#MGBookmas Day 8: Favorite Book That Inspires Sharing

I’m going to be participating in this year’s #MGBookmas list – look for titles for the next 12 days that fit each of these fun categories! You can participate to on Instagram, Twitter or your own blog! Follow #MGBookmas for everyone’s choices.
Day 8: Favorite Book That Inspires Sharing

Title: A Handful of Stars
Author: Cynthia Lord
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Page Number: 192 pgs.
Description from Goodreads:
“This powerful middle-grade novel from the Newbery Honor author of RULES explores a friendship between a small-town girl and the daughter of migrant workers.
When Lily’s blind dog, Lucky, slips his collar and runs away across the wide-open blueberry barrens of eastern Maine, it’s Salma Santiago who manages to catch him. Salma, the daughter of migrant workers, is in the small town with her family for the blueberry-picking season.
After their initial chance meeting, Salma and Lily bond over painting bee boxes for Lily’s grandfather, and Salma’s friendship transforms Lily’s summer. But when Salma decides to run in the upcoming Blueberry Queen pageant, they’ll have to face some tough truths about friendship and belonging. Should an outsider like Salma really participate in the pageant-and possibly win?
Set amongst the blueberry barrens and by the sea, this is a gorgeous new novel by Newbery Honor author Cynthia Lord that tackles themes of prejudice and friendship, loss and love.”
Thoughts: Lily is methodical and exact, but when she meets Salma she learns to be brave and strong and try things she never thought she could. Both girls share and learn together in this story about the strength of friendship.