13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen

by James Howe (Editor)

"If thirteen is supposed to be an unlucky number...you would think a civilized society could come up with a way for us to skip it."

-- from "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" by Bruce Coville

No one will want to skip any of the twelve short stories and one poem that make up this collection by some of the most celebrated contemporary writers of teen fiction. The big bar mitzvah that goes suddenly, wildly, hilariously out of control. A first kiss -- and a realization about one's sexual orientation. A crush on a girl that ends up putting the boy who likes her in the hospital. A pair of sneakers a kid has to have. By turns funny and sad, wrenching and poignant, the moments large and small described in these stories capture perfectly the agony and ecstasy of being thirteen.

Genres: Short Stories, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Anthologies, Middle Grade, Coming Of Age

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Jabiz Raisdana · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a perfect little middle school book. The stories vary in style as well as content. This collection is filled with tales about relationships, crushes, first kisses, class, family and growing up. Each story is well written enough to act as a mentor text for aspiring young writers, and they are all filled with enough humor and meaning to teach the reader a thing or two about this awkward time in their lives.

I wish we had more copies of this book, so every person who comes into my classroom could have a chance to explore these stories. Read this one. You will be glad you did.

[jia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A total reminiscent of being thirteen years old, which applies to me.

Person Sharing

** Okay, I just feel like I have to do this. But if you don't want to read about me talking about this and just want to move on with the review then please feel free to skip this part. =)

What is being thirteen like for you?

Well, for me being is the time that I felt magic. But it is also the time when that magic died. Being thirteen to many (including myself back then) is just another normal day, in my thirteenth birthday it really wasn't such a big deal to me except the fact that I have a "teen" in my age now. During that time, I was yes in a hurry to be thirteen because I feel that I would have more freedom and more privileged. I get to experience things that I did not experience back then. So yes, I was in a hurry to be thirteen. But right now, being sixteen I want to go back to being thirteen because well, I just wished I enjoyed that part of my life more. Because right now, I feel so old, so ancient and just different. I miss being careful and you know not caring about what others think, what people think, when parents don't expect much for you, when you can just be you.

Right now, it's all different. When I was thirteen it was the start of being an adult. To open my eyes to the world, to make the right decisions, to be responsible and to be stronger. There were a lot of trials and all that high school drama (partly the reason why I want to be younger) and right now, with every passing day it's getting scarier to grow up. Well, life back when I was thirteen was sort of like an experience for the later years to come. Thirteen-year-olds fell in love, have more responsibility, loss their innocence, become ignorant of the world, Mom and Dad are no longer their superheroes, learn new things, try new experience and eventually once we grow older we'll realize that those experiences will reflect how we live our life in the future. It's frustrating, it's tragic but it's also beautiful.

So if you're not yet thirteen, lucky you. Enjoy your childhood while it lasts, I wish that made the most out of mine. If you're thirteen right now, I hope you enjoy every second of it and make it worthwhile. And if you're way past thirteen, then still enjoy life. Being thirteen might not be a big deal to you, but it is. And it's worth remembering.



Review

Oh well, I think that my personal opinion part also mentions what I think of being thirteen which is pretty much what I also though of this book. This is a total reminiscent of how life was like back then for me and even if I did not experience what the characters in this stories do, I kind of can feel what they're going through because I've been there. And I kind of regret not handling and enjoying being thirteen. It sucks, wish I could go back.

But I can't. So for that, I love this book for reminding that even if I'm sixteen already well I can still experience some of the things in this book and I actually liked all the stories here! It's a great and enjoyable read. And the narrations are very captivating and engaging.

[Phoebe_E1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book shares many stories that happens to 13 year old teenagers. I can definitely relate to this book since problems shared in it also happened to me. I would recommend this book to all the teenagers to also feel what all the 13 year olds are experiencing in their lives.

[Tanvi Singh]

I tried to read the book, but it was too boring.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Name: Michelle Muro
Citation: Howe, J. (Ed.). (2003). 13: Thirteen stories that capture the agony and ecstasy of being thirteen. New York, NY: Atheneum Books.
Genre: Short stories
Format: Print
Selection Process: Kirkus Reviews

Review:

Becoming a teenager is difficult and many well-known authors such as Meg Cabot, Bruce Coville, Alex Sanchez, Carolyn Mackler, James Howe, and several others, help readers either relive or get through this unique and awkward time. The stories are mixed with both humor and sadness, but each is realistic and covers topics such as sexuality, gangs, friendships, secrets, and of course, embarrassment. Although some are better written than others, young readers will definitely gain something from reading at least a few of these stories. This is a fantastic book of short stories for middle school readers. Each author conveys a specific feeling or topic in which thirteen-year-olds are very familiar. Many young adults will be able to relate to at least one of the characters if not several of them.

Highly Recommend

[Broc Sherwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thirteen stories that capture the agony and ecstasy of being thirteen by James Howe. Non Fiction. Over all I felt this book was just an average Joe shmoe, the first story Whats the Worst That can Happen by Bruce Coville was probably my favorite story over all. Murphy the main character the this story is in live and he joins the drama play just because his crush Tiffany is in it but Murphy always with bad luck on the performance night he falls of the stage and breaks his leg in the process of the medics getting him on the stretcher he finds out that Tiffany has a boyfriend that was in the audience. This story was very confusing because every story in it has a major cliff hanger. This story was published in 2003 and i would recommend this book to all ages because of its variety of stories about a thirteen year old so it can get kids prepared or bring back memories.

[ajoshy7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of short stories, so I am going to talk about only one. Fahed, a poor young boy really wants to get these new sneakers that EVERYBODY at his school has because they always bully him about his old, tattered, faded blue shoes that he wears to school everyday, but the problem is that he is too poor to buy these nee shoes. So, he asks his mom and she says never! Then, he asks his new friend and he says yes, but he will have to go with their gang called "The Bullets" and they said that they would give him those amazing shoes. He heard rumors about them and how they aren't such nice people. Then, we found out those weren't just rumors... they were real! This story is about desperation, sadness, and kindness.

[Matt Cline]

I was reading this book on and off throughout last year, since there are many little stories in the book, and I'm really glad I finally finished! Great book and I believe it perfectly captures the situations that teenagers face. Great Read!

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked it. After every story I was left wishing that i could have read more

[Lela · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book Thirteen by James Howe (also includes many guest writers who include their own stories from when they were younger) is a realistic fiction book of short stories that capture the pure essence of being 13. From crush problems to friend problems. First kisses and first dates. Fights and makeups. Being 13 is hard, and each and every short story in this book shows you exactly why.
Throughout the book, you meet different characters for each story. Each character displays a different feeling/personality or realization that can be associated with the age of 13. A girl who’s first babysitting jobs makes her realize the truth about her friend, a boy and his best friend who share an experiment which makes them second guess themselves, a boy from the hood who just wants to fit in, and much more. The book is written in chapters, each chapter being a new story. The author of each story also includes a “behind the scenes” page about the connection between their story and what it was really like, what it taught them, and what they are trying to teach the reader, along with a little about themselves and who they have grown into.
In my opinion, some stories had stronger messages than others, but overall the author's voice got through to me as a reader and each story had its own good meaning. One of the weaknesses this book has is that some stories are specifically targeted at one type of kid and not every kid can relate to them as well, but there is also a good side of that because each story caters to a different kind of kid and setting and they add more variety to the book. Overall, this book was very good but personally, I prefer a long story rather than a collection of short stories but it just depends on your preferences. Otherwise, I did like the overall message of the book. I recommend this book to kids from 6-8 grade and anyone who likes humor or realistic fiction because some stories are funny and some are serious, but every young teen can relate to at least something in them.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen is an anthology of short stories collected and edited by the team of James Howe. It is a collection of twelve short stories and one poem about the agony and ecstasy about being thirteen.

For the most part, I rather like most if not all of these contributions. 13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen is an anthology of twelve short stories and one poem detailing the ambiguous stage between child and adolescence by thirteen different authors. Their writings, all of which feature a 13-year-old protagonist, poignantly and often humorously capture the excitement, angst and uncertainty that mark the experience of growing up.

Like most anthologies there are weaker contributions and 13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen is not an exception. There were one or two short stories that weren't written as well as the other – comparatively speaking, but it didn’t quell my enjoyment of the anthology, which brought me back to that awkward age.

All in all, 13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen is a wonderful collection of short stories focusing on change and growth at a very awkward moment of being thirteen.

[Tina Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, some of these short stories are better than others. The book could be of value to many preteens, teens and their parents. It may help adults understand their young people a little better or just remind them what it is like to be around age 12 or 13. Some of the stories can help young people understand themselves better. Some stories give the reader a glimpse into another culture. For instance, what it is like to plan or attend a bar mitzvah. Or, what it is like to realize your sexual orientation is not what most of society expects it to be. My favorite short story in the book is “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” By Bruce Coville. I read it aloud every year to my 7th graders and they always love it! It’s a very funny story that addresses young love and attraction and how that becomes a thing around age 13 for many. Many times even my toughest characters laugh out loud at this one.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was nothing totally awful about these stories, but none were super extraordinary either. My favorites were Angel and Aly, Jeremy Goldblatt Is So Totally Not Moses, and Squid Girl. I also enjoyed Noodle Soup for Nincompoops, Black Holes and Basketball Sneakers, and What's the Worst That Can Happen? The other 7 stories were unremarkable by my standards. I appreciated that every author took the time to write a personal note and include an image of their 13 year old self. I'm going to pass this collection along to some of my students (who coincidentally are 13) and see how they feel about it. I will update when I have some decent feedback from one of my kids.... experts on all things 13.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

13 short stories. 13 YA authors. The stories are based on real events, people, feelings from their own lives. You get the story first and then the explanation of "where that story came from." Sometimes the fictional story has more power, sometimes the real story. It is probably different for different readers. In all of them, you crack open a little about how the art of storytelling works and what it feels like to be 13.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a parent of a 13 year-old, I reflect a lot on what that age is all about. These stories are entertaining and useful in reminding us adults what it was like to be 13. Almost as entertaining as the stories were the authors' memories of their own 13 year-old selves. Easy to read and a possible jumping off place for conversations...I recommend this book to other parents of teens and pre-teens.

[Judine Brey · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are as varied as most people's experiences with the age of 13. Most are light and lend humor to balance the more serious pieces that are included. Plus, I have to love a short story with the title "Jeremy Goldblatt is So Not Moses." That may have already made its way into a forensics piece.

[Navya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I took so long to finish this, but I do think I could relate a little. Now I'm not thirteen yet(but I will be next month!) but I don't think it captured the moment perfectly. Some of the stories were a bit boring, but some were nice. The first story was really funny and I loved rereading it(Mrs. McDowell read it to us for Valentine's Day).

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, some stories were really good and funny. Others, I didn't want to read them, and they were boring. The ending was not good at all (it was called 'Tina the Teen Fairy'). It was a realistic fiction book, but then fantasy at the end. It didn't make sense. If it was realistic fiction with the same message, it would have been better.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by numerous young adult authors, this book is like examining the age thirteen through a prism. Each view is different, yet true, and each is wonderful. Some stories are a bit more light-hearted than others, but the collection offers insight into what turning 13 feels like. There’s something for every teen reader in this collection.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by a variety of authors, published in 2003. It was ok, some stories better than others. I was looking for insight into my 13 year old (now 14) and what it feels like to be a middle schooler. It was surprising to me how outdated it felt because no phones and no social media. Totally different for kids now.

[irene_e1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows various short stories that examine the life of being thirteen, and different perspectives of being a teenager throughout the story.
This book can evoke empathy in middle schoolers who may feel the same way as the characters and have been through similar events as the characters do.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, some stories were really good and funny. Others, I didn't want to read them, and they were boring. The ending was not good at all (it was called 'Tina the Teen Fairy'). It was a realistic fiction book, but then fantasy at the end. It didn't make sense. If it was realistic fiction with the same message, it would have been better.

[Meridith Aronsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read Meg Cabot's story:)

[Kristina Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked some of the short stories better than others, but I rated it so high because the seventh graders were absolutely crazy about it (and they're the target audience).

[Danielle Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially liked the final story about the Teen Land Fairy. It is so true.. if I could tell my younger self to try out different things, I really would have appreciated that.

[Julia Kloss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book a lot. I liked the concept about writing a book for teens with funny, embarrassing and sweet short stories about teens.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, I loved the variety of each story and I was sad when it ended. Each story made me look at this in a different way.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of these stories can be summed up in one word: Meh.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining collection of fictional short stories loosely related to various authors' experiences turning and being 13. Hysterical and awkward.

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short stories was quite enjoyable, for me, an adult who was a teenager around the time these stories take place. I would have really liked this book around the time it came out, which was 2003. Some of the authors are ones I grew up with, so that helps.

Some of the stories are better than others, for sure, but none of them were daunting or terrible.

I got it from that St Vinnies bag sale but noticed it was a discard from the Webster Stanley library. Made me curious if it was just outdated or if it was because of the gay story, or the way middle schoolers threw around slurs in the 90s, or something else. It is a VERY 90s book with a lot of references to hanging out at the mall and watching videos.

Personally I'd recommend reading it together with your kid, because there's some heavy stuff worth discussing in here. If you chose to read only one of these short stories with your kid, I'd recommend "Black Holes and Basketball Sneakers" by Lori Aurelia Williams. It has a super nuanced take on gang culture that I think makes it a lot more understandable than anything I read or watched as a teen.