The Star Lake

When the four friends looked at the lake from the 11th floor of their tower block, they could see that it had jagged edges like a star. The ‘Star Lake’ made them proud of their neighbourhood, which was otherwise rather bleak.

In January, the lake froze over for the very first time. The ice was so firm that the children could romp around on it. It was great and unusual. But it became strange when spring came: the lake remained frozen.
And even in the heat of summer, the ice was so thick that pizza stalls were built on it and children lay on the ice to cool off. Reporters were everywhere, and specialists from around the world were arriving in search of an explanation…

The events against which Will Gmehling tells a captivatingly quiet story of friendship between four neighbourhood children are spectacular. They tell of their lives in simple circumstances, of happiness, trust and a connection with nature. And of first love, the real sensation on the shores of the Star Lake.