Thursday 17th September 2026

Recommended YA fiction:  Cut him out in little stars by Lucy Strange

I first came across Lucy Strange on Instagram, and then spotted Cut Him Out in Little Stars as Waterstones’ Young Adult Book of the Month. Of course, I had to buy it.

And it is absolutely brilliant.

If I describe it as a romance, I know some of my students will immediately roll their eyes and decide it isn’t for them. But it is so much more than that.

Set against the backdrop of war, this is a story about relationships, family and secrets. It explores the bonds between siblings, the things we keep from the people closest to us, and what happens in a small community where people might not always be quite what they seem.

There’s mystery, danger and plenty of action too. It was genuinely one of those books I found difficult to put down.

But one of the things I loved most was the writing itself.
There is some absolutely beautiful imagery throughout the novel, particularly around the sea. I’m always talking to my students about the importance of reading for pleasure, but I also encourage them to notice how good writers write. If you’re looking for inspiration for your own creative writing, this is definitely one to read. There are some gorgeous examples of how setting and imagery can create atmosphere without feeling forced or over-written.

It didn’t surprise me at all to discover that Lucy Strange was an English teacher before becoming a full-time writer. There are little literary threads running throughout the novel that English teachers and students will enjoy spotting. The title itself is a nod to Romeo and Juliet, echoing Juliet’s famous “cut him out in little stars” speech, and our female protagonist is, fittingly, called Juliet too. There are other literary echoes throughout, including Rossetti’s poetry, and I found myself thinking about the Brontës in some of the more Gothic elements of the novel.

It’s the sort of book that gives you plenty to think about as an English teacher, but none of that gets in the way of what matters most: it’s a really good story.  I loved it.
And, inevitably, it has now prompted me to go and have a look at what else Lucy Strange has written...