What if you had to live through the same day again and again? If that day was your worst birthday ever, you might give the question more thought. On Amanda's 11th birthday, she finds herself celebrating without her best friend Leo for the first time in her life- they've celebrated every single birthday together since they were a year old. On their first birthday they learned to walk, on their fifth birthday they planted seeds in pots and watched them grow, and on their tenth birthday they learned that words can really hurt. Since they had a fallout the year before, Amanda hasn't spoken a single word to Leo and won't explain what happened to her parents or friends. The story will undoubtedly remind adults of
Groundhog Day, but unlike the movie's protagonist, Phil, Amanda and her friend Leo are embroiled in an ancient curse that has sealed their families fate for generations. The story is as much about friendship between boys and girls as it is about solving mysteries and puzzles. Friendship is the heart of the story and the mystery is the skin and bones. Readers who enjoy Rebecca Stead's
When You Reach Me, or the classic tween mystery
The Westing Game will find this title worth the time.
Mass, Wendy. (2009).
11 Birthdays. New York: Scholastic Press. 267 pages. ISBN: 978-0-545-05240-5.
Ages 9-12
Rating: High Additional
