"Star in the Forest", a glimpse of reality through a young girl's eyes

Fort Collins children's author, Laura Resau, tells a touching tale of differences and friendship through the eyes of eleven year old, Zitlally Mora, in Star in the Forest. When her papa gets deported, everything in Zitlally’s world shifts and she doesn’t view the world the same way she did before. Overwhelmed with sadness, she withdraws from her social surroundings, spending her days alone in the “car parts forest”, near her home. There, she befriends a dog and gains a new friend, Crystal, who helps her discover what friendship truly means. Although from different worlds, the two girls find that they have a lot in common, including love for one little dog, Star, that brings a sparkle of happiness into both of their lives. The girls believe that Star is tied to Zitlally’s father, as his spirit animal, as in the legends of her heritage,  so a quest to help Zitlally’s father, leads to a quest to help Star, with an almost magical resolution for everyone. As in her other books, including Red Glass, What the Moon Saw, and  The Indigo Notebook, Resau does an excellent job of capturing the story through young, adolescent eyes. This delightful story deals with real issues of growing up, on a level that is easy to grasp and relate to, for children aged 9 to 12. Star in the Forest will be available March 9, from Delacorte Press.