A Handful of Stars
by Cynthia Lord
Realistic Fiction
Review #1
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
I loved this book because it shows that there can be hope in hard times. Lily’s blind dog, Lucky, runs away from her. Lucky is topped by a girl who is a migrant worker in the blueberry barrens, named Salma Santiago. Migrant families travel to Maine to pick berries. Lily and Salma become fast friends by painting mason bee houses to raise money for an operation for Lucky’s eyes. Salma decides to go in the Blueberry Queen pageant to help pay for Lucky’s eyes, but no migrant worker has ever entered the pageant. Salma is strong-willed and tries to win 1st in the pageant. This book was really good because even though Lucky was losing his eyesight, Salma and Lily got hope by painting bee houses and going into the pageant.
