11 Birthdays

One of the two days that I was reading 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass, I got a lot of attention for reading it. I took it to Gabi and Cordy's dance studio and was reading it in the hallway. A 4-year-old ran by, stopped in her tracks, and turned to inform me that her big sister was reading the same book. A half hour later, a 6-year-old ran by and stopped in HIS tracks to tell me that his big sister was reading the same book. Ok, fine, they have the same big sister, BUT I was surprised that they both noticed and showed an interest. That same night, I received a message from an adult who had purchased the book for her daughter. Although the daughter hadn't read it yet, the mother was enjoying it. I was surprised by the number of people who picked this particular book to read.

Yes, the colorful balloons are very eye-catching. I just noticed that the back cover is a flip of the front cover, but a boy is holding the balloons instead of the girl. It's just that when I saw the book for the first time, it didn't scream "read me"! I'm just curious why people choose the books that they decide to read. I've read two other books by this author: A Mango-Shaped Space and Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life and I liked both of them. They are contemporary realistic fiction with a hint of whimsy. A touch of the fantastical. Let's just say, that I'm never surprised when someone asks for The Lightning Thief or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But when someone asks for a book like 11 Birthdays, I wonder how they discovered it. Scholastic Book Fair perhaps.

I have called this book a blending of the Hatfields and the McCoys AND the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray and Andy McDowell. I'll admit that it is one of my favorite comedies. Amanda and Leo were born the same day, in the same town, in the same hospital. That's where their parents first met. By some strange stroke of luck, and a double-booking, both families end up at Mr. McAllister's Magic Castle Birthday Party Palace to celebrate their 1st birthdays. And so it begins. A ten-year tradition where best friends share their birthday parties every year.

But something awful happened at their party the year they turned ten. Amanda refuses to talk to Leo the entire year leading up to their 11th birthdays. For the first time, they will celebrate their birthdays separately. It ends up being the worst day, let alone birthday, of Amanda's life. NOTHING goes right. Everything goes wrong. She cannot wait for the day to end. She just wants to get to the weekend so she can sort things out. Unfortunately, she wakes up the next morning, and it's that awful day all over again.

Much like Groundhog Day, once she realizes that she is indeed living the same day over and over again, she tries to fix things in an effort to get past that horrible day. If only she knew what needed to be fixed! Luckily, she discovers that she is in this situation with one other person. Hopefully they can fix time and their friendship as well and move on with their lives. It is an "enchanting" story.