Summary
Two friends
have grown up together and share a birthday. For the first ten years of
their life they have celebrated with each other. After an incident at
their tenth birthday Amanda and Leo are no longer friends. They don't
talk to each other or spend time together. Their
eleventh birthday party is the first year they will spend apart.
It is not until waking up the morning after her
eleventh birthday that Amanda begins noticing that things are
strange. She seems to be repeating her birthday over and over
again. Eventually she realizes that Leo is doing the same thing,
repeating the same day. They begin working together to figure out what
the problem is and searching for a solution.
Bibliographic Citation
Mass, W.
(2010). 11 birthdays. Scholastic Inc.
Personal Impressions
This book was a
bit repetitive. The number of days described in repetition could
have easily been reduced to reduce the redundancy. Otherwise it was
an acceptable book. While I have yet to read the rest of the books in the
series I was not drawn into the story enough to find reason to read the others.
Reviews
Carolyn Phelan (Booklist,
Dec. 15, 2008 (Vol. 105, No. 8))
Starred Review* Amanda and Leo, born on the same day, have celebrated their birthdays together for 10 years. Still feeling hurt from an unkind remark Leo made at last year’s party, Amanda spends her eleventh birthday without her now-estranged friend to share the fun. In the days that follow, both Amanda and Leo discover that they are caught in a time loop, waking up each morning to find themselves repeating their eleventh birthdays. They soon renew their friendship and begin to experiment by making different choices throughout the day, partly for the thrill of acting without long-term consequences and partly from their fear of never escaping this mysterious time trap. From the double-entendre title to the solid character portrayals to the clarity and wit of the writing, this novel offers a fresh twist on the familiar themes of middle-grade family and school dynamics. The mysterious power that rewinds time eventually seems less important than the power that Amanda finds within herself. Emboldened by the idea of daily do-overs, she discovers that small changes in her attitude and actions result in sometimes-subtle, sometimes-monumental shifts in results for herself, her family, and her friends. A rewarding choice for readers and a natural for booktalks and discussion groups. Grades 4-6
Starred Review* Amanda and Leo, born on the same day, have celebrated their birthdays together for 10 years. Still feeling hurt from an unkind remark Leo made at last year’s party, Amanda spends her eleventh birthday without her now-estranged friend to share the fun. In the days that follow, both Amanda and Leo discover that they are caught in a time loop, waking up each morning to find themselves repeating their eleventh birthdays. They soon renew their friendship and begin to experiment by making different choices throughout the day, partly for the thrill of acting without long-term consequences and partly from their fear of never escaping this mysterious time trap. From the double-entendre title to the solid character portrayals to the clarity and wit of the writing, this novel offers a fresh twist on the familiar themes of middle-grade family and school dynamics. The mysterious power that rewinds time eventually seems less important than the power that Amanda finds within herself. Emboldened by the idea of daily do-overs, she discovers that small changes in her attitude and actions result in sometimes-subtle, sometimes-monumental shifts in results for herself, her family, and her friends. A rewarding choice for readers and a natural for booktalks and discussion groups. Grades 4-6
Midwest Book Review (Children's Bookwatch,
June 2009)
On their first birthday they learned to walk, on their fifth they planted seeds, on their 11th they became ex-best friends. 11 BIRTHDAYS charts the growth and evolution of an uncertain friendship, when Amanda can't wait for the day after her birthday so she can stop thinking about the big fight that led to separate celebrations for the first time in their lives. A fine story of changing friendship evolves. The Fiction Shelf ...., Scholastic Press, $16.99. n/a
On their first birthday they learned to walk, on their fifth they planted seeds, on their 11th they became ex-best friends. 11 BIRTHDAYS charts the growth and evolution of an uncertain friendship, when Amanda can't wait for the day after her birthday so she can stop thinking about the big fight that led to separate celebrations for the first time in their lives. A fine story of changing friendship evolves. The Fiction Shelf ...., Scholastic Press, $16.99. n/a
Sue Poduska (Children's Literature)
This charming and entertaining story explores pre-teen friendships and other relationships. Amanda and Leo share their birthdays and their lives. They were born in the same hospital and, from their firstbirthday, seem destined to celebrate life together. Then, they argue on their tenth birthday and the friendship suffers. A year later, Amanda suddenly starts experiencing her birthday every day. After her first few eleventh birthdays, she figures out that Leo is going through the same phenomenon. Faced with never reaching their twelfth birthday--let alone Saturday--Amanda and Leo have to learn to work together and repair their friendship. First, they try not to let the day change at all. Then, they have a wild day and find out what it’s like to be among the missing. Finally, they go to the local museum to research reasons for this phenomenon. The ending is satisfying, surprising, and amusing. This is a fun book to read. 2009, Scholastic Press/Scholastic Inc, $16.99. Ages 9 to 12.
This charming and entertaining story explores pre-teen friendships and other relationships. Amanda and Leo share their birthdays and their lives. They were born in the same hospital and, from their firstbirthday, seem destined to celebrate life together. Then, they argue on their tenth birthday and the friendship suffers. A year later, Amanda suddenly starts experiencing her birthday every day. After her first few eleventh birthdays, she figures out that Leo is going through the same phenomenon. Faced with never reaching their twelfth birthday--let alone Saturday--Amanda and Leo have to learn to work together and repair their friendship. First, they try not to let the day change at all. Then, they have a wild day and find out what it’s like to be among the missing. Finally, they go to the local museum to research reasons for this phenomenon. The ending is satisfying, surprising, and amusing. This is a fun book to read. 2009, Scholastic Press/Scholastic Inc, $16.99. Ages 9 to 12.
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2008
(Vol. 76, No. 24))
In this slow-paced middle-school friendship saga, mildly spiced with a bit of fantasy, readers meet Amanda and Leo, best friends who have spent every birthday together since day one. That is, until their tenth birthday party, at which Amanda happens to overhear Leo talking her down to some classmates. In an extreme overreaction, she flees the party and cuts Leo out of her life. Implausibly, Amanda's grudge endures for an entire year, and she finds herself, stubborn and miserable, celebrating her 11th birthday alone. She muddles through a rotten day only to discover that she has to relive it, literally, over and over. When Amanda learns that Leo is likewise stuck, the former friends join forces, learning that dramatic consequences result from their smallest actions and discovering, in a somewhat contrived conclusion, what an old feud, an enchantment and the apple grove long since replaced by the town mall have to do with their extraordinary friendship. The commendable focus on a boy/girl friendship is somewhat offset by the flatness of the individual characters, particularly Leo. 2009, Scholastic, 272p, $16.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 8 to 12. © 2008 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
In this slow-paced middle-school friendship saga, mildly spiced with a bit of fantasy, readers meet Amanda and Leo, best friends who have spent every birthday together since day one. That is, until their tenth birthday party, at which Amanda happens to overhear Leo talking her down to some classmates. In an extreme overreaction, she flees the party and cuts Leo out of her life. Implausibly, Amanda's grudge endures for an entire year, and she finds herself, stubborn and miserable, celebrating her 11th birthday alone. She muddles through a rotten day only to discover that she has to relive it, literally, over and over. When Amanda learns that Leo is likewise stuck, the former friends join forces, learning that dramatic consequences result from their smallest actions and discovering, in a somewhat contrived conclusion, what an old feud, an enchantment and the apple grove long since replaced by the town mall have to do with their extraordinary friendship. The commendable focus on a boy/girl friendship is somewhat offset by the flatness of the individual characters, particularly Leo. 2009, Scholastic, 272p, $16.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 8 to 12. © 2008 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
Jeannette Hulick (The Bulletin of the Center
for Children’s Books, February 2009 (Vol. 62, No. 6))
Amanda has celebrated every birthday with her birthdate-mate Leo, but their falling out last year leaves her anxiously facing her eleventh birthday alone. Her anxiety proves justified as chaos reigns: Amanda’s pal Stephanie pushes her to try out for gymnastics in hopes of snaring an in with the popular girls (drummer Amanda would rather try out for marching band), her mom gets fired, and she is nearly attacked by a gigantic SpongeBob balloon in her bedroom. All of this makes for a rather unpleasant birthday, but even worse is the next day—which is the same day all over again. Though the rationale for the Groundhog Day–reminiscent birthday-reliving is a little complicated and superfluous (it involves an ancient feud), the idea of a repeat birthday, with its multiple chances to get things right and its permission to act without incurring lasting consequences, is imaginatively developed and kid-pleasing. The now-tenuous/now-tenacious quality of the book’s middle-grade friendships will ring true to its audience, and Amanda’s voice is likable and humorous (“In a few hours, no one will remember any of this except for me and Leo. For the first time, I can’t wait to see SpongeBob’s freaky streamer arms waving at me in the morning”). Short chapters and quick pacing make the pages fly by, and kids not quite ready to leave boy-girl friendships behind will find this particularly satisfying Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2009, Scholastic, 272p.; Reviewed from galleys, $16.99. Grades 4-6.
Amanda has celebrated every birthday with her birthdate-mate Leo, but their falling out last year leaves her anxiously facing her eleventh birthday alone. Her anxiety proves justified as chaos reigns: Amanda’s pal Stephanie pushes her to try out for gymnastics in hopes of snaring an in with the popular girls (drummer Amanda would rather try out for marching band), her mom gets fired, and she is nearly attacked by a gigantic SpongeBob balloon in her bedroom. All of this makes for a rather unpleasant birthday, but even worse is the next day—which is the same day all over again. Though the rationale for the Groundhog Day–reminiscent birthday-reliving is a little complicated and superfluous (it involves an ancient feud), the idea of a repeat birthday, with its multiple chances to get things right and its permission to act without incurring lasting consequences, is imaginatively developed and kid-pleasing. The now-tenuous/now-tenacious quality of the book’s middle-grade friendships will ring true to its audience, and Amanda’s voice is likable and humorous (“In a few hours, no one will remember any of this except for me and Leo. For the first time, I can’t wait to see SpongeBob’s freaky streamer arms waving at me in the morning”). Short chapters and quick pacing make the pages fly by, and kids not quite ready to leave boy-girl friendships behind will find this particularly satisfying Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2009, Scholastic, 272p.; Reviewed from galleys, $16.99. Grades 4-6.
Ellen Simmons (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas
Reviews (Vol. 22, No. 2))
Amanda and Leo were born on the same day and have celebrated their birthdays together ever since. At least, they did until their tenth birthday party when Amanda overheard Leo trashing their friendship to impress some other guys. Her hurt feelings have kept them apart for an entire year, and now their eleventh birthdays will be celebrated at separate parties. After living through a horrible day where she botches a half-hearted gymnastics tryout, most of her so-called friends go to Leo’s party, and her mother gets fired from her job, Amanda wakes up to find she must re-live her eleventhbirthday day all over again--and again. Stuck in some kind of time warp, Amanda soon experiments with different choices, some of which affect the people she encounters and the outcome of her day in positive ways. Other choices bring negative outcomes. But no matter what she does, she seems destined to relive her birthday. Then she discovers the same thing is happening to Leo! The two repair their friendship and work together to track down the source of their mutual time trap, learning a few lessons about consequences along the way. The story is told from Amanda’s point of view, and readers will readily identify with her insecurities and frustrations and her surprise at discovering how small acts of kindness can affect her own and others’ feelings. Reliving the day allows Amanda to notice how other people feel and to gain confidence in her own choices. This is an entertaining book that, even with the fantasy angle, nicely captures the pathos of being a pre-teen. The book will work well in elementary, middle school, and public libraries. Fiction. Grades 4-6. 2009, Scholastic, 267p., $16.99. Ages 9 to 12.
Amanda and Leo were born on the same day and have celebrated their birthdays together ever since. At least, they did until their tenth birthday party when Amanda overheard Leo trashing their friendship to impress some other guys. Her hurt feelings have kept them apart for an entire year, and now their eleventh birthdays will be celebrated at separate parties. After living through a horrible day where she botches a half-hearted gymnastics tryout, most of her so-called friends go to Leo’s party, and her mother gets fired from her job, Amanda wakes up to find she must re-live her eleventhbirthday day all over again--and again. Stuck in some kind of time warp, Amanda soon experiments with different choices, some of which affect the people she encounters and the outcome of her day in positive ways. Other choices bring negative outcomes. But no matter what she does, she seems destined to relive her birthday. Then she discovers the same thing is happening to Leo! The two repair their friendship and work together to track down the source of their mutual time trap, learning a few lessons about consequences along the way. The story is told from Amanda’s point of view, and readers will readily identify with her insecurities and frustrations and her surprise at discovering how small acts of kindness can affect her own and others’ feelings. Reliving the day allows Amanda to notice how other people feel and to gain confidence in her own choices. This is an entertaining book that, even with the fantasy angle, nicely captures the pathos of being a pre-teen. The book will work well in elementary, middle school, and public libraries. Fiction. Grades 4-6. 2009, Scholastic, 267p., $16.99. Ages 9 to 12.
Elementary Library Uses
This is a good
example of those that are used to read realistic fiction but might need a
little nudge to explore other genres. Students may become interested in
other forms of fantasy after reading this book.
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