Frannie always thought her town was a wonderful place to grow up. But then she becomes friends with Celeste, the first black girl to go to Quiver Junior High, when they are both chosen to be in a special singing ensemble at school. Frannie saw people treat Celeste differently from the very beginning, but when she's cut from the ensemble just before a very important competition, the truth can't be ignored. Quiver is not as great as Frannie thought, and the two find evidence proving it used to be much worse.

Set in Oklahoma in the 1960's, The Starplace shows how special friendships can alter perspectives-whether you're ready or not.

School Library Journal said "Vicki Grove tells many truths about adolescents trying to discover their place in the world," in a starred review for The Crystal Garden.