2013 Laura Ingalls Wilder AwardAngel Morgan needs help. Daddy is in jail, and Mama has abandoned her and her little brother, leaving them with their great-grandmother. Grandma is aged and poor, and doesnt make any attempt to care for the childrenthats left up to Angel, even though she is not yet twelve. The only bright spot in Angels existence is the Star Man, a mysterious stranger who appears on clear nights and teaches her all about the stars and planets and constellations. Were made out of the same stuff as the stars, he tells her.Eventually, Grandma warms to the children and the three begin to cobble together a makeshift family. Then events in Angels life take yet another downturn, and she must once again find a way to persevere.Katherine Patersons keen sensitivity and penetrating sense of drama bring us a moving story of throwaway children, reminding us of the incredible resilience of childhood and the unquenchable spirit that, in spite of loss, struggles to new beginnings.
