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The Winnie Years #5
Thirteen Plus One
Winnie Perry is fourteen now, and the countdown to high school is shaping up to be as eventful as an entire year of middle school. Not only are things shaky with her boyfriend, Lars, but BFFs Dinah and Cinnamon have been acting weird, big sister Sandra is college-bound, little brother Ty has smuggled a stolen penguin home in his backpack, and new baby sister Maggie has everything turned upside down. It?s a lot for anyone to handle, and loyal Winnie is so busy worrying about everyone else that she hardly notices that she might just be struggling a little bit herself.
With humor and honesty, Lauren Myracle brings us another pitch-perfect novel featuring the characters that her legions of fans have grown up loving.
With humor and honesty, Lauren Myracle brings us another pitch-perfect novel featuring the characters that her legions of fans have grown up loving.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2010
118 people are currently reading
1433 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Myracle
95 books2,026 followersLauren Myracle is the author of numerous young adult novels. She was born in 1969 in North Carolina. Lauren Myracle holds an MA in English from Colorado State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. she has written many novels, including the famous IM books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r.
Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .
Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
October 16, 2012
So much disappointment.
I remembered that I really liked Eleven and Twelve back when I read them in 6th grade, so when I found out about this I was all for it. I mean, it was a break from all this nonfiction analyzing literature that I had to do in APLAC class!
To my dismay, I found that this particular installment of the series is not only bland and boring, the plot is an empty shell. Winnie has transitioned from an insecure adolescent who had boy problems in the past books to... What?! A completely bratty, selfish freshman-to-be?!?! Please.
The majority of the book has her crying pathetically over her birthday present from her boyfriend Lars, which was a $25 Starbucks card, when she really wanted a cupcake. She refers to the card as a "stupid piece of plastic". Yeah, it's a stupid piece of plastic that can get you like, I don't know, 8 mocha frappuccinos. Suck it up Winnie. GOD FORBID HE GIVE HER A STARBUCKS CARD. OH, THE HORRORS. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING WORSE IN THIS WORLD OH GOD PLEASE HOLD ME NO I CAN'T STAND THIS.
I can't even shake off this overwhelming feeling of disgust and pure disappointment. :( You can do better than this, Lauren Myracle.
I remembered that I really liked Eleven and Twelve back when I read them in 6th grade, so when I found out about this I was all for it. I mean, it was a break from all this nonfiction analyzing literature that I had to do in APLAC class!
To my dismay, I found that this particular installment of the series is not only bland and boring, the plot is an empty shell. Winnie has transitioned from an insecure adolescent who had boy problems in the past books to... What?! A completely bratty, selfish freshman-to-be?!?! Please.
The majority of the book has her crying pathetically over her birthday present from her boyfriend Lars, which was a $25 Starbucks card, when she really wanted a cupcake. She refers to the card as a "stupid piece of plastic". Yeah, it's a stupid piece of plastic that can get you like, I don't know, 8 mocha frappuccinos. Suck it up Winnie. GOD FORBID HE GIVE HER A STARBUCKS CARD. OH, THE HORRORS. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING WORSE IN THIS WORLD OH GOD PLEASE HOLD ME NO I CAN'T STAND THIS.
I can't even shake off this overwhelming feeling of disgust and pure disappointment. :( You can do better than this, Lauren Myracle.
April 25, 2017
I was disappointed by this book. Even though it was very cringey, I still expected an actual plotline. In 13, there was a kid who had cancer, and her mom was having a baby, and there were Friend Troubles. With that in mind, I expected something. But no. Here's what happened.
And we're back with the fourth book of Adventures With Winnie P1! (keep in mind I don't actually remember what happened in 10, 11, or 12 as I was in 2nd grade when I read them.) Anyway let's get right into the news.
1. Winnie turned 14!!! It's a Super Huge Deal because she got an iPhone. it's hard for her to press the buttons when texting though.
2. Winnie comes to terms with the fact that she is very self-centered.
3. Winnie writes a list of goals she has. Now, instead of each chapter being a month, it's titled with these goals.
4. Dinah helps a girl named Mary to store the stuff she shoplifts. She gets suspended for 1 day because she helped Mary, and is sad because she lets Mary (and other people) walk all over her. They have a heart to heart, and there is (finally) some nice character development. YAY!
Sami has enlightened me on the fact that this is the fifth, not fourth, book in the series.
sorry 'bout dat
It's time for AWW! How exciting.
1. Winnie wants to go to a sea turtle camp where they help baby sea turtles get to the ocean. This is exciting.
2. Winnie has some Bonding Moments with her sister.
3. Cinnamon is salty about Winnie and Dinah going to sea turtle camp without her. Poor Cinnamon.
Nothing has really happened so far, so here are some predictions.
I predict that Amanda will also be at Turtle Camp.
The End
AWW! Here's an update on the book
1. I'm about 2/3 of the way done with it and NOTHING IMPORTANT HAS HAPPENED. It's not even cringey anymore (well, it still is, because it's the cringe book), but it's SO BORING.
2. Winnie and Dinah arrive at Turtle Camp only to realize: Cinnamon is also there! OMG! Cinnamon was keeping it a surprise.
3. Once there, they meet some Hot Boys. Oh my, more flirting for Winnie! *gag*
Cya!
Now, for the final update on Adventures With Winnie.
Winnie is almost finished with Sea Turtle Camp. She is still mad at Lars because for her birthday, he got her a $25 Starbucks card. THE HORROR! She knows it's stupid to complain about, but does she realize that she needs to move on? Nope. She mopes about it ALL BOOK. Then, she finally calls Lars to tell him why she's angry. When he asks her what she DID want, she doesn't want to tell him. Then, she finally tells him what she wanted. Do you know what she wanted? SHE WANTED A CUPCAKE. A. CUPCAKE. (and then she hangs up on him) but a CUPCAKE. I would have taken the gift card. Like, I get the fact that she didn't get a cake from her family or her friends and she's salty about that, but she could have gotten a cupcake at Starbucks. Maybe even taken Lars and gotten him a cupcake as well? Did that even occur to her? No. No it did not.
ANNNNnnyway, she hangs up and goes to a campfire where she sees a guy she has been flirting with all summer who I think was named Alphonse, but I'm honestly not sure. Then, Alphonse reveals that he wants to kiss her. Winnie is surprised. My question is, why? She had been flirting with him all summer, so should she really expect something different? She apparently can't make friends with a boy without flirting with him, so...
ANyway, then Lars comes to the beach and brings her a cupcake and they have a heart-to-heart. The End.
BUT WAIT! Amanda's cat, sister of Winnie's cat, has died! Oh no. Winnie goes to help her bury the cat and they have a heart-to-heart also. All loose ends are tied up, and everyone is happy. The end.
Well, that was an experience. Please never make me read that again.
Thanks for taking the time to go on this cringey adventure with me! If I've inspired you to read these books, I pray for you. Good luck.
And we're back with the fourth book of Adventures With Winnie P1! (keep in mind I don't actually remember what happened in 10, 11, or 12 as I was in 2nd grade when I read them.) Anyway let's get right into the news.
1. Winnie turned 14!!! It's a Super Huge Deal because she got an iPhone. it's hard for her to press the buttons when texting though.
2. Winnie comes to terms with the fact that she is very self-centered.
3. Winnie writes a list of goals she has. Now, instead of each chapter being a month, it's titled with these goals.
4. Dinah helps a girl named Mary to store the stuff she shoplifts. She gets suspended for 1 day because she helped Mary, and is sad because she lets Mary (and other people) walk all over her. They have a heart to heart, and there is (finally) some nice character development. YAY!
Sami has enlightened me on the fact that this is the fifth, not fourth, book in the series.
sorry 'bout dat
It's time for AWW! How exciting.
1. Winnie wants to go to a sea turtle camp where they help baby sea turtles get to the ocean. This is exciting.
2. Winnie has some Bonding Moments with her sister.
3. Cinnamon is salty about Winnie and Dinah going to sea turtle camp without her. Poor Cinnamon.
Nothing has really happened so far, so here are some predictions.
I predict that Amanda will also be at Turtle Camp.
The End
AWW! Here's an update on the book
1. I'm about 2/3 of the way done with it and NOTHING IMPORTANT HAS HAPPENED. It's not even cringey anymore (well, it still is, because it's the cringe book), but it's SO BORING.
2. Winnie and Dinah arrive at Turtle Camp only to realize: Cinnamon is also there! OMG! Cinnamon was keeping it a surprise.
3. Once there, they meet some Hot Boys. Oh my, more flirting for Winnie! *gag*
Cya!
Now, for the final update on Adventures With Winnie.
Winnie is almost finished with Sea Turtle Camp. She is still mad at Lars because for her birthday, he got her a $25 Starbucks card. THE HORROR! She knows it's stupid to complain about, but does she realize that she needs to move on? Nope. She mopes about it ALL BOOK. Then, she finally calls Lars to tell him why she's angry. When he asks her what she DID want, she doesn't want to tell him. Then, she finally tells him what she wanted. Do you know what she wanted? SHE WANTED A CUPCAKE. A. CUPCAKE. (and then she hangs up on him) but a CUPCAKE. I would have taken the gift card. Like, I get the fact that she didn't get a cake from her family or her friends and she's salty about that, but she could have gotten a cupcake at Starbucks. Maybe even taken Lars and gotten him a cupcake as well? Did that even occur to her? No. No it did not.
ANNNNnnyway, she hangs up and goes to a campfire where she sees a guy she has been flirting with all summer who I think was named Alphonse, but I'm honestly not sure. Then, Alphonse reveals that he wants to kiss her. Winnie is surprised. My question is, why? She had been flirting with him all summer, so should she really expect something different? She apparently can't make friends with a boy without flirting with him, so...
ANyway, then Lars comes to the beach and brings her a cupcake and they have a heart-to-heart. The End.
BUT WAIT! Amanda's cat, sister of Winnie's cat, has died! Oh no. Winnie goes to help her bury the cat and they have a heart-to-heart also. All loose ends are tied up, and everyone is happy. The end.
Well, that was an experience. Please never make me read that again.
Thanks for taking the time to go on this cringey adventure with me! If I've inspired you to read these books, I pray for you. Good luck.
October 23, 2022
THESE ATE. I remember reading them so fast too😤👆🏼
March 28, 2013
I have loved the Winnie series until now. This one was a disappointment. Something's up. Did Lauren Myracle get a new editor? Is she experimenting with her format? This book was very disjointed. Prior to this installment, Myracle was following a formula that worked. Changing it up is not a problem as long as it works. This didn't.
First of all, there were several strange things from the get-go. All of the characters started saying y'all. What? They didn't say that in any of the other books . . . Also, on her birthday there was a casual mention of Winnie having a cell phone and hoping for a new one for her birthday. The other books didn't mention cell phones at all! Having a cell phone is HUGE in a tween's or teen's life. It should have been mentioned earlier in the series.
Then the author took a generally likable main character and made her extremely unlikable. That was unfortunate. She became that ridiculously overly sensitive teenager who reacts stupidly to everything. For example, when her boyfriend says to have fun with her friends on the night of her birthday, she thinks to herself, "Where did he get off, instructing me to 'have fun'?" Ugh. I get that she has self-realization at the end of the book, but really? She was a snot throughout, and it was very irritating.
As for appropriateness of content, which is why I embarked on this series, there is a part where Winnie is wondering what it would be like to have a penis complete with erections that felt totally unnecessary and dumb. Also, one of the campers is described as butch because she's gay.
But what rankles me the most in books is when a story based somewhat in reality contains implausible content. The part about the penguin was ridiculous. Also, that parents who have so far been characterized as responsible would drop their hormonal young teenagers off at a remote location with only one adult to supervise. At a coed camp. And that one adult NEVER checks up on them. And . . . nothing more than kissing happens. Nope. I don't believe it.
There WERE a few redeeming points to this book though. I enjoyed the turtle refuge setting. I also loved when Winnie told Amanda that she hates when people use the word "retarded." I dated a guy in high school who had a sister with Down's Syndrome, and I feel the same way about that word! The whole cat incident at the end blew me away because I had a very, very similar incident with my old best friend and her cat Ace. Bizarre.
First of all, there were several strange things from the get-go. All of the characters started saying y'all. What? They didn't say that in any of the other books . . . Also, on her birthday there was a casual mention of Winnie having a cell phone and hoping for a new one for her birthday. The other books didn't mention cell phones at all! Having a cell phone is HUGE in a tween's or teen's life. It should have been mentioned earlier in the series.
Then the author took a generally likable main character and made her extremely unlikable. That was unfortunate. She became that ridiculously overly sensitive teenager who reacts stupidly to everything. For example, when her boyfriend says to have fun with her friends on the night of her birthday, she thinks to herself, "Where did he get off, instructing me to 'have fun'?" Ugh. I get that she has self-realization at the end of the book, but really? She was a snot throughout, and it was very irritating.
As for appropriateness of content, which is why I embarked on this series, there is a part where Winnie is wondering what it would be like to have a penis complete with erections that felt totally unnecessary and dumb. Also, one of the campers is described as butch because she's gay.
But what rankles me the most in books is when a story based somewhat in reality contains implausible content. The part about the penguin was ridiculous. Also, that parents who have so far been characterized as responsible would drop their hormonal young teenagers off at a remote location with only one adult to supervise. At a coed camp. And that one adult NEVER checks up on them. And . . . nothing more than kissing happens. Nope. I don't believe it.
There WERE a few redeeming points to this book though. I enjoyed the turtle refuge setting. I also loved when Winnie told Amanda that she hates when people use the word "retarded." I dated a guy in high school who had a sister with Down's Syndrome, and I feel the same way about that word! The whole cat incident at the end blew me away because I had a very, very similar incident with my old best friend and her cat Ace. Bizarre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2024
[gr] Πολύ όμορφη σειρά! Πολύ όμορφο τελείωμα στη σειρά, μου άρεσε η αλλαγή του μοτίβου των κεφαλαίων, που τώρα ακολουθούσαν τους στόχους τις Γουίνι (τους οποίους και ολοκλήρωσε^^) και όχι τον κάθε μήνα που περνούσε. Έτσι χώρεσαν πιο πολλά γεγονότα και μάλιστα πολύ ενθουσιώδη και μοναδικά γεγονότα.
Χάρηκα που η Γουίνι βρήκε (όσο γίνεται στα 14) τον εαυτό της και που εξελίχθηκε τόσο πολύ σε αυτά τα 5 βιβλία. Θα ήθελα να δω πως θα τα πάει και στο Λύκειο, αλλά σίγουρα όλα θα γίνονται όλο και πιο διασκεδαστικά και σοβαρά ταυτόχρονα. (Μεγαλώνουμε…)
Ήταν μία όμορφη καλοκαιρινή περιπέτεια και για εμένα, και τώρα μαζί με τη Γουίνι κι εγώ θα κάνω βουτιά στον Σεπτέμβριο, τον μήνα των υποχρεώσεων.
Διασκέδασα πολύ, θα τη ξαναδιάβαζα💙.
[en] A very nice and satisfying series and a very good ending. I liked the change in the chapters where it followed Winnie’s goals and not just the months, in that way we got more exciting events in her life, especially her summer^^.
I like that in the end Winnie managed to find herself or at least take a step closer to finding it (I mean, she’s still 14). I loved her evolution in those 5 books. I would love to see how would life in Highschool will be, but I know she will manage to survive just fine😌.
This book series was a lovely little summer adventure for me and I would definitely re-read it at some point.
Χάρηκα που η Γουίνι βρήκε (όσο γίνεται στα 14) τον εαυτό της και που εξελίχθηκε τόσο πολύ σε αυτά τα 5 βιβλία. Θα ήθελα να δω πως θα τα πάει και στο Λύκειο, αλλά σίγουρα όλα θα γίνονται όλο και πιο διασκεδαστικά και σοβαρά ταυτόχρονα. (Μεγαλώνουμε…)
Ήταν μία όμορφη καλοκαιρινή περιπέτεια και για εμένα, και τώρα μαζί με τη Γουίνι κι εγώ θα κάνω βουτιά στον Σεπτέμβριο, τον μήνα των υποχρεώσεων.
Διασκέδασα πολύ, θα τη ξαναδιάβαζα💙.
[en] A very nice and satisfying series and a very good ending. I liked the change in the chapters where it followed Winnie’s goals and not just the months, in that way we got more exciting events in her life, especially her summer^^.
I like that in the end Winnie managed to find herself or at least take a step closer to finding it (I mean, she’s still 14). I loved her evolution in those 5 books. I would love to see how would life in Highschool will be, but I know she will manage to survive just fine😌.
This book series was a lovely little summer adventure for me and I would definitely re-read it at some point.
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June 16, 2015A review of Thirteen by Lauren Myracle
Many teenage girls experience many new things that they may like or not. Just like Winnie. She is beginning to experience middle school. I can remember my first day of middle school just like she explained. Walking in and looking up at all of the eighth graders, talking to new people and much more. Many teenagers will enjoy seeing life through the eyes of thirteen year old, Winnie Perry.
The novel Thirteen does have a lot of fun adventures, but it also explores the relationship between Winnie and her boyfriend Larson, or Lars as she calls him. Winnie experiences some trouble with Lars because while she is beginning to find the ins and outs of middle school, he is already comfortable with middle school because he is in eighth grade and he is a year old then Winnie. While Winnie and Larson's relationship is adorable and cute, there is much drama that occurs. For example, when Winnie and Larson are fighting about Larson's new friends, Winnie says, "If you don't start to treat me better, I'm going to have to break up with you." After this Winnie and Larson didn't talk for at least a month, and it made you want to keep reading to when or if they would ever talk again.
People wish and hope for a great friendship and Winnie has exactly what people wish for. She and her two best friends Dinah and Cinnamon are always there for her and they are always laughing and having fun. They go through everything together, like going to middle school together and going to there first real high school party. There is never a dull moment, and they always have something fun and interesting going on. For example, when they went to the Bobbi brown makeup stand for makeovers, or when they went to Larson's house and hung out with high schoolers. They help each other with everything like when Winnie and Lars have problems or even just when they need help with their outfit choice. They are the ideal friendship that everybody wants. They may fight occasionally, but they always forgive and forget.
This book may not have much action and suspense, but you will be able to relate to Winnie, and it almost feels like she is talking to you.
March 11, 2011
I really loved this book. I was a great sequel to the other books in the series. The book starts off as Winnie prepares a list of things To-Do-Before-High school and achieves them throughout the book. Then, at the end of Junior high Lars fails to give Winnie a good birthday present. When he tells her he is leaving for the summer she becomes very disappointed. Then Dinah is caught for keeping somebody's stolen make up products in her locker, which caused her parents to decide to send her off to a disciplinary camp. Winnie seizes the opportunity and accompanies Dinah at a camp program where they rescue baby sea turtles. To their suprise Cinnamon joins them. Through the summer Winnie meets Alphonse who tries to kiss her at the end of the book, but Winnie stays loyal to Lars and resists the temptation. The book ends with the summer over and Winner and her two BFFs move on to High School.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2018
I loved this book so much because it is about Summer camp. This book is perfect for 4th grade and up. In this book Dinah and Winnie go to summer camp to save baby sea turtles and they have a. Surprise waiting for them there. This series is similar to the Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair.
April 21, 2013
Let me just warn you, this book doesn't follow the format of the first three. At the beginning, Winnie turns 14 and she makes a list of things to do before high school, and each chapter is her accomplishing something new, with the title of the goal as the chapter title. So the book stops in early September, at her high school before she goes in. Winnie is almost 14 1/2, so it only covers half a year. I was a little sad it wasn't her whole 14th year and didn't have 1 month for every chapter, but I could get used to it. Before, her life was too general, and now it covers each event more closely-as she gets mad at her boyfriend, her older sister graduates from high school(and she finishes middle school) she goes to camp to preserve sea turtles with Dinah and Cinnamon, meeting new people, and then talks to Amanda again. Winnie is a girl easy to relate to, but I found her a little whiny and superficial in this book-she gets so mad at her boyfriend because he gave her a Starbucks card for her birthday-and she just has to have her precious little cupcake. I actually started reading it a while ago-2+years-and I never finished it, I got so bored in the middle with all of the sea turtles! I started it again, and yeah, it was good, but I would recommend the other books more. Now I just need to read Ten, even though I'm a little old for it. It's funny, I read these books starting a great deal younger than Winnie(5 years, maybe?) and I always wished there were books about her at younger ages-now there is, but now I'm too old for even that!
July 9, 2010
i really enjoyed reading this book it was about love and friend ship and diana ended up doing something really cool that winnie knew was going to happen, cinnemen (sorry about spelling) thought that she would never like boys again after what happened last time but you'll have to see to find out if she really ends up meaning this. Sandra goes to collage, baby maggie is growing up, ty takes home a peinguin. lars and winnie aren't doing soooo well, sometimes they are doing fine but sometimes they dont feel right together.
thanks! emily
thanks! emily
July 16, 2011
Thirteen Plus One by Lauren Myracle is the fifth book in a series called "the Winnie Years". They all are based around Winnie Perry and her growth as she gets older. I remember liking the books before Thirteen Plus One but I found Myracle's latest novel boring, and therefore skimmed much of it. I didn't find the plot line very compelling or interesting, and never felt sure if Myracle was trying to paint Winnie as a self-absorbed character or a "good" character. I thought that she sort of switched between two personalities and it confused me. I don't reccomend this book.
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October 26, 2016omg dude i read this book like 20 years ago and the ONLY thing i remembered about it was there was a camp thing and one of the girls was named cinnamon. i could NOT remember the name and i tried googling various versions of "book with girl named cinnamon in it" but couldn't find it. BUT I LITERALLY JUST STUMBLED ACROSS THIS and now i can finally sleep at night knowing that this is the book with the girl named cinnamon in it lmao
October 13, 2010
This book is just as great as the other ones. The only thing about it is, the older she gets, the more the vocabulary gets more adult-ish. But everything else is DELIGHTFUL!
December 7, 2013
This book is really really good. I wish that a read the first 4 books. I would recommend this
to everyone you likes books about friends.
to everyone you likes books about friends.
November 22, 2019
I think the theme is to always tell people how you actually feel and not fake it. Winnie had been having a fight with Lars, but the thing was, he didn't know because she never told him how she actually felt until the end of the book.
September 15, 2024
3.45 stars. Not the best book in the series but it did wrap up the series decently.
April 5, 2022
3.5 Stars rounded up!
August 17, 2023
end of an era🥲
April 21, 2017
It is interesting and an add on to thirteen
November 12, 2025
Nov 2025:
One of my fav of the series. Ik i judged it kinda hard like three years ago, ive changed my position. Its all very real growing up and finding judgments and feeling bad ab judgments and not being an angel. Learning to be in a relationship and friendships is hard and is part of life. Her and amanda <3 so happy for them. Ill miss them. Ill miss this series <3. Bless
Aug 2022:
I honestly liked it better than the previous books, although I’ll never understand why this followed such a different format from the others.
As much as I loved Winnie’s whole relationship with Amanda, she was always so mean to Dinah, passing condescending remarks here and there. While I don’t necessarily support this way of thinking, it really depicts Winnie as a normal person (a not the nicest person). Again, going along with the mean streak, Winnie and her friends also sometimes make fun of a lot of things that don’t necessarily need to be (mostly Cinnamon and Winnie). (Dinah is amazing, she truly loves people) Their way of play insulting each other also reflects the way of ignorant teens in poking fun at existing conditions. It’s not exactly what I want a child to be reading.
Something I found interesting was the way how she’s from Atlanta, where it’s like 50% black people demographically and yet the second she saw Alphonse, she assumed he was from outside the states, “Caribbean, maybe? Jamaican?” He’s from Louisiana. (And later she refers to him as Jamaican like ???? Hello)
That’s not my only qualm about Alphonse; Winnie speaks as if Lars is so great and how they overcame the poor way he was treating her (flirting w other girls) and yet she spends the entire summer flirting with this guy, or at least, leading him on and not pushing him away. And her and Lars…are not supportive of each other, really. She didn’t want him to leave, nor did he want her. Like okayyyy.
But she did say that sometimes guys and girls (to be in the straight mindset) couldn’t help the way they were attracted to each other sometimes. Which I can understand slightly, biologically, and by the fact that they are hormone bumping teens. But still?
Furthermore on the straight mindset, it was such a big deal for them to meet a gay person. I’ll attribute some of these to the fact that it’s in the early ish 2000s and some things were a little more socially acceptable then. But they also go through their thoughts, like any regular person who just found out that being gay is a thing. It’s another part of growing up, I get that.
Winnie’s expectations of Lars is really something. I’m glad she got knocked down a bit from Brooklyn to not expect things from him that she never voiced. Honestly, that’s one of the pieces of this book that stayed with me all these years. But a gift card really is a shitty bday gift from someone you were dating for a year (if you expect that sort of thing at all).
But the ending. As Winnie figures out the simple truths of life and understands where and how she went wrong. That’s what made this book worth it for me.
Also Amanda, because their relationship was so pure and sweet. I used to compare myself with Winnie and my other friend as Amanda when I was in elementary/middle school and now I think about my neighbor when it comes to Amanda. It really struck a chord in my heart. I love them.
But also they’re barely out of middle school, how was Amanda wearing 6 inch platform pumps to school???? That was still in middle school. I didn’t start paying attention to my looks (AND MANY OTHERS BESIDES ME) until I was like 16.
All in all, this book was all about the growth and that’s what made it so amazing for me. Instead of just slowly growing older, it seemed so much more of Winnie maturing to a bigger part of life.
One of my fav of the series. Ik i judged it kinda hard like three years ago, ive changed my position. Its all very real growing up and finding judgments and feeling bad ab judgments and not being an angel. Learning to be in a relationship and friendships is hard and is part of life. Her and amanda <3 so happy for them. Ill miss them. Ill miss this series <3. Bless
Aug 2022:
I honestly liked it better than the previous books, although I’ll never understand why this followed such a different format from the others.
As much as I loved Winnie’s whole relationship with Amanda, she was always so mean to Dinah, passing condescending remarks here and there. While I don’t necessarily support this way of thinking, it really depicts Winnie as a normal person (a not the nicest person). Again, going along with the mean streak, Winnie and her friends also sometimes make fun of a lot of things that don’t necessarily need to be (mostly Cinnamon and Winnie). (Dinah is amazing, she truly loves people) Their way of play insulting each other also reflects the way of ignorant teens in poking fun at existing conditions. It’s not exactly what I want a child to be reading.
Something I found interesting was the way how she’s from Atlanta, where it’s like 50% black people demographically and yet the second she saw Alphonse, she assumed he was from outside the states, “Caribbean, maybe? Jamaican?” He’s from Louisiana. (And later she refers to him as Jamaican like ???? Hello)
That’s not my only qualm about Alphonse; Winnie speaks as if Lars is so great and how they overcame the poor way he was treating her (flirting w other girls) and yet she spends the entire summer flirting with this guy, or at least, leading him on and not pushing him away. And her and Lars…are not supportive of each other, really. She didn’t want him to leave, nor did he want her. Like okayyyy.
But she did say that sometimes guys and girls (to be in the straight mindset) couldn’t help the way they were attracted to each other sometimes. Which I can understand slightly, biologically, and by the fact that they are hormone bumping teens. But still?
Furthermore on the straight mindset, it was such a big deal for them to meet a gay person. I’ll attribute some of these to the fact that it’s in the early ish 2000s and some things were a little more socially acceptable then. But they also go through their thoughts, like any regular person who just found out that being gay is a thing. It’s another part of growing up, I get that.
Winnie’s expectations of Lars is really something. I’m glad she got knocked down a bit from Brooklyn to not expect things from him that she never voiced. Honestly, that’s one of the pieces of this book that stayed with me all these years. But a gift card really is a shitty bday gift from someone you were dating for a year (if you expect that sort of thing at all).
But the ending. As Winnie figures out the simple truths of life and understands where and how she went wrong. That’s what made this book worth it for me.
Also Amanda, because their relationship was so pure and sweet. I used to compare myself with Winnie and my other friend as Amanda when I was in elementary/middle school and now I think about my neighbor when it comes to Amanda. It really struck a chord in my heart. I love them.
But also they’re barely out of middle school, how was Amanda wearing 6 inch platform pumps to school???? That was still in middle school. I didn’t start paying attention to my looks (AND MANY OTHERS BESIDES ME) until I was like 16.
All in all, this book was all about the growth and that’s what made it so amazing for me. Instead of just slowly growing older, it seemed so much more of Winnie maturing to a bigger part of life.
September 26, 2020
These books were literally my favourite things to read when I was 11, and I have so much nostalgia attached to them
December 29, 2023
You know, I started rereading this series because I was trying to cope with my life at twenty-three years old. I was not expecting this to contribute to my worldly problems and to call out my mission of the day, which is conveying my feelings in an appropriate manner.
I will admit that this book falls flat compared to the three that come before, but it does still have its moments. The emotions surrounding Sandra's departure actually had me tearing up, and the sea turtle camp setting is quite unique. The character development takes a nosedive, though, and I'm not sure who decided that the penguin subplot - or on a broader scale, the new format - was a good idea. The continuity issues with pop culture are perpetuated more strongly than ever, and even the older characters seem to take steps back in terms of maturity. Winnie's narrative morphs from emotional conflicts to just plain drama, which is less palatable to read.
It is also majorly worth noting how certain adjectives are used in this text. Beyond typos (which I hate to point out, but they were present), characters were called butch and exotic without a lot of further development. The r-slur was used as well, and even though it was condemned, such condemnation was brief. We are used to a slice-of-life style story from Winnie and her friends, but because this book is all about one, singular adventure for the most part...Myracle does not have an excuse.
I will probably eventually reread the prequel in some form, but this book just did not propel me onward like the first couple. Beside the whole drinking Clementine Izze part, Winnie has lost a lot of her relatability.
I will admit that this book falls flat compared to the three that come before, but it does still have its moments. The emotions surrounding Sandra's departure actually had me tearing up, and the sea turtle camp setting is quite unique. The character development takes a nosedive, though, and I'm not sure who decided that the penguin subplot - or on a broader scale, the new format - was a good idea. The continuity issues with pop culture are perpetuated more strongly than ever, and even the older characters seem to take steps back in terms of maturity. Winnie's narrative morphs from emotional conflicts to just plain drama, which is less palatable to read.
It is also majorly worth noting how certain adjectives are used in this text. Beyond typos (which I hate to point out, but they were present), characters were called butch and exotic without a lot of further development. The r-slur was used as well, and even though it was condemned, such condemnation was brief. We are used to a slice-of-life style story from Winnie and her friends, but because this book is all about one, singular adventure for the most part...Myracle does not have an excuse.
I will probably eventually reread the prequel in some form, but this book just did not propel me onward like the first couple. Beside the whole drinking Clementine Izze part, Winnie has lost a lot of her relatability.
May 10, 2013
Great story about 14, friendship and boys. I wish the PG-13 stuff had been omitted so I could recommend it unconditionally, but some parents will not be thrilled with that content for their tweens. Good lessons.
I'm glad the series is ending, so it will stay on the sweet side of growing up and not get too risque.
Likes:
* Chapter titles are the list of things Winnie wants to do in her 14th year, ala New Year's resolutions. Better than normal monthly chapters.
Dislikes:
* "Educational" topics to shock tweens
With-reservations:
I'm glad the series is ending, so it will stay on the sweet side of growing up and not get too risque.
Likes:
* Chapter titles are the list of things Winnie wants to do in her 14th year, ala New Year's resolutions. Better than normal monthly chapters.
Dislikes:
* "Educational" topics to shock tweens
With-reservations:
November 12, 2010
Winnie is now officially 14 and her countdown to high school has now begun. She finally has almost everything she's ever wanted, and iPhone, an awesome boyfriend, 2 BFFs. The one thing more that she needs is a chocolate cupcake from Sugar Sweet Sunshine; a perfect gift from her x10 perfect boyfriend. When he doesn't show up with her perfect present, she gets upset. But, that's not the only thing turning her world upside-down. Dinah starts talking to weird Mary Woods, her mom doesn't have enough time to back her a cake, and Dinah gets suspended because Mary Woods turns out to be a shoplifter. She also hides her stuff in Dinah's locker. Dinah's dad gets mad and sends her off to boot camp, which he says that, "he only wants the best for her". So, Winnie, Cinnamon, and Dinah start looking up the boot camp that Dinah's dad is sending her to. It doesn't look so good. Will Dinah rot in boot camp or will Cinnamon and Winnie come to her rescue?
I loved this book because it was heartfelt, funny, and sweet. You could feel the sadness in the air in some parts, and others, you could fell as if Winnie was there with you. I read the entire series and I can't wait until the next book comes out!
I loved this book because it was heartfelt, funny, and sweet. You could feel the sadness in the air in some parts, and others, you could fell as if Winnie was there with you. I read the entire series and I can't wait until the next book comes out!
November 30, 2011
Thirteen Plus One is a terrific book because there was a lot of mystery, a ton of drama, and it was relative to girls.
Winnie made a to-do list before high school, it has a lot to do with spending time more friends and acting older. Winnie just turned fourteen, and her boyfriend, Lars, gave her a crappy gift for her birthday, when she gave him all signs she wanted a cupcake.
During the Summer, Winnie finds out Lars has to go to Germany with his Mom. So, Winnie decides to go from Georgia, to South Carolina for a camp with her Best Friends, Cinnamon and Dinah. They meet really cute guys, Winnie met one too, but can't get Lars out of her head.
Will Lars and Winnie break up? Will they stay together? Will Winnie Get her cupcake? Will Winnie Get all things crossed out her List? I recommend this book to any sixth grade girl. I think the most important thing I learned was that old friends do come back. They will come back, eventually.
Winnie made a to-do list before high school, it has a lot to do with spending time more friends and acting older. Winnie just turned fourteen, and her boyfriend, Lars, gave her a crappy gift for her birthday, when she gave him all signs she wanted a cupcake.
During the Summer, Winnie finds out Lars has to go to Germany with his Mom. So, Winnie decides to go from Georgia, to South Carolina for a camp with her Best Friends, Cinnamon and Dinah. They meet really cute guys, Winnie met one too, but can't get Lars out of her head.
Will Lars and Winnie break up? Will they stay together? Will Winnie Get her cupcake? Will Winnie Get all things crossed out her List? I recommend this book to any sixth grade girl. I think the most important thing I learned was that old friends do come back. They will come back, eventually.
July 8, 2012
I think " Thirteen Plus One " was an enjoyable book to read during the summer. It was a good summer book because most of it was about getting out of school and summertime.This book had a nice balance of funny and intense moments. Although I thought this was a very good book you might ask your self why I did not give it a five star rating. Well some parts of " Thirteen Plus One " were slow and maybe even, just a little, boring. Sometimes I even felt as if i were reading the same part of the story over again.
This book was about Whinie Perry with her family, BFFs ( Dianah and Cinnamon ) and her boyfriend Lars, from the day she turns Fourteen until the firs day of high school. Whinie's older sister Suandra is going to College. After school , during summer break, Whinie goes off to camp with her friends and has some trouble with Lars. That's all that I'm going to say because you guys should read it for you self and see what happens in the end.
This book was about Whinie Perry with her family, BFFs ( Dianah and Cinnamon ) and her boyfriend Lars, from the day she turns Fourteen until the firs day of high school. Whinie's older sister Suandra is going to College. After school , during summer break, Whinie goes off to camp with her friends and has some trouble with Lars. That's all that I'm going to say because you guys should read it for you self and see what happens in the end.
August 18, 2022
This is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. This isn’t just an insulting sequel, it’s an insulting finale. They changed the format so instead of getting one month per chapter, it’s one goal before high school. And this didn’t feel special enough to end the series with, and it simply isn’t the heart of the story. And the format sucks. Just give me one full year oh my God. And the characters all start saying y’all all of a sudden? And also this book soon becomes the Lars show and all Winnie thinks about it Lars. I hate Winnie and Lars together because they never had chemistry, were always super awkward together, and just sucked overall. So why make the entire last book about him? She has so many other important relationships. I liked that there was resolution with Amanda, but I didn’t like how it happened and wish it was longer. AND WINNIE WAS SO FUCKING ANNOYING IN THIS BOOK it was overall infuriating and just a terrible terrible finale to a book series I love very dearly.
October 16, 2016
Winnie Perry is becoming an adult. She has a big sister, Sandra who is leaving for college soon and who always has Winnie's back. She also has a little brother named Ty who is always looking up to Winnie and wanting to be just like her. She gets a surprise from her mom's belly name Maggie. Maggie is just a ball of sunshine. Winnie has 2 best friends, Dinah and Cinnamon, one's growing up too fast and the other's growing up to slow. Winnie is right in the middle and she doesn't know how to handle all of it. Not even mentioning her delightful boyfriend Lars, who stole her heart. It is a very mature book and may have some uncomfortable language but read what ever suits you. I recommend this book. It was very eventful and detailed.
November 17, 2017
The Winnie series is about Winnie as she grows up from ages 10-14. A unique thing about this series is that all the books' chapters except Thirteen Pus One aren't actually labeled by number but are labeled by month. She deals with friendship, crushes, and the great and not so great things about growing up. I think a lot of girls can relate to this series on some level. Personally, I only related somewhat to this series. I enjoyed the friendship way more than the boy problems. Some parents might not be comfortable with letting their tween read this series because of some of the content though. I gave this series a 4 out of 5 stars and an 8/10.
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