The Same Stuff as Stars; Katherine Paterson

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
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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:
• tow
• shivering
• shed
• nagging
• wheeze
• blurted
• sobs
• eaves
• muttered
• wrenched
• starry
• tossing
• slumped
• aproled
• slammed
• shrilled
• nephew
• whooshing
• shriveled
• dug
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