Returning author and educator Brian L. Tucker invites readers back into the emotional landscape of adolescence with his newest young adult novel, Star Crowley Goes to High School — a story that captures the awkward, uncertain and often transformative journey of starting over.
Star Crowley has a plan: This year will be different.
After a middle school experience she would rather forget, Star enters Idyll High determined to rewrite her story. Her goals are simple but meaningful — stay out of trouble, make at least one friend and maybe, just maybe, figure out who she is supposed to be. Remarkably, she checks off one of those goals in the very first week: a friend. It feels like everything might finally fall into place.
But high school has other plans.
When Star encounters one of the most puzzling and unsettling teachers she has ever met, her confidence begins to crack. His behavior leaves her confused and shaken, threatening to pull her back into the same patterns she worked so hard to leave behind. As self-doubt creeps in, Star fears she is destined to repeat her past mistakes.
This time, however, something is different.
She is not alone.
With the steady presence of a new friend, Star begins to navigate the challenges of high school, learning that growth is not about perfection, but perseverance, and that even in the messiest moments, connection can make all the difference.
Blending humor, authenticity and emotional depth, Star Crowley Goes to High School speaks to students, educators and anyone who remembers what it felt like to start over. Tucker’s experience in the classroom shines through, offering readers a story that feels both real and reassuring.