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Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why Cover

ISBN13: 9781595141712
ISBN10: 1595141715
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
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Powells.com 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., Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Clay Jenkins returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Bakerhis classmate and crushwho 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, hell find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clays dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

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

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.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Kaitlin, August 21, 2008 (view all comments by Kaitlin)
This book was amazing. I read it three times, and loved it more with every read. It tells Hannah's story amazingly and innovatively, but it is absolutely heartbreaking to watch her downward spiral and all the people who did nothing to help and everything to push her further towards suicide. I would reccomend this book to every young adult reader.,
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781595141712
Author:
Asher, Jay
Publisher:
Sleuth RazorBill
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
Publication Date:
October 2007
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
Children/juvenile
Language:
English
Pages:
288
Dimensions:
8.59x5.73x1.02 in. .91 lbs.
Age Level:
12-17
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