And the Stars Were Burning Brightly

Product Information

Then he started telling me that there was no point in having stars on the ceiling if they didn't look like the real thing, and he kept going on about all these names. Saying how there was some star named after this guy called Ryan, and how everything was shaped like his belt. The story weaves between Nate, who found his brother Al's body and Megan, Al's friend. We learn what Al's death means to his family and his peer group and how they deal with it. As is so often the case Nate cannot understand why his brother, a straight A student and a brilliant artist would choose to end his life. The search for the truth that follows is a difficult and often harrowing journey for them both. Danielle Jawanda expertly uses her own experiences as she shows us the ugly side of social media, the uncertainty of todays youth and the continual quest to fit in and not to be seen as different. The amazing author, Danielle Jawando was bullied at school and attempted suicide. She has written this book to pass on hope that things can get better and to stop the stigma surrounding mental health. This powerful, thought provoking story most definitely should be given to all children in High School as it shows you the severe consequences bullying can do to peoples lives and how “only banter” can leave people in a very dark place. You really shine a light on some of the pressures facing young people today, particularly bullying and the power of social media. What inspired you to write about this? When 15-year-old Nathan discovers that his older brother Al, has taken his own life, his whole world is torn apart. Al was special. Al was talented. Al had so many dreams ... so why did he do it? Convinced that his brother was in trouble, Nathan decides to retrace Al's footsteps. As he does, he meets Megan, Al's former classmate, who is as determined as Nathan to keep Al's memory alive. Together they start seeking answers, but will either of them be able to handle the truth about Al's death when they eventually discover what happened?

The dark side of social media and the internet play a crucial, devastating role in what leads to Al’s death and reminds us that those growing up in the digital age are experiencing a whole new way of bullying. In one way, And the Stars Were Burning Brightly is very easy to read. It’s written in digestible chapters and moves at a good pace. Yet, because of the subject matter, especially if you have also had suicidal thoughts, it can feel incredibly hard to revisit those feelings, even through someone else. This speaks to the quality of Jawando’s writing, which invokes the thought processes of someone with suicidal thoughts and how someone can appear fine from the outside but be in turmoil and pain on the inside.AND THE STARS WERE BURNING BRIGHTLY is the kind of book you do need a snapshot of insight into before you enter, in this case I do recommend reading the blurb. This is a story about suicide, grief, bullying and social media. It is powerful and painful, chilling and stunning. I think it’s a really important book and it’s 100% worth the emotional investment. And the Stars Were Burning Brightly is a tragically emotional story about a boy learning to cope after his older brother, Al, unexpectedly dies by suicide. It is set in the perspective of Nate, Al’s younger brother, and Megan, Al’s only friend.

A frightening book in some ways but obviously from the author’s experience realistic. It makes me glad I am not growing up in the current toxic environment. It was also important for me to have both Nate and Megan narrate the story, not just because of who they are, but because of their very different experiences of grief. Megan has already been through the grieving process, so we see her deal with Al’s death in a more positive way, whereas when we meet Nathan, he is consumed with guilt and anger. Megan’s voice is much more hopeful, so I think that they both provide a good balance when it comes to exploring the themes in the book. This will surely prove to be one of the most important books of the year. It certainly ought to be. I think it could be very helpful for someone in a tough spot to read and I think it’s a very emotional story.

The last time Nathan spoke with Al it was to argue. Thereafter, he cut his call when Al called begging for help. After all, he was on the swings, messing about Kyle. Sometimes Al was just too much hard work, and Nate needed to draw breath. The book also starts with a message from the author who explains that she was Al once and couldn't see a way out which makes the book all the more hard hitting. It is written from both Megan and Nates points of view with a short section at the start of each chapter from Al which really helps you to understand all the characters. Danielle Jawando begins And the Stars Were Burning Brightly by introducing us to Al Bryant, a 17-year-old boy who kills himself.

This debut by Danielle Jawando is harrowing and heart wrenching. A book that should be read by all young adults. Words are not always simply words. Banter is not always just banter. Words and banter can hurt. This book explores how teenagers feel forced to behave a certain way for fear of not fitting in and how social media means they feel they are never left alone! Very thought provoking. Performed by a cast of 13 to 19-year-old actors, Camden Youth Theatre’s And the Stars Were Burning Brightly combines dance, song, rap, digital media and traditional acting to explore the underlying themes of Danielle Jawando’s acclaimed YA novel. Nathan’s brother Al has committed suicide. There was no warning and the only note, if you can call it that, was a drawing of Al surrounded by ominous, threatening figures while he desperately cries for help. For Al was everything to those who knew him: a talented artist, an older brother, a kind friend and a fascinated star-gazer who could tell you any one of a million factoids about space and the universe.And The Stars Were Burning Brightly is ultimately a book about hope....and acceptance. Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishers and Danielle Jawando for allowing me to read and recommend this well written novel. Such a powerful and thought provoking tale told through the voices of Nate, Megan and Al which was a really good touch. The performers use rap and song effectively as alternative ways to deliver the narrative. Dance sequences are nicely used, notably in one scene where Al attempts to convince his online partner to meet in-person, the dialogue mixed with physical theatre as other actors form a circle around the object of his desire to prevent them from reaching each other. There is an avant-garde, surreal element to the choreography, which fits the feeling of the story. Al is excellently portrayed with apt body language and tonal inflections to create the sense of a smart, enthusiastic, but self-conscious and insecure young man who knows his passions could be easily ridiculed. The young actor playing Elijah also does a great job of bringing this hard-shelled, probably deeply wounded and yet undeniably horrible character to life. Buy from our bookstore and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books. *15% of eBooks. Home >