The Same Stuff as Stars

The title of the book “The Same Stuff as Stars” by Katherine Paterson. The type of book is drama.

This story is set in contemporary Burlington, Vermont. Angel Morgan hated this place but it was better than some they'd lived in certainly better than foster care. I don't ever been to a place like that. I would not like because she describe the place quiet and dark.

The main character of the story is Angel Morgan with eleven-year old. She is very mature, noble, humble, honest, and hard-working. She is a great daughter, and she is very protective of her brother. She is a girl that likes to overcome. She liked learn about the stars, planets, and constellations. Angel is forced to grow up to soon for the abandons of her parents. I would like to be friend with Angel because she was very alone.

Her father, Wayne, was in prison for robbery and murder. Her mother, Verna, is immature, self-centered, and very unreliable. Her seven-year old brother, Bernie Elvis, is an undisciplined bundle of energy, and handful of trouble. Grandma, Wayne's mother, good woman and take care of the two children. Miss Liza, the librarian accompanies Angel all the time that she needed. Ray Morgan, “the star man,” Angel's uncle, teach her all about stars, planets, and constellations. Morris, the Social Worker. Eric, Miss Liza's nephew.

This story begins when Angel was at the sink when she heard the first yelp. She thought the couple in the other apartment was fighting. When the yelp turned into crying she knows it was coming from Bernie. He sat on the rug, and the flames were dancing up from worm cushion. Then she put the matches on the highest shelf. And they went out to wait for mama to come back. All Saturdays they went to visit Angel's father in the jail. Bernie hated to visit his father in the jail. Was August, when Verna decided she has had enough of prison visits, enough of children, enough of poverty, and enough of loneliness she hanged her hat on the next available man. The only catch is that she did not to be with children. Verna drives Angel and Bernie to their great-grandmother's house, and abandoned them. Angel, however, has experienced too many disappointments from Verna to trust her promises. First Verna did not pack a suitcase, second she did not make up her bed for the night, and third as soon as it was dark, she made a beeline for her truck disappearing down the driveway without so much as a "tootles". Angel was convinced when called the apartment only to discover the number had been disconnected.

In the middle of the story, Angel soon learned her grandmother, while a good woman, is hardly capable of caring for herself let alone two children. Once more Angel found herself in-charge. She also soon discovered her new home is quite old fashioned. As days turned into weeks then months, Angel learned to walk to town for groceries, cook on a single burner, provide heat with a wood stove, and feeder three on a social security check meant for one. She started across the yard toward the broken-down trailer. A mysterious stranger, Ray Morgan, Angel's uncle, Veteran of Vietnam, and she knew as “the star man,” who teacher Angel all about the stars, planets, and constellations. She discovered that “the star man” live on the broken-down trailer. In the nights Angel visited “the star man” to learn and to see thru the telescope. Angel decided to visit a small library in the village to find cookbooks and meet Miss Liza, the librarian, offer her another books, including one titled “Know the Stars.” Then Angel asked Miss Liza the question about the school, and for her surprise the school in the village was closed few years ago. Miss Liza looked on the phone book and wrote in a piece of paper the school telephone number that now is located in Chesterville. Angel also worked the system to register her brother and herself for school. In reference to her and Bernie last school records and health record too.

In the end of this story, one call of Vermont Hospital to the grandma's house that Angel got it, they were asking for grandma because Ray Morgan was in the hospital. Angel went to the hospital with Miss Liza. The next day he died; Angel was wearing a black dress to go to the funeral and grandma did not go. Nearly Thanksgiving's Day Bernie called from one hospital. Angel answered and he told her that he was in a hospital hurt and if she can pick him up. When Angel and Miss Liza went to ask for him by Morgan the volunteer on the Information Desk told her that there was two Morgan's, one in children and the other in the Intensive Care Unit was Verna. When they came back to the great-grandma's house she saw a star and she wished that all be happy together.

The theme of the story was the broken families, the abandonment, and the adult role models.

The character that I disliked is Bernie because he was an undisciplined child, he thinks he was big and he could do what ever he wants. The big problem in the story was the abandoned of their parents and it was solved because Verna changed his attitude and came back with the children. The only thing that didn't change was the bad form of thinks and acts of Wayne. I learned in this story that if you abandoned your sons it can affect the emotional health of them. And I liked it because finally Verna understood the responsibility to be a good mother.

Unfamiliar Words: