
Connect the Stars
Ginger says: One of two middle grade novels that de los Santos wrote with her husband David Teague. This is my favorite of the two, though Saving Lucas Biggs is also wonderful. Thirteen-year old Audrey can tell when people are lying—her friends at school, but also, awkwardly, people like grandmothers. This makes relationships tricky, so she pulls away from others until she meets Aaron at wilderness camp. Aaron has quirks of his own. Perhaps predictably for two outsiders, Audrey and Aaron become friends between hikes and trust exercises. When a fellow camper goes missing, they, along with their other winningly precocious (but not annoying) campmates band together. The poetry tucked in adds warmth and richness, making this a standout in the middle grade genre and in Marisa de los Santos’s oeuvre.
Acclaimed author duo Marisa de los Santos and David Tague return with a heartwarming middle grade adventure about two misfits discovering the importance of just being themselves, perfect for fans of Counting By 7’s and Hello Universe.
When thirteen-year-olds Aaron and Audrey meet at a wilderness camp in the desert, they think their quirks are enough to prevent them from ever having friends. But as they trek through the challenging and unforgiving landscape, they learn that they each have what it takes to make the other whole.
Luminous and clever, Connect the Stars takes on some hefty topics of the day—bullying, understanding where you fit in, and learning to live with physical and mental challenges—all in a joyous adventure kids will love!










