times, Senna and her mother tiptoe around Vixen until she changes their lives in the most surprising way.

After he and his mum move back to Luxworth, Aryton ends up in Stanley’s year at school. Overhearing Stanley and his twin brother Oliver talking about their grandmother, Aryton makes the startling connection. Together they begin to research who she is and what happened in the days following the abduction. They’re both desperate to know more while not wanting to upset their mothers. Their gentle investigation reveals fascinating details about this incredible artist while drawing the boys closer in friendship – something Aryton has never known.

Short chapters alternating between the three points of view keep this engaging story quickly moving along. I was soon swept up in their personal worries and how they came to realise just how much they needed each other. The adult struggles in this story are heartbreaking. The three teens help readers to understand that adults don’t always have everything figured out and sometimes they need help too.

Thank you to Scholastic for a copy of this gripping book.

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