As soon as one of my sixth grade book clubs finished The Boy in the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Rauf, they immediately took to the internet to find other books by the same author. When they found The Star Outside My Window, they begged me to order it right away!
Student Thoughts:
We read this book in less than a week because we just couldn’t stop reading! Onjali Q Rauf is our favorite author because she tackles very difficult issues in a way that kids can understand and relate to. The Star Outside My Window is about a girl named Aniyah whose mother becomes a victim of domestic violence.
Farrah: It’s amazing how Onjali Q Rauf writes about tough topics in a kid friendly way. She uses the craft of humor to make these issues less scary to talk about.
Alyssa: My heart ached for Aniyah. She was facing so many pressures from dealing with the loss of her mother and father, navigating a foster home, and trying to get to London to name her mother’s star. Her bravery allowed her to persevere.
Skylar: I love how the star was a symbol of her mom. I will never look at stars in the sky the same way after reading this book. After Aniyah’s mom dies she says,
I’ve got to try and find the brightest, newest star there is, because that one will be Mum’s. I’ll know it’s hers when I see it, because Mum had the biggest, brightest heart out of anyone I ever knew. And people with the biggest, brightest hearts never end up in the ground. They end up in the sky.“
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a book that deals with heartbreak and love, hope and determination then this is the perfect book! Onjali Q Rauf’s creative writing style has truly captured the hearts of my students. <3
