Starworld

Gr 9 Up—Zoe is a pretty, popular star of the high school stage; Sam is an artistic loner with only one friend to her name. Their paths would never have crossed except for a mistaken text message that opens the door to an unexpected friendship based in Starworld: a fantasy location they create, complete with adventures that take the teens out of the hidden pain of their daily lives. Zoe is surprised and grateful when Sam helps her see that it isn't necessary to be "perfect." Sam, on the other hand, isn't quite sure what to do when she falls in love with Zoe. Since Zoe is straight, readers know all along that this will lead to a painful outcome, and the tension grows along with the girls' friendship. Sam is funny, snarky, and potty-mouthed, and her character seems the better defined of the two. Even so, the story offers plenty of growth for both as the girls come to a new understanding of the challenges in their lives, and a realistic open ending without a neat tie-up adds greatly. Only their adventures in Starworld seem flat, but that's a small price to pay for a well-wrought story about the pitfalls and rewards of friendship.