The Stars and the Blackness Between Them — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
Told in two distinct and irresistible voices, Junauda Petrus's bold and lyrical debut is the story of two black girls from very different backgrounds finding love and happiness in a world that seems determined to deny them both.
Port of Spain, Trinidad. Sixteen-year-old Audre is despondent, having just found out she's going to be sent to live in America with her father because her strictly religious mother caught her with her secret girlfriend, the pastor's daughter. Audre's grandmother Queenie (a former dancer who drives a white convertible Cadillac and who has a few secrets of her own) tries to reassure her granddaughter that she won't lose her roots, not even in some place called Minneapolis. "America have dey spirits too, believe me," she tells Audre.
Minneapolis, USA. Sixteen-year-old Mabel is lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure out why she feels the way she feels--about her ex Terrell, about her girl Jada and that moment they had in the woods, and about the vague feeling of illness that's plagued her all summer. Mabel's reverie is cut short when her father announces that his best friend and his just-arrived-from-Trinidad daughter are coming for dinner.
Mabel quickly falls hard for Audre and is determined to take care of her as she tries to navigate an American high school. But their romance takes a turn when test results reveal exactly why Mabel has been feeling low-key sick all summer and suddenly it's Audre who is caring for Mabel as she faces a deeply uncertain future.
Junauda Petrus's debut brilliantly captures the distinctly lush and lyrical voices of Mabel and Audre as they conjure a love that is stronger than hatred, prison, and death and as vast as the blackness between the stars.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Stars and the Blackness Between Them appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The narrative includes themes of facing death, as Mabel deals with serious health issues, which creates a backdrop of emotional intensity and potential loss. The story portrays the impact of these experiences on the characters' lives. No elements of scary content were identified in the search results.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have violence?
The narrative includes themes of facing death, as Mabel deals with serious health issues, which creates a backdrop of emotional intensity and potential loss. The story portrays the impact of these experiences on the characters' lives.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have scary content?
No elements of scary content were identified in the search results.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have religious themes?
Audre finds religion through Neri, the pastor's granddaughter, which causes tension with her religious mother. The story incorporates themes of spirituality and mortality, reflecting on how these elements impact the characters' lives.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have racial/cultural content?
The book features Black characters and addresses their experiences, including themes of identity and societal challenges. It highlights the intersectionality of race and sexuality, focusing on the lives of two Black girls.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have profanity?
No instances of profanity were detected in the search results related to the book's content.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have climate change?
No climate-related themes were identified in the search results.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have sexual identity?
The book features a romantic relationship between the two main characters, Audre and Mabel, exploring their intimate feelings and experiences as they navigate their sexuality. The narrative addresses the challenges they face due to their sexual identities.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have gender roles?
The story presents modern feminist themes through the characters' struggles for agency and empowerment in a world that often denies them. It explores their identities as young women navigating love and societal expectations.
Does The Stars and the Blackness Between Them have lgbtq+ themes?
The story centers on two Black teenage girls, Audre and Mabel, exploring their identities and romantic connections as lesbians. The narrative addresses their struggles with family acceptance and self-discovery, framing LGBTQ+ experiences as central to the characters' journeys.
