11 Birthdays

Title: 11 Birthdays
Author: Wendy Mass
ISBN: 9780545052399
Published: Jan 2009
Genre: fiction
Other books in the Series: Finally, 13 Gifts
Characters: Amanda and Leo
Reading Level: 4th grade
Interest Level: 3rd-6th grade
Plot Summary: Amanda and her best friend Leo have spent every birthday together, that is until their 11th birthday. Having had an argument after their 10th birthday, Amanda and Leo have spent the last year at odds. Despite tradition the two are having separate birthdays. It seems nothing is going right on the day of Amanda's birthday. When the terrible day is finally over Amanda can't wait to put it behind her. But when Amanda awakes she finds that it is her birthday, again. It seems that Amanda is reliving her distaster of a birthday over and over again. Will Amanda be 11 forever? Or is there a way to finally put this day behind her.
Review: The story seems to capture the feelings, thoughts and insecurities of an 11 year old so well. Amanda and Leo's fractured friendship is one that readers can relate to. The story has a very realistic feel with a dab of fantasy as Amanda and Leo continue to live the same day over and over again. I like that as a reader you are able to see Amanda learn from her mistakes. Leo and Amanda are able to work through their problems to finally stop living their 11th birthdays over again. It's a quick and fun read that has a great lesson.
Reader's Annotation: Amanda is turning 11 and her birthday is a disaster. So when the day is finally over she is relieved for it to be over but when she awakes it is still her 11th birthday, again.
Main Themes: friendship, forgiveness
Read Alikes: It's the First Day of School Forever by R.L Stine
Why for Tweens? The book is a great mix of realism and fantasy that will appeal to tweens. It also has some themes that tweens can relate to. As Amanda struggles to recover her friendship with Leo and fit in at school. The story is an honest look at a young tweens struggles with a bit of fun and whimsy thrown in.