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13 Gifts Audiobook
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(4.00) - 2,637 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Wendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!
NARRATOR: TBAFORMAT: 5 CDs, UnabridgedWhen Alyssa, 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 13 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 13th birthday.Download and start listening now!
"What delightful book! It's clever and funny and thought provoking. My kids and I listened to the entire book on tape. Even the 4 year old was begging to listen to the story! I just realized that it is the 3rd in a trilogy, but it stands on its own very well. I love how the characters' flaws help them learn and ultimately change for the better."
— Kirsti (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Kathleen McInerney effectively portrays the dynamics of the tween characters who make up this story. Her Australian accent is spot-on, and she switches from children to adult characters flawlessly…The story’s madcap antics are pleasantly grounded by McInerney’s youthful voice.”
— AudioFile -
“Strange happenings propel the story forward, as Tara has her money stolen and meets a pawnshop owner who commands the youngster to collect thirteen objects from unsuspecting people, all of whom are fully realized through McInerney’s skillful narration. She capably distinguishes mature adult characters and children. Speaking in a little-girl voice, McInerney captures Tara’s naïveté and uses more breathy tones for Tara’s math-loving cousin. Of particular note is the flawless Aussie accent for a handyman, whose down-under expressions enliven this quirky series title, filled with plot surprises and a bit of magic.”
— Booklist (audio review) -
“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.”
— School Library Journal -
“Equal parts philosophical and wryly humorous, this magical tale will satisfy both fans and new readers alike.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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A 2011 Parents' Choice Award Silver Medalist
13 Gifts Listener Reviews
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" Great Book! Really ties in with 11 Birthdays and Finally! Wendy Mass has done it again! If you love the first 2 books you'll love this one! "
— Booklover123, 2/13/2014 -
" Loved it! Wendy Mass has successfully continued her story of this special town, with lovable new characters, beloved youngsters, and it's amazing, oldest inhabitants. "
— Caroline, 2/11/2014 -
" It was awesome! Read 11 Birthdays and Finally before because they have a lot of the same careecters "
— Amanda, 2/8/2014 -
" Pretty good. All the characters from the previous books make appearances. "
— Carly, 1/30/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this book along with the first two in the series. (11 birthdays and Finally.) "
— Emily, 1/28/2014 -
" STILL NEED TO READ IT BOOK MISSING PAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
— Savanna, 1/25/2014 -
" Wow. Wendy Mass does it again! This book was awesome! It is a sequel to 11 Birthdays and Finally. This is my favorite book for sure! "
— Emma, 1/23/2014 -
" This was sweet, but I felt like the "mystical" factor was completely unnecessary. Also it had so many shades of Jeremy Fink but wasn't as amazing as that one. Stlil, a good read and a nice book--I ended up giving it to a 13-year-old who sat next to me on the plane. "
— Erin, 1/18/2014 -
" I liked it, it had something in the end that you kind of never would have expected "
— Danielle, 1/14/2014 -
" I love this book!! It has so many subplots. Very exciting and addicting. Thank you Ethan and Mom "
— Goat, 1/12/2014 -
" Very fun, clever read. I liked the mix of characters - gender, background, etc - will work well with a variety of readers. "
— Amanda, 1/3/2014 -
" This was a small group and they really enjoyed the book. After reading it realized that it was apart of a series and wanted to read the others as well. "
— Erin, 12/19/2013 -
" it's very awesome to read but also fun to listen to!!!! "
— â™ Abbyâ™, 12/8/2013 -
" It is so funny and such an interesting book to read. Tara was so funny and clever, and I loved re-reading about old characters in the series, like Rory, Leo, Amanda, Sawyer, Sari, Annabelle, and Stephanie. This book is so awesome!!!!!!!! "
— Ashley, 12/3/2013 -
" I loved it!!!! It was my favorite of the whole trilogy!! It is amazing how everything fits together at the ending. I was super happy for Tara when she got to move to Willow Falls. I loved the part when you figure out about the love potion to the mom. "
— Paige, 11/11/2013 -
" you have to read this! "
— Chloe, 9/1/2013 -
" Once more, Wendy mass has made a new ooh about willow falls. I really enjoyed this book, as it was interesting and grippping. "
— Koko, 8/15/2013 -
" another great book by Wendy Mass(: "
— Maria, 7/27/2013 -
" Really good but weird "
— Madilyn, 4/4/2013 -
" You do realize the main character is Tara not Alyssa, right? Who wrote the summary to this book anyway? "
— Emma , 1/5/2013 -
" There are no words to describe this book. This book teaches you things, makes you laugh, and makes you cry. This books makes you confused, understanding, angry, delighted, sad, happy... Just read it! But only if you have read 11 Birthdays and Finally 12 first! "
— Pixieshadow10354, 12/21/2012 -
" Not as good as the other two in this trio of books. Was really disapointed. "
— Lindsay, 11/1/2012 -
" In the "11 Birthdays" series, the same characters return to help another friend through their magical birthday problems. I love these books! "
— Gaylene, 6/26/2012 -
" This was the most amazing book I've EVER read in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE!!!It is just so amazing it has the same settings and characters as in Finally and 11 birthdays!Go Wendy Mass! "
— Jaylee, 4/4/2012 -
" I loved how this book made sharp turns and the surprises were actually very very interesting. Wendy Mass has made yet another masterpiece. "
— Amrin, 3/25/2012 -
" At times I really hated this book. The characters and the situations they found themselves in and their resulting actions were ridiculous. But what can I say, the ending got me. I liked it in spite of myself.... "
— Emily, 3/23/2012 -
" Wendy Mass is my favorite author I love the way she writes!! "
— Sofia, 11/27/2011 -
" There's just something about these books that makes me want to keep reading them. "
— Jess, 10/28/2011 -
" Ultamite favorite! "
— Payton, 10/18/2011 -
" I really enjoyed this book along with the first two in the series. (11 birthdays and Finally.) "
— Emily, 10/14/2011 -
" ya i am done i love this book thank you wendy!! "
— Heather, 10/9/2011 -
" This is a great series! This book took me awhile to get into but by the end I was really liking it. I can also tell there's going to be a fourth book in the series which I'll be excited to read! "
— Alicia, 10/5/2011 -
" Loved this third book, terrific connections to theater, appropriate religion topics, and the fantasy element of other two books! "
— Debbiea, 10/4/2011 -
" So far the book is very interesting with all the wired characters. I havent lost interest yet. I cant stop reading the book when I start. I really like this book. I am about 1/2 way done reading it. "
— Amy, 9/28/2011 -
" A charming teen read. Easy to recommend to a tween/teen girl. "
— Michelle, 9/26/2011 -
" I think this is a really good book! "
— Madison, 9/25/2011 -
" I laughed alot reading this one! "
— Linda, 7/9/2011 -
" 2.5 stars. Disappointed with this one. Very slow pace, not the best framework for a story, and parts of the ending weren't resolved at all (although Mass could be setting up another book in the Willow Falls series). Still a cute read, and middle-schoolers will enjoy it. "
— Jen, 5/18/2011
About Wendy Mass
Wendy Mass is the award-winning author of several novels, including A Mango-Shaped Place, Leap Day, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Heaven Looks a Lot like a Mall, Every Soul a Star, The Candymakers, 11 Birthdays, Finally, and the Twice upon a Time series.
About Kathleen McInerney
Kathleen McInerney won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration in 2011 and was a finalist for the Audie in 2010 and 2015. Her narrations have also earned several AudioFile Earphones Awards. She has performed in New York and around the United States in both classical and contemporary theater. Her credits also include television commercials, daytime drama, radio plays, and a broad range of animation voice-overs.