Book Report:
The Sun Is Also A Star
By Nicola Yoon
A. Knowledge
Name Author: Nicola Yoon
Title of book + Explanation: The Sun Is Also A Star. You can look at things from
different perspectives, scientific or poetic but ultimately the two are connected.
Year of publication: 2016
Number of points: N/A
Number of pages: 344
Theme + Explanation: the theme of this book is the subtle line between love and fate
and the effects that individuals can have on one another without being aware of it.
1. The most important characters in this story are Natasha Kingsley and Daniel Bae.
2. Natasha and Daniel are two teenagers that meet incidentally and fall in love.
3. The story takes place in current New York because it mentions New York and the
main characters use mobile touch screen phones and wear headphones, and “no
woman, no cry” by Bob Marley is considered old school music.
4. Natasha Kingsley and Daniel Bae are the protagonists of this story and the main
antagonist is the USCIS (USA Custom Immigration Services).
5.The climax of this story is when Daniel and Natasha fall in love with each other
despite their differences and different views on life (science vs fate).
B. Comprehension
1. Write a summary of the story 350-400 words.
Natasha is a 17 year old Jamaican girl who lives illegally in the USA. She believes in
science and in the cause-effect relationship. In her opinion every action necessarily
leads to another. She's on her way to the USCIS to see if she can stop her family from
being deported back to Jamaica the next day. When she gets there, she is held up by
Irene, a lonely security guard who has plans to commit suicide. After seeing immigration
lawyer Jeremy Fitzgerald she goes to a record store where she meets Daniel.
Daniel is a 17 year old Korean-American boy who was born and raised in New York and
is about to fulfill his parents' dream of enrolling in Yale to graduate in medicine. Daniel is
a religious, creative and passionate boy who loves writing poems. They immediately
have a click despite their differences and spend the rest of the day together. While
, walking through the streets of New York they exchange ideas and opinions and
influence each other's lives. Daniel considers not to become a doctor like his parents
want him to and to pursue his dream of becoming a writer, while Natasha wants to find
passion in her life like Daniel has.
Near the end of the day, they realize they have fallen in love with each other.
When they part Natasha calls USCIS to leave a message for Irene to thank her because
if she hadn’t held her up she would never have met Daniel, at this act of kindness Irene
decides not to commit suicide and to get her life together.
Daniel goes to his interview for Yale which coincidentally happens to be with Jeremy
Fitzgerald. He addresses Natasha’s case but unfortunately Fitzgerald is unable to help
Natasha’s family because he is taken by his own problems.
Therefore the next day the Kingsley family is put on a plane to leave America the next
day. The two lovers try to stay in touch to pursue their love story but time and distance
make it impossible.
10 years later, they meet again on a plane thanks, again, to Irene who works as a flight
attendant and recognizes Natasha and tells her she saved her life all those years back.
This catches the attention of Daniel who is seated a few seats ahead and once Natasha
and him make eye-contact they recognize one another instantly.
4. What did the author want you to think about the main character? What things in the
story made you think this is what the author wanted you to think?
Nicola Yoon wants me to think that Natasha is a caring and determined girl for example
she goes by herself against the will of her parents to the USCIS to try stop her family
from being deported. Yoon also wants me to think that she’s a girl who strongly believes
in science and facts as in her conversations with Daniel she will always refer to scientific
facts and data. For example when they talk about the meaning of life, she states that
‘love songs are really about lust’ and ‘marriage is about children to raise and bills to pay
which at some point turns into friendship with mutual self-interest for the benefit of
society and the next generation’. Another example is when Daniel asks her if she has a
soul and she replied “No such thing as a soul”. Throughout the book there are many
more examples.
5. What was the cause of the most important happening(s) in the story? In other words,
what made something happen? Was it something someone did, or said, or something
that just happened?
The most important happening is Natasha and Daniel falling in love which was caused
by them having common grounds of conversation (eg. life, future, dreams, parents etc.)
but different opinions, making them intrigued by one another.
The Sun Is Also A Star
By Nicola Yoon
A. Knowledge
Name Author: Nicola Yoon
Title of book + Explanation: The Sun Is Also A Star. You can look at things from
different perspectives, scientific or poetic but ultimately the two are connected.
Year of publication: 2016
Number of points: N/A
Number of pages: 344
Theme + Explanation: the theme of this book is the subtle line between love and fate
and the effects that individuals can have on one another without being aware of it.
1. The most important characters in this story are Natasha Kingsley and Daniel Bae.
2. Natasha and Daniel are two teenagers that meet incidentally and fall in love.
3. The story takes place in current New York because it mentions New York and the
main characters use mobile touch screen phones and wear headphones, and “no
woman, no cry” by Bob Marley is considered old school music.
4. Natasha Kingsley and Daniel Bae are the protagonists of this story and the main
antagonist is the USCIS (USA Custom Immigration Services).
5.The climax of this story is when Daniel and Natasha fall in love with each other
despite their differences and different views on life (science vs fate).
B. Comprehension
1. Write a summary of the story 350-400 words.
Natasha is a 17 year old Jamaican girl who lives illegally in the USA. She believes in
science and in the cause-effect relationship. In her opinion every action necessarily
leads to another. She's on her way to the USCIS to see if she can stop her family from
being deported back to Jamaica the next day. When she gets there, she is held up by
Irene, a lonely security guard who has plans to commit suicide. After seeing immigration
lawyer Jeremy Fitzgerald she goes to a record store where she meets Daniel.
Daniel is a 17 year old Korean-American boy who was born and raised in New York and
is about to fulfill his parents' dream of enrolling in Yale to graduate in medicine. Daniel is
a religious, creative and passionate boy who loves writing poems. They immediately
have a click despite their differences and spend the rest of the day together. While
, walking through the streets of New York they exchange ideas and opinions and
influence each other's lives. Daniel considers not to become a doctor like his parents
want him to and to pursue his dream of becoming a writer, while Natasha wants to find
passion in her life like Daniel has.
Near the end of the day, they realize they have fallen in love with each other.
When they part Natasha calls USCIS to leave a message for Irene to thank her because
if she hadn’t held her up she would never have met Daniel, at this act of kindness Irene
decides not to commit suicide and to get her life together.
Daniel goes to his interview for Yale which coincidentally happens to be with Jeremy
Fitzgerald. He addresses Natasha’s case but unfortunately Fitzgerald is unable to help
Natasha’s family because he is taken by his own problems.
Therefore the next day the Kingsley family is put on a plane to leave America the next
day. The two lovers try to stay in touch to pursue their love story but time and distance
make it impossible.
10 years later, they meet again on a plane thanks, again, to Irene who works as a flight
attendant and recognizes Natasha and tells her she saved her life all those years back.
This catches the attention of Daniel who is seated a few seats ahead and once Natasha
and him make eye-contact they recognize one another instantly.
4. What did the author want you to think about the main character? What things in the
story made you think this is what the author wanted you to think?
Nicola Yoon wants me to think that Natasha is a caring and determined girl for example
she goes by herself against the will of her parents to the USCIS to try stop her family
from being deported. Yoon also wants me to think that she’s a girl who strongly believes
in science and facts as in her conversations with Daniel she will always refer to scientific
facts and data. For example when they talk about the meaning of life, she states that
‘love songs are really about lust’ and ‘marriage is about children to raise and bills to pay
which at some point turns into friendship with mutual self-interest for the benefit of
society and the next generation’. Another example is when Daniel asks her if she has a
soul and she replied “No such thing as a soul”. Throughout the book there are many
more examples.
5. What was the cause of the most important happening(s) in the story? In other words,
what made something happen? Was it something someone did, or said, or something
that just happened?
The most important happening is Natasha and Daniel falling in love which was caused
by them having common grounds of conversation (eg. life, future, dreams, parents etc.)
but different opinions, making them intrigued by one another.
