Title: Stargazing
Author: Jen Wang
Reviewed by: Michaelene Malan
Jen Wang’s Stargazing tells the story of two girls—Christine and Moon Lin. When Moon moves in next door to Christine, Christine is skeptical that they can become friends. They’re so different. Moon is outgoing and adventurous and enjoys dancing. She also sees visions of celestial beings in the stars. To Christine’s surprise, they become the best of friends, and it isn’t long before Christine is dancing, too. But when Christine makes a mistake, it keeps her apart from Moon when Moon needs her the most. Can Christine be the friend she wants to be for Moon?
This graphic novel offers a vibrant portrayal of friendship and being your own you. Wang also loosely based the story on her own childhood experiences with a medical scare as well as her experience of identity in the Chinese American community, the latter something that’s explored in both Christine and Moon Lin’s storyline. This adorable novel has moments of awkwardness and joy as Christine and Moon become friends, as well as a bit of sadness and uncertainty, too, when Moon’s visions turn out to be something else altogether.
Ultimately, though, Stargazing is a hope-filled and heartfelt tale with beautifully drawn illustrations that lend to an intimate-feeling novel. Readers will find Christine and Moon Lin’s journey very engaging with a relatable look into growing up and discovering your own innate coolness.
Stargazing is a Children’s Sequoyah Masterlist 2021 title, and it’s available at the library in hardback as well as digitally on the Oklahoma Virtual Library.
