11 Birthdays

Amanda and Leo have been best friends since they were born, but on their 10th birthday, she hears Leo saying terrible things about her and she stops speaking to him.

Their 11th birthday does not go well for Amanda. She spends most of the day feeling sorry for herself and goes to bed disappointed. The next day when she wakes up, she appears to be stuck in the day before. As she gets ready for her birthday party, she realizes she is in a time loop. A few days later, she realizes that she and Leo are stuck in the same time loop. They make up and go on many adventures together and start to uncover why their families have been feuding. While uncovering this information, they also realize why they are in this time loop together.

In the morning, Amanda realizes that she is celebrating her birthday again for the 11th time. She is frustrated but when she gets on the bus she sees the Angelina is the bus driver, who explains why they are in this time loop and what to do to escape it.

11 Birthdays, was positively received by both the general public and critics. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books published a review by Jeannette Hulick, which states that 11 Birthdays “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.”[2] Publishers Weekly also states, “Like a Groundhog Day for middle grade readers, Mass' winning story features a girl seemingly trapped in her 11th birthday. Amanda seems doomed to relive her failed try-out for the gymnastics team, her mother being fired from her job and, worst of all, the party that even her best friend leaves early—to go to the party hosted by her former friend, Leo. The two have celebrated every previous birthday together (they were born on the same day), but a misunderstanding on their 10th has gone unresolved. Girls will relate to Amanda’s insecurities, and the confidence and insights she gains will resonate with them. Mass’s expertise with pacing keeps the story moving at a lively clip, and her understanding of this age group is as finely honed as ever.”[3] 11 Birthdays has been nominated for and received numerous awards, including the William Allen White Award for grades 3–5 in 2012,[4] and has been chosen a 2009 Library Guild Selection.[1]

The five novels of the Willow Falls series all have different protagonists, who become friends. They also all revolve around birthdays and are set in the same small town of Willow Falls, with the presence of the mysterious Angelina D’Angelo.

• 11 Birthdays (2009)
• 12 Finally (2010) Rory Swenson has a list of things she wants to do once she turns 12, but after a cryptic prediction from Angelina, most of her attempts to get them end in disaster.
• 13 Gifts (2011) As punishment for stealing a stuffed goat, Tara Brennan is sent to her aunt and uncle in Willow Falls, where after she attempts to sell a stolen vintage comic book, Angelina orders her to gather 13 things by her 13th birthday.
• The Last Present (2013) Grace Kelly enters a frozen state on her 10th birthday, which could have been avoided if Angelina had been able to give her a protective blessing. Amanda and Leo's curse is changed to allow them to travel back in time to Grace's birthdays to give her that blessing, until they find out what she really needs.
• Graceful (2015) Still adjusting to life with her powers, Grace discovers something big in Willow Falls' future, and it's connected to the strange things happening in town.

• Wendy Mass's Home Page
• William Allen White Award List Archived October 25, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
• Scholastic Inc. Home Page

https://wendymass.com/books/finally/overview/ https://wendymass.com/books/13-gifts/overview/ https://wendymass.com/books/the-last-present/overview/ https://wendymass.com/books/graceful/overview/