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The Stars Beneath Our Feet Paperback – January 8, 2019
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A boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity.
** WINNER OF THE CORETTA SCOTT KING–JOHN STEPTOE AWARD FOR NEW TALENT! **
SIX STARRED REVIEWS!
It’s Christmas Eve in Harlem, but twelve-year-old Lolly Rachpaul and his mom aren’t celebrating. They’re still reeling from his older brother’s death in a gang-related shooting just a few months earlier. Then Lolly’s mother’s girlfriend brings him a gift that will change everything: two enormous bags filled with Legos. Lolly’s always loved Legos, and he prides himself on following the kit instructions exactly. Now, faced with a pile of building blocks and no instructions, Lolly must find his own way forward.
His path isn’t clear—and the pressure to join a “crew,” as his brother did, is always there. When Lolly and his friend are beaten up and robbed, joining a crew almost seems like the safe choice. But building a fantastical Lego city at the community center provides Lolly with an escape—and an unexpected bridge back to the world.
David Barclay Moore paints a powerful portrait of a boy teetering on the edge—of adolescence, of grief, of violence—and shows how Lolly’s inventive spirit helps him build a life with firm foundations and open doors.
MORE PRAISE FOR THE STARS BENEATH OUR FEET:
A New York Times Notable Book
A Time Top 10 Children's Books of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Children's Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of the Year
A Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of the Year
An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick
An ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book
“A fast and furious read in which we meet some amazing people, people that stay with us. David Barclay Moore is an exciting new voice. We definitely haven’t heard the last of his brilliance.” —Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning of Brown Girl Dreaming
“The Stars Beneath Our Feet is about the weight of the world on the back of a child, and the creative tools necessary to alleviate that pressure. I found myself rooting for Lolly, and you will too.” —Jason Reynolds, Coretta Scott King Honor Award Winner for As Brave As You
- Print length304 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level5 - 6
- Lexile measure650L
- Dimensions5.19 x 0.77 x 7.56 inches
- PublisherYearling
- Publication dateJanuary 8, 2019
- ISBN-101524701270
- ISBN-13978-1524701277
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Editorial Reviews
Review
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year
A YALSA Quick Pick
An ALA Notable Book
"Moore tells Lolly’s story of survival with the right mix of humor and hope to balance violence, fear, denial and deprivation. That’s a tall order. To succeed is a celebration. The power of adults as influencers and confidants, nurturing by words, deeds and acts of kindness large and small, fuels every page of this novel. It’s a book in which art is celebrated, being different is an act of resistance, and acceptance, not resignation, is the answer." —The New York Times
"This well-honed debut novel paints a vivid picture of Lolly and the choices that he must make, but beyond that, it introduces a cast of memorable, fully realized characters, each of whom will stay with readers long beyond the closing page." —School Library Journal, starred review
"Readers will marvel at the grandeur of what Lolly and Rose are able to build and learn together and will find comfort in the intimacy of Lolly’s introspective narration." —Bulletin, starred review
"A debut that serves as a powerful instructive for writing from and reading the intersections—125th Street-size intersections for all readers to enjoy." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Debut author Moore delivers a realistic and at times brutal portrait of life for young people of color who are living on the edge of poverty. At the same time, Moore infuses the story with hope and aspiration, giving Lolly the chance to find salvation through creativity." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Moore’s work with the Harlem Children’s Zone and Quality Services for the Autism Community serve him well in creating this debut, slice-of-life narrative with an authentic adolescent voice and strong adult supports, all of whom are true to their urban world." —VOYA, starred review
"Magnificent." —Shelf Awareness, starred review
"Realistic problems and vivid depictions of family and city life make this middle-grade debut stand out." —Booklist
About the Author
David was born and raised in Missouri. After studying creative writing at Iowa State University, film at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and language studies at l’Université de Montpellier in France, David moved to New York City, where he has worked in film, journalism, and communications.
David now divides his time between Brooklyn, NY; Los Angeles, CA; and St. Louis, MO.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
1
What I couldn’t get out of my skull was the thought of their rough, grimy hands all over my clean sneaks. What I couldn’t get out of my heart was this joy-grabbing stone I felt there. Partly because of these two thugs trailing me now, but more because I knew Jermaine wouldn’t be here to protect my neck this time.
He would never, ever be coming home.
My daddy, Benny Rachpaul, had bought me these sneakers when I turned twelve over the summer. I wasn’t about to let two older boys strolling down 125th Street snatch them off me.
Besides me being humiliated by it, my mother would whup my butt if she knew I had let some dudes swipe my shoes. And then, when he found out, Daddy Rachpaul would drive over and whup me again.
I flipped up the collar of my blue parka and continued down 125th Street, but rushed my step a little bit more. I heard the two boys following me quicken their pace. Their footsteps behind me crunched on the ice that much faster. My heart was beating faster too.
The streets around me were cheery, though. Harlem’s main street was laid out tonight with bright lights, and Christmas tunes played constant on loudspeakers. I guess to put you more in the Christmas spirit.
But for me, there was nothing, and I mean nothing, that would ever make me feel Christmassy again. I was through with it.
Done.
Done with all of the Christmas music, wreaths, ornaments and happy holiday shoppers. I had decided weeks ago that I would never be happy again.
Because it wasn’t fair.
Wasn’t fair to get robbed of somebody I thought would be there for the rest of my life. Someone who was supposed to spend this Christmas with me, plus lots more Christmases!
It also wasn’t fair that I couldn’t even walk down 125th Street without being harassed. Rushing along down the sidewalk, I glanced up at all the men who were passing. All of them older and most of them Black like me. I was the youngest one out here and one of the few who felt scared to walk down this street.
For us young brothers, taking a stroll down here, even on Christmas Eve, was not relaxing at all. I felt like I had put my life on the line, straight up.
All of these old dudes lived in a different world from me.
I crossed the street and dipped into a gift shop on the corner. Grinning wide smiles, my two “buddies” waited for me outside, one of them sitting down on a fire hydrant and wiggling his fingers at me like I was a little infant in a stroller.
I sucked my teeth and turned toward the salesclerk.
“Happy holidays, my young man,” the clerk said. “Help you find something?” For a minute, his eyes peeped outside at the two boys waiting. He frowned at them.
I watched them leave and sighed with relief. The clerk cocked his bald head to one side.
“I need a excellent Christmas gift,” I said. “One for my mother, and another one for her, um, friend. And for my father. But I don’t have much money.”
“Last-minute shoppers,” he said, smiling at me. “Come on. We’ll get you straightened up. You’re lucky we’re open this late on Christmas Eve--125th Street is shutting down.”
###
125th is a big street that runs from the East River on the east side of Manhattan to the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan. The street cuts right through the neighborhood of Harlem and is where most of the main stores and shops and businesses are. The Apollo Theater, the Adam Clayton Powell Building and the Studio Museum are all lined up along 1-2-5. If Harlem was a human body, then 125th would be its pumping heart, throbbing all the time.
I don’t know what the neighborhood’s brain would be.
As I flew back toward home, I suddenly realized how heavy the gifts were that I had just bought in that shop. Ma and Yvonne would both be happy, I hoped. And Daddy, with his gift too.
But the bag handle cut into my fingers.
And just as I switched the plastic shopping bag to my other hand, I saw them. Across the wide blacktopped, slushy street, those two older boys had caught sight of me again. I started to step even faster down 125th Street, toward St. Nick, hoping I could make it to the border before they could catch me.
Where I live, it’s all about borders.
And territories.
And crews.
When you’re a little kid in Harlem, you can pretty much go anywhere and do anything as long as you’re careful. But when you start to get old--about my age, twelve--things start to change.
You can’t go everywhere.
You got to start worrying about crews. Crews are like cliques. Groups of mostly boys, and sometimes females, who hang out together. Mostly for fun, but for protection too.
And each crew got its territory in their neighborhood. And if you ain’t from that hood, or a member of that set, you need to stay out.
When I was young, I used to have a friend over on East 127th Street. His name was Cody. We used to play boxball and dodgeball on East 127th all the time, even though I lived on the West Side.
Nowadays when I see Cody and he’s with his crew, we don’t talk at all. He just glares at me like I’m about to get jumped. He does it because we live in different places and we’re old now.
That’s how crews work.
So tonight, when I finally turned off of 125th and onto Eighth Av’, the boys following me had to stop right there. There wasn’t no real roadblock set up for them. If they had really wanted to, they could’a kept on following me, right up the block and straight into St. Nick projects.
But if they’d done that, somebody would’a jumped them boys.
Or worse.
###
“Yo, whattup, Lolly,” Concrete said to me when I walked up the path into St. Nick. We slapped hands. “Lolly Rachpaul,” he said again.
“Hey, ’Crete,” I said to him. “How Day-Day?”
“He fine,” Concrete said. “Thanks for asking. How your moms?”
“She fine,” I said. “Merry Christmas!”
“Yo, man, I don’t celebrate White Jesus Day no more!” he shouted. “This is the holiday of the Oppressor.”
Concrete, about thirty, was ten years older than what Jermaine would’a been. ’Crete was what we called him. I didn’t even know what his real name was, and he probably didn’t know that my real name wasn’t Lolly, which is what everybody called me.
“Sorry, man,” I told him.
’Crete didn’t even live in St. Nick, but he was always there, hanging around the big courtyard at its center. As far back as I remember, he had always been in that courtyard, peddling weed. He was a dealer, or “street pharmacist.”
The place where I lived, the St. Nicholas Houses--otherwise known as the projects--was like a big family. Just like in a real family, you got some “relatives” you’re cool with and others you can’t stand, or who act up all the time.
St. Nick Houses was just like that.
It was home.
I got to my building, where I lived with my moms, walked in through the broken door and took the steps, because our elevator was jacked up too--the city didn’t never fix nothing.
Seven flights of stairs!
About half the way up, the stairwell got all dark. The lights on this floor had burnt out, meaning I had to be careful climbing stairs in the gloominess.
Being in the dark forced my brain to concentrate more on the smell, which was mostly laid-over pee. You got used to it, though, the pee smell.
Just then, I raised one foot up and hit something. Something big and lumpy. The big lump jumped and clubbed my leg.
I stumbled back and almost tripped down the stairs, until I realized the big lump was Moses. Who was a old drunk man. When it was real cold outside, like it was tonight, he sometimes slept in the stairs.
Until the kids ran him out of here.
Or the cops.
“Merry Christmas, old drunk,” I said to him.
“Show respect, boy!” he shouted after me. “I ain’t no drunk. I only booze it up twice a year--”
“Yeah, I know, Moses: when it’s your birthday and when it’s not your birthday.”
His jokes, I’d heard them all before.
Moses cackled like a old witch in the darkness while I continued climbing stairs.
Product details
- Publisher : Yearling; Reprint edition (January 8, 2019)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1524701270
- ISBN-13 : 978-1524701277
- Reading age : 10 - 13 years, from customers
- Lexile measure : 650L
- Grade level : 5 - 6
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.19 x 0.77 x 7.56 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #19,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
Follow DAVID BARCLAY MOORE online at DavidBarclayMoore.com, on Twitter at @dbarclaymoore and on Instagram at dbarclaymoore.
David is a Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe Award-winning author whose first novel, The Stars Beneath Our Feet, is being made into a film. His other books include Carrimebac and Holler of the Fireflies.
Wanna know more?
Writer, filmmaker, super geek, cherry cobbler gobbler. Knows the Death Star plans backward and forward. Adores Mark Twain, Haruki Murakami and old Prince songs. Loves the ocean. Sincerely wants to fly. David is constantly trying to see the world differently.
He was born and raised in Missouri where he read too many novels and comic books as a child. After studying creative writing at Iowa State University, film at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and language studies at l’Université de Montpellier in France, David moved to New York City, where he has served as technical producer for Sony StudiOne, freelancer for Associated Press and communications coordinator for Harlem Children’s Zone.
David has received grants from the Ford Foundation, the Jerome Foundation, Yaddo, and the Wellspring Foundation. He was also a semi-finalist for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab.
He now lives, works and eats Twizzlers in Brooklyn.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and relatable for preteens. They appreciate the meaningful message and encouraging content. The characters are described as interesting and written in the young main character's voice. Readers appreciate the strong content, serious tone, and thought-provoking content. They also mention that the emotional content is genuine and moving, with a tearjerking ending.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book enjoyable to read. They say it's a good break from video games and a great read for their kids.
"...This book is wonderful. Beautiful story of friendship and learning to accept the person you can actually be when you go for it! Bravo!" Read more
"Great book" Read more
"...As a parent, it is a good break from video games." Read more
"The book is so good. I totally recommend it. The details that the author puts in was like so good. Like that was how GOOD it was." Read more
Customers enjoy the story. They find it relatable and interesting, with a well-paced narrative that keeps them turning the pages. The plot is thought-provoking and the context of the book is positive.
"...This book is wonderful. Beautiful story of friendship and learning to accept the person you can actually be when you go for it! Bravo!" Read more
"...Tell me this isn't the author's only book! He has a real preference for real literary fiction, and this is that...." Read more
"...of people, as well as a love song to poetry and the strength of the teacher-student bond. I loved the narration-Lolly is a remarkable young man...." Read more
"...There are a lot of positive messages about friendship, acceptance, forgiveness, dreaming big and being your best self, but they are conveyed in a..." Read more
Customers find the book relatable for preteens and young adults. They appreciate the diverse characters and a story that is true to growing up in a particular area. The book is also enlightening for parents and sends positive messages to young people.
"...Yes, it is more appropriate for the YA age group. However, having worked in inner city schools and with kids exactly like this, it is their reality...." Read more
"...It reminds the reader that though it may feel as if you are alone, we really are all connected...." Read more
"...For a kid that says he hates to read, my son is enjoying this story. As a parent, it is a good break from video games." Read more
"...He has created diverse characters and a kids to root for. Lolly, grieving from the death of his brother, meets a new unlikely friend, Rose...." Read more
Customers find the book's message meaningful and hopeful. They say it encourages readers to do what is right even if it is hard. The book explores tough topics like loss, divorce, diversity, and struggles of inner-city youth in an inspiring way.
"...It addresses tough subjects, some of which are not brought up in other books of the same theme...." Read more
"...autism, and poverty thread throughout the book, but this is not a bleak read. No, it encourages the reader to do what is right even if it is hard...." Read more
"...boy loses his older brother to gun violence; but it is still a very hopeful book...." Read more
"A beautiful book exploring loss, divorce, diversity and struggles of an inner city youth...." Read more
Customers enjoy the character development. They find the plot engaging and the main character's voice authentic.
"...Real characters, real emotions, real life." Read more
"...Well-paced and compelling. Very good diversity of characters (Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Black, LGBTQIA+, autistic)...." Read more
"...David Barclay Moore’s story is so heartfelt. He has created diverse characters and a kids to root for...." Read more
"This is an amazing story with a voice that is true to growing up in a particular area of New York City...." Read more
Customers find the book's content meaningful and thought-provoking. They say it's a powerful story about overcoming trauma and is real life, not fabricated.
"...the language is fairly mature but is certainly real life and not fabricated. The author did a great job detailing the vision...." Read more
"The book itself and the story is amazing but the book was also in great condition when it arived" Read more
"...The book is serious, meaningful and very thought provoking. My son absolutely loved it and has recommended it to all of his fellow classmates." Read more
"This is a powerful book about a kid who overcomes trauma and the adults who help him." Read more
Customers enjoy the emotional content of the book. They find the characters relatable and the story about acceptance, dreaming big, and being your best self conveyed in a relatable way. There is even a tearjerking moment towards the end.
"...This book is wonderful. Beautiful story of friendship and learning to accept the person you can actually be when you go for it! Bravo!" Read more
"...Real characters, real emotions, real life." Read more
"...about friendship, acceptance, forgiveness, dreaming big and being your best self, but they are conveyed in a very subtle way that doesn’t beat you..." Read more
"...There was even a tear-jerker moment towards the end, for me. That being said, I found this book to be... challenging...." Read more
Customers have different views on the writing. Some find it impressive and well-written, with a strong voice that captures the tone of children from a particular demographic. Others feel the writing is disappointing, with foul language, sloppy grammar, and poor plot development.
"While I felt the writing style jumped around a lot, I loved the insight this book have me as a white woman that grew up in a small, farm town...." Read more
"...I loved the narration-Lolly is a remarkable young man. My one complaint, if it is one, is the final sentence in the book...." Read more
"...days: Sexualized children, critical race theory, LGBT propaganda, foul language, and people treating each other badly." Read more
"The book is so good. I totally recommend it. The details that the author puts in was like so good. Like that was how GOOD it was." Read more
Reviews with images
Grammer
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2020I listened to this book and my 13yo daughter read it. Yes, it is more appropriate for the YA age group. However, having worked in inner city schools and with kids exactly like this, it is their reality. The violence, language and life challenges are real. Those kids see this every single day, it doesn't wait for when they are old enough to deal with it. There are reviews about the N word, of course we know this is not to be used, but come on people, the kids use it all the time. The content in this book is real life for so many. Instead of shying away from it, let us get uncomfortable and raise questions with our kids, help them work through these tough issues.
This book has a beautiful story of choosing your own path, not just going with the norms. It addresses tough subjects, some of which are not brought up in other books of the same theme. The idea that adults make bad decisions and they can apologize, that kids can find a new way, that friendships can help bridge new hope. This book is wonderful. Beautiful story of friendship and learning to accept the person you can actually be when you go for it! Bravo!
- Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024Great book
- Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2024my grandson love it got to get more books
- Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2019My ten year old loved this book so much he cried when he finished it. Tell me this isn't the author's only book! He has a real preference for real literary fiction, and this is that. Real characters, real emotions, real life.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2018With writing that is as much raw as it is honest, Moore draws the reader into a Harlem family rampant with issues. Divorce, gang activity, loss of a child, autism, and poverty thread throughout the book, but this is not a bleak read. No, it encourages the reader to do what is right even if it is hard. It reminds the reader that though it may feel as if you are alone, we really are all connected. And The Stars Beneath Our Feet is a nod to creativity, to uniqueness, to being open to all types of people, as well as a love song to poetry and the strength of the teacher-student bond. I loved the narration-Lolly is a remarkable young man. My one complaint, if it is one, is the final sentence in the book. It reminded me of how I teach my kids to write their personal narratives-to end strongly with what Nancie Atwell calls a "so-what." In my humble opinion, Moore is capable of more than a ten year old's 1-2 punch.
"...when you die, they bury you, but your soul flies to the stars. Your mama, your daddy-they were buried under the ground, but they're stars now, girl, stars beneath our feet."
"I had learned it was better to share your stuff. You get back more than you think you would."
"Sometimes, Wallace...you just do what you know is right, even if it seems dumb at the time."
"...I had learned the most important thing: the decisions you make can become your life. Your choices are you."
- Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2020My son and I are in Chapter 6. We are starting a family tradition with this book by reading together every night. There are things he relates to in the story and things that we stop and talk about. For a kid that says he hates to read, my son is enjoying this story. As a parent, it is a good break from video games.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2022The book is so good. I totally recommend it. The details that the author puts in was like so good. Like that was how GOOD it was.
The book is so good. I totally recommend it. The details that the author puts in was like so good. Like that was how GOOD it was.
Images in this review - Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2018This book deals with a very difficult subject; a 12 year-old boy loses his older brother to gun violence; but it is still a very hopeful book. There are so many things that are wrong in this boy's world, but there are people who are trying to help him navigate his way through the hardship and despair to find a path to a better life than the one that caused his brother's death. I think this book should be required reading for all of our elected officials, who think that people live in poverty because they don't try to better their lives. This book shows that it's easier said than done. To the mom who stopped reading it to her son: keep reading it. It may make your son aware of how "the other half lives", and make him compassionate for the less fortunate.
Top reviews from other countries
- plum professorReviewed in Canada on December 24, 2019
4.0 out of 5 stars sensitive exploration of race with lots of Lego
Good story, not the standard cast of characters, not the standard ways to deal with gang pressure, peer pressure, and being non-neurotypical, with an ending that's not too pat and not too happy. I enjoyed it.
- S SmithReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!
Bought this for my 11 yr old and he was super appreciative. Said he could really relate, the story was gripping and he couldn’t put the book down. Thank you to the author for creating such a great story!
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Grandson loved the book
Excellent
- Pen NameReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2020
4.0 out of 5 stars good book
My son really liked this