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Summary
Summary
Wendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!
When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble. In addition, her parents decide that instead of taking her on their summer trip to Madagascar to study the courtship rituals of the bamboo lemur, she must go stay with her aunt, uncle, and bratty cousin Emily St. Claire in Willow Falls. Alyssa thinks it's a good time to start over; she'll be turning thirteen after all, so she might as well make the best of it and perhaps even attempt to break out of her shell (in a non-criminal manner). What Alyssa doesn't know is that this charmed town has something big in store for her on her thirteenth birthday.
Author Notes
Wendy Mass was born in Livingston, New Jersey on January 17, 1967. She received a B. A. in English from Tufts University. She worked as a book editor at numerous publishing houses in New York City and Connecticut and co-created a teenage literary magazine called Writes of Passage. She has written several nonfiction books for teenagers including Stonehenge, Readings on Night, John Cabot: Early Explorer, and Ray Bradbury: Master of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Her fiction books include Leap Day, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, Every Soul a Star, 11 Birthdays, Finally, and The Candymakers. A Mango-Shaped Space won the American Library Association Schneider Family Book Award in 2004. She wrote the storyline for an episode of the television show Monk, entitled "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theatre," which aired during the show's second season.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
Horn Book Review
After getting suspended from school, Tara is sent to stay with relatives. They live in a strange town where an eccentric shopkeeper demands Tara obtain thirteen seemingly random items before her thirteenth birthday. As Tara completes the list, she learns surprising secrets about the townspeople. Her rewarding journey from bystander to active participant shows communities can be built in the strangest of ways. Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Like 11 Birthdays (2009) and Finally (2010), Mass' earlier books set in Willow Falls, this story revolves around a girl's birthday and includes a tinge of magic. A fundamentally good kid but a loner, Tara arrives in town to spend the summer with relatives. Though soon embroiled in more trouble, she works her way out of it with the help of the wonderfully supportive kids in this small community. Characters from the earlier novels reappear in Tara's involving first-person narrative. The book's ending will leave fans hopeful for a resolution of the broader enigma within this unusual series.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-8-After a failed attempt at stealing a goat from her principal's office, Tara's punishment to spend her summer with relatives in the small town of Willow Falls. As she soon discovers, its inhabitants are anything but ordinary. Tara's younger cousin, Emily, stays up late to solve math theorems; David, who lives across the street, sings and chants in a hole in the backyard in preparation for his bar mitzvah; and best friends Amanda and Leo wear chalkboards to communicate with one another. These quirky kids and others help Tara as she seeks to collect 13 curious objects required by a mysterious woman in exchange for something essential not only to her, but also to the town. In her quest, she and her new friends dress up in Sunshine Kid uniforms, sneak into the historical society, and meet a celebrity heartthrob. Finally, on her 13th birthday, Tara comes to the realization that life is better spent in the game than on the sidelines. By fusing middle-school drama with just a sprinkle of magic and mystery, Mass provides an optimistic and genuine addition to the coming-of-age genre. Many readers will relate to Tara, a seventh-grade wallflower who gains self-confidence, friendship, and a true place in Willow Falls. Her narration has an authentic voice, allowing readers to experience her thoughts, motives, and feelings. Mass keeps the plot jumping like a fireworks display; there's one surprise spark after another, all coming together at the end for a breathtaking finale.-Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City, UT (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A rash decision involving attempted theft of a school mascot sets into motion a series of life-altering events for nearly13-year-old Tara.Mysteries abound as readers return to Willow Falls in this third installmentof the series. Years of constant relocation have caused the reclusive Tara to avoid forming friendships. She also longs to understand her mother's mystifying need to continually move. Banished to her aunt's house for the summer, Tara soon finds herself embroiled in another mishap. Mass revisits familiar ground with a plot that loosely follows the formula of her previous novels,11 Birthdays(2009) andFinally(2010): The protagonist is on the cusp of a birthday and must go through a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment guided by the enigmatic Angelina. In payment for her misdeeds, Tara must complete a curious scavenger hunt before her 13th birthday but soon discovers she requires the helpand maybe even the friendshipof others. Tara's quirky personality invigorates the familiar plot. Mass skillfully resolves mysteries while perpetuating Willow Falls' mystique. Readers will be eager to discover the outcome of Tara's quest.In equal parts philosophical and wryly humorous, this magical tale will satisfy both fans and new readers alike.(Fiction. 9-13)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
