Stella By Starlight was phenomenal, poignant and inspirational. Told through the eyes of twelve year old Stella in 1932, after witnessing the Ku Klux Klan burning a sacrificial crucifix in the middle of the night. Stella lives in a world of segregation, where one day she dreams of a world where everyone is equal, regardless of colour. Slavery may have ended, but the community of Bumblebee will never be free. Living in fear of being the next victims of the Klan, Stella's own father is determined to make a stand, if not for himself, but for his children to find strength in his own actions. He enrolls to vote.
'For once in my life, I must be a man,' Papa replied. 'I'd like to think I am standing up, along with Mr. Spencer and Pastor Patton, standing up for all of us. If I don't stand up, I feel like I'm crouching low. And I ain't gonna feel low no more.'Throughout the storyline, Stella begins to share her inner thoughts in the form of short stories. She's a strong willed girl living in a time of prejudice and injustice, but shares the underlying message of hope. I loved her fiercely, wavering between wanting to protect her against the cruel history of segregation and championing her to spread her wings. As the saying goes, It takes a village to raise a child, no truer word has been spoken about the Bumblebee community. They band together through the threats of the Klan, a devastating house fire and a child beating. It's confronting, uncomfortable and incredibly emotional. But a story that needs to be told.
But beneath the brutality, lies a beautiful story about family, hope and the spirit of a community that won't be broken.
Nearly the entire negro population of Bumblebee stood in the street, quietly waiting while the three men voted.This isn't just another middle grade novel, it's an experience.