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Powell's Q&A, Kids' Q&A | February 2, 2012

Emily Winfield Martin: IMG Kids' Q&A: Emily Winfield Martin

2 comments By Emily Winfield Martin

Describe your new book. Oddfellow's Orphanage is a series of stories/vignettes that tell the tale of the newest arrival to a curious orphanage, a... Continue »
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eBook editions

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why Cover

ISBN13: 9781595141712
ISBN10: 1595141715
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
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Staff Pick

A fellow teen's suicide is certain to rock a school...but imagine the destruction that follows when the dead girl's classmates discover her tape recordings are being delivered one by one to each person she felt had a hand in her decision. If you're looking for a page-turner, you've found it.
Recommended by Jill S., Powell's City of Books

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimers-stricken grandfather doesnt help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Robs ghost is watching over her. He isnt happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfatherbut as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend?

     As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?

     Told from the perspectives of Holly, Jason, and Rob,Wherever You Gois is a poignant story about making peace with the past, opening your heart to love, and finding the courage to move forward into the light.

Review:

"This uncommonly polished debut opens on a riveting scenario: 13 teenagers in a small town have each been designated to listen, in secret, to a box of audiotapes recorded by their classmate Hannah and mailed on the very day she commits suicide. 'I'm about to tell you the story of my life,' she says. 'More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to these tapes, you're one of the reasons why.' Clay, the narrator, receives the tapes a few weeks after the suicide (each listener must send the box to the next, and Hannah has built in a plan to make sure her posthumous directions are followed), and his initial shock turns to horror as he hears the dead girl implicate his friends and acquaintances in various acts of callousness, cruelty or crime. Asher expertly paces the narrative, splicing Hannah's tale with Clay's mounting anxiety and fear. Just what has he done? Readers won't be able to pull themselves away until that question gets answered — no matter that the premise is contrived and the plot details can be implausible. The author gets all the characters right, from the popular girl who wants to insure her status to the boy who rapes an unconscious girl at a party where the liquor flows too freely, and the veneer of authenticity suffices to hide the story's flaws. Asher knows how to entertain an audience; this book will leave readers eager to see what he does next. Ages 13-up." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"The episodic structure is nicely suited to reluctant readers, but the breakneck pace and dizzying emotion are the true source of this novel's irresistible readability at all levels." School Library Journal

Review:

"It is a fast read and will keep you on the edge of your seat, as you read on to find out more about the circumstances surrounding Hannah's death." Alan Review

Review:

"This provocative tale touches on universal topics of interest, is genuine in its message, and would be a good choice for high school book discussions and booktalks." VOYA

Review:

"[C]hallenging and interesting." Children's Literature

Review:

"[A] compelling reading." Booklist

Synopsis:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

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About the Author

Jay Asher has worked at an independent bookstore, an outlet bookstore, a chain bookstore, and two public libraries. Jay's first writing award earned him a free fruit smoothie every day for an entire year. More recently, Thirteen Reasons Why won him the Smartwriters.com Write-It-Now Award, and the 2003 SCBWI Work in Progress grant. He was also named one of the "Hot Men in Children's Literature" by the librarian-run website A Fuse 8 Production.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 16 comments:
CassieR, June 28, 2011 (view all comments by CassieR)
Simply fantastic are the words that come to mind after indulging into this story from Jay Asher. Much of what made Thirteen Reasons Why so spectacular was the fact that it switched from the playing tapes to the main characters thoughts. You might think it would be more of an arduous read, seeing how it may appear that the view point switched so often. However, you are only in one viewpoint the whole time: the main character's. This is why I find the structure of this novel so genius; it allows you to feel the intensity and emotion the main character feels throughout the book, while unfolding a complex story. The theme's aren't anywhere near mythical vampires or fantasies; teen suicide is real, and I know while reading, it affected me on a deeper level. The novel stresses that suicides are never simple, that many experiences and moments can lead to a teen choosing to end their life. Thirteen Reasons Why is most definitely worth your time, and could be a life changing book to any teenager.
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Nancy, June 6, 2011 (view all comments by Nancy)
Thirteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher.

This was a difficult book to read but one of the best I've come across dealing with teen suicides. If you have high school age children living in your home it's a MUST read. This one will shake up your complacent world, make you sit up and notice.

Part mystery, teenage angst, you will follow the map with Hannah's words and thoughts.
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Brooklyn Davis, May 16, 2011 (view all comments by Brooklyn Davis)
13 Reasons Why is an excellent book. It is filled with suspense, love and mysteries. It was so hard to put the book down because each page took you in further and further into a new mystery. This book is about a girl who committed suicide. No one knows why she did it but she is leaving behind some clues: tapes. She is sending around tapes that she recorded her message onto and sending them to the 13 people that gave her a reason to kill herself. A boy named Clay is the main character who receives the tapes. He keeps waiting for the right tape: the tape that tells him what he did wrong. Once he finds it, he puts it into the tape player, shuts out the sound around him, and listens intently, “Clay, its okay. You did nothing wrong. I am going to tell you what you did right…” That is just some of the suspense waiting for you to come and pick up the book. It takes your breath away.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781595141712
Author:
Asher, Jay
Publisher:
Razorbill
Author:
Bass, Ron
Author:
Stoltz, Adrienne
Author:
Myracle, Lauren
Author:
Davis, Heather
Subject:
Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
Subject:
Social Issues - Friendship
Subject:
Social Issues - Death & Dying
Subject:
Social Issues - Suicide
Subject:
High schools
Subject:
Schools
Subject:
Mysteries & Detective Stories
Subject:
General Juvenile Fiction
Subject:
Family - Multigenerational
Subject:
Children s Young Adult-Social Issue Fiction-Suicide
Subject:
Children s Young Adult-Social Issue Fiction
Subject:
Bedtime & Dreams
Copyright:
2007
Edition Description:
Trade Cloth
Publication Date:
20121002
Binding:
Hardback
Grade Level:
from 7 up to AND UP
Language:
English
Pages:
304
Dimensions:
7.63 x 5.50 in
Age Level:
12-17
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Related Aisles

Thirteen Reasons Why Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$9.50 In Stock
Product details 304 pages Sleuth RazorBill - English 9781595141712 Reviews:
"Staff Pick" by ,

A fellow teen's suicide is certain to rock a school...but imagine the destruction that follows when the dead girl's classmates discover her tape recordings are being delivered one by one to each person she felt had a hand in her decision. If you're looking for a page-turner, you've found it.

by Jill S.
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "This uncommonly polished debut opens on a riveting scenario: 13 teenagers in a small town have each been designated to listen, in secret, to a box of audiotapes recorded by their classmate Hannah and mailed on the very day she commits suicide. 'I'm about to tell you the story of my life,' she says. 'More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to these tapes, you're one of the reasons why.' Clay, the narrator, receives the tapes a few weeks after the suicide (each listener must send the box to the next, and Hannah has built in a plan to make sure her posthumous directions are followed), and his initial shock turns to horror as he hears the dead girl implicate his friends and acquaintances in various acts of callousness, cruelty or crime. Asher expertly paces the narrative, splicing Hannah's tale with Clay's mounting anxiety and fear. Just what has he done? Readers won't be able to pull themselves away until that question gets answered — no matter that the premise is contrived and the plot details can be implausible. The author gets all the characters right, from the popular girl who wants to insure her status to the boy who rapes an unconscious girl at a party where the liquor flows too freely, and the veneer of authenticity suffices to hide the story's flaws. Asher knows how to entertain an audience; this book will leave readers eager to see what he does next. Ages 13-up." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review" by , "The episodic structure is nicely suited to reluctant readers, but the breakneck pace and dizzying emotion are the true source of this novel's irresistible readability at all levels."
"Review" by , "It is a fast read and will keep you on the edge of your seat, as you read on to find out more about the circumstances surrounding Hannah's death."
"Review" by , "This provocative tale touches on universal topics of interest, is genuine in its message, and would be a good choice for high school book discussions and booktalks."
"Review" by , "[C]hallenging and interesting."
"Review" by , "[A] compelling reading."
"Synopsis" by ,
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.
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