Written by Sharon M. Draper

Stella lives with her parents and her little brother, Jojo, in a segregated North Carolina town in the early 1930’s. Her home is filled with love and, other than struggling to write, she is happy with her life of chores and school. One night everything changes as Stella and Jojo see a burning cross surrounded by KKK members across the pond from their house. Her family and neighborhood are no longer safe when her father tries to register to vote, but love and community prove to be a stronger force than hate. This story is a beautiful tribute to Sharon Draper’s grandmother who had the courage to keep writing by starlight after she was forced to stop going to school to help on her family farm.