-13 Gifts by Wendy Mass, New York, Scholastic, $18.99
DUE to a fairly serious lapse in judgment, 12year-old Tara Brennan finds herself staying with relatives she doesn't know well instead of accompanying her parents on their summer trip to Madagascar to study lemurs.
In this funny novel about dealing with the consequences of one's actions, a little magic realism creeps in to add to the fun. Tara, who is soon turning 13, has felt like an outsider all her life and decides to make a serious attempt to fit in by agreeing to steal the school principal's beloved stuffed goat mascot for two of her classmates. The reward is permission to sit at lunch with the girls for the last couple of weeks of school and feel part of a group.
Needless to say, her midnight peregrinations go sadly awry and her disappointed parents decide that a visit to Tara's relatives will do much to mitigate the influence of her classmates. Tara is horrified at the prospect of spending a summer with younger cousin Emily whose claim to fame was eating an entire glue stick at their last meeting.
Things go from bad to worse when Tara's backpack is ransacked during the train ride to Willow Falls and the $200 her parents gave her for the summer goes missing. Ever resourceful, Tara purloins a vintage comic from her uncle's amazing collection and takes it to a store run by a very strange woman who recognizes the stolen comic and makes a deal with her. From here on the story reflects Emily's claim that there is something very special about Willow Falls.
The deal Angelina, owner of the collectibles shop, offers Tara involves somehow acquiring 13 objects by honest means. In the process of getting the objects Tara does a lot of growing up, discovers that there are no coincidences in Willow Falls and uncovers the secret reason her parents have moved so often. Angelina is much more than she seems and her mysterious powers effect change in the town and heal her mother's private sorrow once and for all ensuring that Tara's 13th birthday is a splendid occasion.
The plot's twists and turns make this an exciting read and the characterization is excellent. Tara's growing maturity is nicely documented as is her friendship with her cousin and David, a family friend. Wendy Mass has produced a number of award-winning books and this offering certainly seems to have award potential! Readers who like this book should try the other books set in Willow Falls, 11 Birthdays and Finally.
Fran Ashdown is recently retired from the position of children's librarian at the Capilano branch of the North Vancouver District Library. She remembers her 13th birthday as a pretty special occasion. For more information check out your local libraries.
