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Willow Falls #3
13 Gifts
Welcome back to Willow Falls, where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems!
It doesn't take long for Tara Brennan to realize that breaking into school to steal a goat is not a good idea. As punishment for her crimes, Tara's parents send her to the sleepy town of Willow Falls to stay with relatives she hardly knows, including her strange younger cousin Emily. Tara quickly learns that Emily isn't even remotely the strangest person in town. There's a boy who sings at the bottom of an empty pool, two best friends who use blackboards to communicate, and a girl who may or may not be dating the world's hottest teen movie star. Due to another lapse in judgment, Tara finds herself beholden to perhaps the strangest person of all: Angelina D'Angelo. If Tara can't collect thirteen mysterious objects for the old woman in time for her thirteenth birthday, the consequences will be REALLY BAD. With a big dose of birthday magic, Tara's adventures take her and her new friends to places they never thought they'd find, some in the real world, and a lot deep inside themselves.
It doesn't take long for Tara Brennan to realize that breaking into school to steal a goat is not a good idea. As punishment for her crimes, Tara's parents send her to the sleepy town of Willow Falls to stay with relatives she hardly knows, including her strange younger cousin Emily. Tara quickly learns that Emily isn't even remotely the strangest person in town. There's a boy who sings at the bottom of an empty pool, two best friends who use blackboards to communicate, and a girl who may or may not be dating the world's hottest teen movie star. Due to another lapse in judgment, Tara finds herself beholden to perhaps the strangest person of all: Angelina D'Angelo. If Tara can't collect thirteen mysterious objects for the old woman in time for her thirteenth birthday, the consequences will be REALLY BAD. With a big dose of birthday magic, Tara's adventures take her and her new friends to places they never thought they'd find, some in the real world, and a lot deep inside themselves.
341 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
566 people are currently reading
5461 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Mass
83 books3,688 followersWendy Mass is the author of thirty novels for young people, including A Mango-Shaped Space, which was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award, Leap Day, the Twice Upon a Time fairy tale series, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, the Willow Falls, Space Taxi and Candymakers series. Wendy wrote the storyline for an episode of the television show Monk, entitled "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theatre," which aired during the show's second season. She tells people her hobbies are hiking and photography, but really they're collecting candy bar wrappers and searching for buried treasure with her metal detector. Wendy lives with her family in New Jersey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 991 reviews
June 18, 2012
First of all, it was awesome. I just have to say that. It was really, really good. I got it from the library because I liked reading 11 Birthdays and Finally, and love Wendy Mass's writing style. The cover is eye-catching, and the blurb was enough to catch my interest. (Let me just point out that the blurb on my book is different than the one on this webpage. As a fencer & self-proclaimed math geek, I take issue with the statement that Emily is bratty. She totally isn't, and the book makes that clear. Anyway...)
To the book. I loved Tara's character - I could completely relate to it. One of the things I love about this series is that the books aren't all centered around one or two kids; instead, they're centered around the whole town. I would recommend reading this immediately after 11 Birthdays and Finally, though, because Mass alludes to the plots of those two books many times, and I guarantee you'll be completely lost if this is the first book of the series that you read.
It made me laugh out loud, not once, not twice, but at least five times! I love books that can do that without being Dear Dumb Diaries or comic books. The plot was engaging and had lots of twists and turns. As a reader, I tend to latch on to little details and make sure they're consistent through the whole book. I've found so many inconsistent plots...but I couldn't find a single one in this.
Bottom line: I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read.
To the book. I loved Tara's character - I could completely relate to it. One of the things I love about this series is that the books aren't all centered around one or two kids; instead, they're centered around the whole town. I would recommend reading this immediately after 11 Birthdays and Finally, though, because Mass alludes to the plots of those two books many times, and I guarantee you'll be completely lost if this is the first book of the series that you read.
It made me laugh out loud, not once, not twice, but at least five times! I love books that can do that without being Dear Dumb Diaries or comic books. The plot was engaging and had lots of twists and turns. As a reader, I tend to latch on to little details and make sure they're consistent through the whole book. I've found so many inconsistent plots...but I couldn't find a single one in this.
Bottom line: I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read.
December 8, 2011
13 Gifts by Wendy Mass was by far the best in the 11 Birthdays series. Every one is the series has its own amazing plot, but this book, being the last in the series had all the answers to the previous books in it, and made everything tie together in a perfect way. This book was indubitably about growing up, fitting in, and learning from mistakes, which most teen books are about, but Wendy Mass puts it together so perfectly it doesn't seem like a meaningless book about teenagers mistakes. It is a long journey, and a journey, Tara, the main character, will never forger, nor will the reader. This could be one of my favorite books ever read, but we will see about that. I recommend this book to anyone of any age, whether they enjoy teen fiction, comedy, adventure, or just reading in general!
August 21, 2013
After a failed attempt to steal a stuffed goat from the vice principal's office ends in the vice principal getting pepper-sprayed and soon-to-be-thirteen-year-old Tara suspended for the final two weeks of the year (in an attempt to fit in with other kids her age, Tara refuses to give up her accomplices), Tara is exiled to the small town of Willow Falls to spend her summer. This is instead of going with her parents to Madagascar to study the lemur, something she had been looking forward to doing.
Tara's luck goes from bad worse to when she's robbed of the money her parents gave her for the summer and her mother's prized iPod while on the train to the Willow Falls. Not wanting to admit the failure to her parents or her aunt and uncle, Tara takes matters into her own hands, stealing a rare issue of The Fantastic Four from her uncle's collection and trying to sell it at the local curiosity shop. The mysterious proprietor refuses to buy it because she can't pay what the comic is worth and she's the one who sold to her uncle. Instead, Tara is forced to accept a deal where she collects 13 different items from the people of the town and brings them to the store before her thirteenth birthday. If she does that, all will be forgotten. If not, her uncle will be made aware of her theft.
Until this point, Tara has been the kind of girl who is willing to shrink into the background. Since her only experience of trying to fit in involved the theft of a goat, she's not exactly eager to try fitting in again. But she soon finds a group of friends in Willow Falls who are not only willing to stand by her but also to help her find all thirteen items on the list and even to pull off something a bit more magical for the small town and Tara.
13 Gifts is a fun young adult novel with an intriguing first-person narrator and some interesting twists and turns. I listened to this one as an audio book and it helped the miles go by a bit more happily as I jogged and helped pass the time as I did chores around the house. Wendy Mass throws in some intriguing mysteries to Tara's visit to Willow Falls and pays all of them off by the novel's end.
From my understanding this is the third in a series of novels set in Willow Falls. And while there are callbacks to previous novels, the novel is self-contained enough that you can read it without feeling lost if you missed the first two. I will say that having listened to this one, I'm intrigued enough by the characters and the setting to want to try another in the series.
Tara's luck goes from bad worse to when she's robbed of the money her parents gave her for the summer and her mother's prized iPod while on the train to the Willow Falls. Not wanting to admit the failure to her parents or her aunt and uncle, Tara takes matters into her own hands, stealing a rare issue of The Fantastic Four from her uncle's collection and trying to sell it at the local curiosity shop. The mysterious proprietor refuses to buy it because she can't pay what the comic is worth and she's the one who sold to her uncle. Instead, Tara is forced to accept a deal where she collects 13 different items from the people of the town and brings them to the store before her thirteenth birthday. If she does that, all will be forgotten. If not, her uncle will be made aware of her theft.
Until this point, Tara has been the kind of girl who is willing to shrink into the background. Since her only experience of trying to fit in involved the theft of a goat, she's not exactly eager to try fitting in again. But she soon finds a group of friends in Willow Falls who are not only willing to stand by her but also to help her find all thirteen items on the list and even to pull off something a bit more magical for the small town and Tara.
13 Gifts is a fun young adult novel with an intriguing first-person narrator and some interesting twists and turns. I listened to this one as an audio book and it helped the miles go by a bit more happily as I jogged and helped pass the time as I did chores around the house. Wendy Mass throws in some intriguing mysteries to Tara's visit to Willow Falls and pays all of them off by the novel's end.
From my understanding this is the third in a series of novels set in Willow Falls. And while there are callbacks to previous novels, the novel is self-contained enough that you can read it without feeling lost if you missed the first two. I will say that having listened to this one, I'm intrigued enough by the characters and the setting to want to try another in the series.
May 23, 2022
so far my favorite out of the series. love love love
February 10, 2017
13 gifts, by Wendy mass, is a wonderful fiction novel in the 11 birthday series. This book is about a girl named Tara who moves away from her home to her cousins house is Willow falls. Willow falls is an average town with unaverage people. The oldest woman there, Angelina DeAngelo, is the most strange of all. Something odd happens to a couple other kids on their birthday, and they know it has to do with Angelina. When Tara arrives, she meets Amanda, Leo, and Rory. She immediately becomes there friends . Then One day Tara is broke and tries to sell one of her uncles comic book collections. But, Angelina stops her. Tara begs for her not to tell her uncle. Angelina says yes, on one condition. She gives Tara a list. "Find all these." So Tara sets off to find 13 odd things on the list.
I really enjoyed this book because of the details. Mass didn't put too much so it was boring, but enough that would keep me interested. An example is "The duck shaped birthmark wiggled as she talked, as if it was trying to say something." This was easy to understand and it was short and easy to read. "Slowly creeping into the collection room, I waited until my uncle was gone, when the door creeks and practically rams into my face." That was another example of when Mass took a intense moment and made it really short, yet detailed. "I had found it, the last one of the things on the list." I also really enjoyed how Mass took an exiting moment and summed up the characters feelings so the sentence doesn't drone on and on and on. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read series because to have this book make sense, you will need to read the two books before it.
I really enjoyed this book because of the details. Mass didn't put too much so it was boring, but enough that would keep me interested. An example is "The duck shaped birthmark wiggled as she talked, as if it was trying to say something." This was easy to understand and it was short and easy to read. "Slowly creeping into the collection room, I waited until my uncle was gone, when the door creeks and practically rams into my face." That was another example of when Mass took a intense moment and made it really short, yet detailed. "I had found it, the last one of the things on the list." I also really enjoyed how Mass took an exiting moment and summed up the characters feelings so the sentence doesn't drone on and on and on. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read series because to have this book make sense, you will need to read the two books before it.
January 4, 2013
Book Review
Who wouldn’t want to get thirteen gifts on their thirteenth birthday? Everyone does, including soon to be thirteen year old Tara Brennan, until she meets the strangest person of all: Angelina D’Angelo, in the strange town of Willow Falls. This exciting realistic fiction tale Thirteen Gifts by Wendy Mass will make you feel as if you are Tara yourself. Tara and her friends strike a deal with Angelina, just so she can get a new iPod. If Tara doesn’t get Angelina everything on her list by her thirteenth birthday, bad things will start to happen as Tara falls deeper into Angelina’s birthday trap.
One thing that I really liked about this book was the way the author made you feel as if you were Tara yourself. Tara’s story seems so real, that it makes you think that you are in her situation to. Tara is much like the average twelve and a half year old girl, but anyone in middle school would enjoy this book. I also enjoyed the setting in this book. Willow falls is a very strange place that has many strange things going on. Even Tara’s friend says so … “Is Willow Falls what you expected? What about the people here? Has anyone, surprised you?” I know I was definitely surprised by this book, and it was so good that I would rate it five out of five stars! I bet you will to when you pick up a copy and read Thirteen Gifts.
Who wouldn’t want to get thirteen gifts on their thirteenth birthday? Everyone does, including soon to be thirteen year old Tara Brennan, until she meets the strangest person of all: Angelina D’Angelo, in the strange town of Willow Falls. This exciting realistic fiction tale Thirteen Gifts by Wendy Mass will make you feel as if you are Tara yourself. Tara and her friends strike a deal with Angelina, just so she can get a new iPod. If Tara doesn’t get Angelina everything on her list by her thirteenth birthday, bad things will start to happen as Tara falls deeper into Angelina’s birthday trap.
One thing that I really liked about this book was the way the author made you feel as if you were Tara yourself. Tara’s story seems so real, that it makes you think that you are in her situation to. Tara is much like the average twelve and a half year old girl, but anyone in middle school would enjoy this book. I also enjoyed the setting in this book. Willow falls is a very strange place that has many strange things going on. Even Tara’s friend says so … “Is Willow Falls what you expected? What about the people here? Has anyone, surprised you?” I know I was definitely surprised by this book, and it was so good that I would rate it five out of five stars! I bet you will to when you pick up a copy and read Thirteen Gifts.
June 2, 2015
I really liked this book because it was full of mystery. At the end of the book everything really came together and made sense of why certain things happened. Can't wait to read the next book in the series!:)
December 9, 2016
This book was a very interesting book, and I could read it over and over again. You could say you will read it for only twenty minutes and end up reading it for over two hours. It really is a hand down great book, and I hope you go and check this book out.
January 14, 2013
"Our actions have long-lasting consequences, of which we often have no knowledge. They ripple far out into the universe."
―Angelina D'Angelo, 13 Gifts, P. 126
"If everyone waited to do something good until they had purely unselfish motivations, no good would ever get done in the world. The point is to do it anyway.”
―Angelina D'Angelo, P. 305
Wendy Mass has really done something special in creating the Willow Falls series. Though 11 Birthdays stands out to me as the best of the first three books, all of them have a deep, rare sense of genuine community about them, the feel that just by reading the stories we have been a part of something important, the beginning and progression of new friendships and the completion of dramas that may have started decades ago, but are only now finding their natural conclusions. 13 Gifts and the other two books in the Willow Falls series up to this point have a depth of feeling to the stories and the characters who inhabit them that make one pause as the end of each book nears, regretting that soon the story and the people we've met in it will have ended for us, and it isn't a finish we're in any hurry to reach. Such real feelings aren't brought to life by every book one reads, of course; the author capable of engendering such reactions has a rare gift, indeed, and Wendy Mass is one of the best among her contemporaries in this respect. As with A Mango-Shaped Space, Every Soul a Star, Finally and other novels she has written, 13 Gifts takes us into the heart of a small community of people who slowly grow close-knit over time, surprising us by just how attached we've become to them by the end of the story, and delivers an energetic, contemplative piece of literature in the process. It's no wonder I've become such a fan of Wendy Mass's writing.
"Sometimes people, when they're on the brink of getting what they really want, they decide they don't want it anymore."
―Bettie, 13 Gifts, P. 264
In her own hometown, Tara Brennan, twelve going on thirteen, doesn't have much of a presence. Of course, she's never really had time to establish herself, as she and her parents have moved repeatedly over the course of her life. Tara hasn't had much luck gaining friends wherever they've lived, but when a stunt she pulls to ingratiate herself to some other girls in school backfires, she finds herself banished to the small town of Willow Falls while her parents travel to Africa for the summer. Willow Falls is where Tara's Aunt Bethany lives with her own family, so Tara won't be on her own, but having never before visited Willow Falls or her relatives there makes the coming summer one that's sure to be awkward.
There's nowhere else on Earth like Willow Falls, that's for sure, and strange occurrences seem to beset Tara as soon as she boards the train for her destination. The people of Willow Falls, however, are as immediately welcoming and accommodating as Tara possibly could have expected. Even the kids her age, who everywhere she's lived until now would have ignored her and treated her like an outsider, accept Tara as part of their group immediately, as if she had been integral to their circle of friends for years. Though some of them do exhibit traits of unusual behavior (which we learn the full explanations for in 11 Birthdays and Finally, but which are also explained adequately in this book for anyone reading 13 Gifts first), Leo, Amanda, David and Rory quickly form an uncommonly strong friendship with Tara, who finds it difficult to hold them at arm's length as she's always done with the kids she's met throughout her life. There never seemed much point to her in making close friends, as there was sure to be another move for her and her parents coming around the corner; Tara would then find herself again uprooted, just as she knows even now that she'll be leaving Willow Falls at the end of the summer. But these new friends of hers seem so genuine, even springing into action to help Tara when a little mixup in her travel funds leads her to haplessly incur a curious sort of debt that can't exactly be paid with cash.
Finding herself working for the esoteric Angelina D'Angelo in exchange for the old woman's discretion in regard to a minor pilfering incident, Tara has to zip all around town looking for a set of thirteen specific objects to bring to Angelina. Moreover, she has to complete her task within a month, and isn't given any clues as to where the objects might be located, only that they are somewhere within the confines of Willow Falls. Truly, this task would be a virtually impossible one were it not for Tara's surprising gang of new friends, who willingly and enthusiastically sacrifice their hours of summer freedom to join in Tara's strange scavenger hunt, scouring the town for any sign of the objects needed to complete her quest. As the search commences, Tara learns there's a lot more to Willow Falls than meets the eye. Her new friends have their own secret histories with Angelina D'Angelo, part of the reason for the particular odd personal traits they exhibit, and there just may be a connection between their shared past with Angelina and what she has asked them each to do. Yet behind it all, Tara recognizes a certain trust in her friends toward Angelina, the surety that whatever her overarching plan happens to be will be good for everyone involved, and so Tara, too, comes to trust that there is a higher purpose to the madness of her being told to run all over town looking for thirteen ostensibly unrelated objects. Only when she's through with the job will Tara have all the pieces she needs to figure out the real reason behind Angelina's strange mandate, and it might lead her far from where she thought she was being led.
“I've learned that if you wait long enough, you might get a second chance at something you gave up on. And sometimes you'll be the one to give the second chance to someone else.”
―13 Gifts, PP. 338-339
As a stranger in town, Tara at first has no way of knowing what to expect from her extended family and the other residents of Willow Falls. She has been on her own for so long, learning not to depend on anyone too much because all her friendships are destined to eventually be broken up by her family's moving, but the seared façade she brings with her to Willow Falls begins to be healed so quickly by the reception she receives that the effects are remarkable. This group of friends that have known each other so long, with every reason to tighten their circle against the world and not present any more entry points where a new friend or two might slip in and truly become part of the group, are instead as welcoming of Tara as if they knew all along that she belonged there, even before they'd ever heard her name or found out she was coming to Willow Falls. To be met with this sort of sincere personal openness is exactly what Tara needed to have a chance of finding an emotional home in Willow Falls, because all her past experience had taught her not to reach out in any way, and only an extraordinary dose of friendship without reason or reservation could have broken through her defenses to make her think that returning the affection was the right response. And so, drawn into a small town among other kids who immediately become her friends and include her in on the continuity of their past and present together, Tara becomes part of the magic of Willow Falls, the magic of understanding who she really is, who her friends are and how they can go about getting out there and actually changing the world for the better, taking the opportunities to do good when they come around despite the discomfort and loneliness of a past that hasn't always left her feeling as if she could be an important member of this world. As David puts it, "...the world is broken up into pieces, and...it's up to everyone to help put it all back together. It's about recognizing the spark of life in everyone and everything, and gluing those shards back together." Tara is beginning to realize that a life spent in passivity, not taking risks and moving around out there where one can be damaged and suffer injury, is not worth being lived at all. The rewards of a life tangled up inextricably in the lives of others is where one finds real meaning, and as Tara steps definitely onto the field of play, she learns more about herself than ever before. I suppose there are just some lessons one can't grasp without the help of others.
13 Gifts is a really nice book, wise and sweet and emotionally honest and always, always engaging, drawing readers toward the playing field of life even as Tara comes to understand that it's the only place to be. It seems that every time I read one of Wendy Mass's books I experience a story that will always hold a special place in my heart, filled with characters, ideas and events that help me understand myself better and really want to become more a part of the world around me. 13 Gifts is another one of these special books, a novel to remind us all of the magic of life and of our world as a whole, and what it can mean when we choose to fully participate in it. In Tara's own words, "I've learned that the sidelines may be safer, but life is played on the field." I would definitely give at least two and a half stars to 13 Gifts, and I recommend it for any and all readers who enjoy a good work of life-affirming literature.
―Angelina D'Angelo, 13 Gifts, P. 126
"If everyone waited to do something good until they had purely unselfish motivations, no good would ever get done in the world. The point is to do it anyway.”
―Angelina D'Angelo, P. 305
Wendy Mass has really done something special in creating the Willow Falls series. Though 11 Birthdays stands out to me as the best of the first three books, all of them have a deep, rare sense of genuine community about them, the feel that just by reading the stories we have been a part of something important, the beginning and progression of new friendships and the completion of dramas that may have started decades ago, but are only now finding their natural conclusions. 13 Gifts and the other two books in the Willow Falls series up to this point have a depth of feeling to the stories and the characters who inhabit them that make one pause as the end of each book nears, regretting that soon the story and the people we've met in it will have ended for us, and it isn't a finish we're in any hurry to reach. Such real feelings aren't brought to life by every book one reads, of course; the author capable of engendering such reactions has a rare gift, indeed, and Wendy Mass is one of the best among her contemporaries in this respect. As with A Mango-Shaped Space, Every Soul a Star, Finally and other novels she has written, 13 Gifts takes us into the heart of a small community of people who slowly grow close-knit over time, surprising us by just how attached we've become to them by the end of the story, and delivers an energetic, contemplative piece of literature in the process. It's no wonder I've become such a fan of Wendy Mass's writing.
"Sometimes people, when they're on the brink of getting what they really want, they decide they don't want it anymore."
―Bettie, 13 Gifts, P. 264
In her own hometown, Tara Brennan, twelve going on thirteen, doesn't have much of a presence. Of course, she's never really had time to establish herself, as she and her parents have moved repeatedly over the course of her life. Tara hasn't had much luck gaining friends wherever they've lived, but when a stunt she pulls to ingratiate herself to some other girls in school backfires, she finds herself banished to the small town of Willow Falls while her parents travel to Africa for the summer. Willow Falls is where Tara's Aunt Bethany lives with her own family, so Tara won't be on her own, but having never before visited Willow Falls or her relatives there makes the coming summer one that's sure to be awkward.
There's nowhere else on Earth like Willow Falls, that's for sure, and strange occurrences seem to beset Tara as soon as she boards the train for her destination. The people of Willow Falls, however, are as immediately welcoming and accommodating as Tara possibly could have expected. Even the kids her age, who everywhere she's lived until now would have ignored her and treated her like an outsider, accept Tara as part of their group immediately, as if she had been integral to their circle of friends for years. Though some of them do exhibit traits of unusual behavior (which we learn the full explanations for in 11 Birthdays and Finally, but which are also explained adequately in this book for anyone reading 13 Gifts first), Leo, Amanda, David and Rory quickly form an uncommonly strong friendship with Tara, who finds it difficult to hold them at arm's length as she's always done with the kids she's met throughout her life. There never seemed much point to her in making close friends, as there was sure to be another move for her and her parents coming around the corner; Tara would then find herself again uprooted, just as she knows even now that she'll be leaving Willow Falls at the end of the summer. But these new friends of hers seem so genuine, even springing into action to help Tara when a little mixup in her travel funds leads her to haplessly incur a curious sort of debt that can't exactly be paid with cash.
Finding herself working for the esoteric Angelina D'Angelo in exchange for the old woman's discretion in regard to a minor pilfering incident, Tara has to zip all around town looking for a set of thirteen specific objects to bring to Angelina. Moreover, she has to complete her task within a month, and isn't given any clues as to where the objects might be located, only that they are somewhere within the confines of Willow Falls. Truly, this task would be a virtually impossible one were it not for Tara's surprising gang of new friends, who willingly and enthusiastically sacrifice their hours of summer freedom to join in Tara's strange scavenger hunt, scouring the town for any sign of the objects needed to complete her quest. As the search commences, Tara learns there's a lot more to Willow Falls than meets the eye. Her new friends have their own secret histories with Angelina D'Angelo, part of the reason for the particular odd personal traits they exhibit, and there just may be a connection between their shared past with Angelina and what she has asked them each to do. Yet behind it all, Tara recognizes a certain trust in her friends toward Angelina, the surety that whatever her overarching plan happens to be will be good for everyone involved, and so Tara, too, comes to trust that there is a higher purpose to the madness of her being told to run all over town looking for thirteen ostensibly unrelated objects. Only when she's through with the job will Tara have all the pieces she needs to figure out the real reason behind Angelina's strange mandate, and it might lead her far from where she thought she was being led.
“I've learned that if you wait long enough, you might get a second chance at something you gave up on. And sometimes you'll be the one to give the second chance to someone else.”
―13 Gifts, PP. 338-339
As a stranger in town, Tara at first has no way of knowing what to expect from her extended family and the other residents of Willow Falls. She has been on her own for so long, learning not to depend on anyone too much because all her friendships are destined to eventually be broken up by her family's moving, but the seared façade she brings with her to Willow Falls begins to be healed so quickly by the reception she receives that the effects are remarkable. This group of friends that have known each other so long, with every reason to tighten their circle against the world and not present any more entry points where a new friend or two might slip in and truly become part of the group, are instead as welcoming of Tara as if they knew all along that she belonged there, even before they'd ever heard her name or found out she was coming to Willow Falls. To be met with this sort of sincere personal openness is exactly what Tara needed to have a chance of finding an emotional home in Willow Falls, because all her past experience had taught her not to reach out in any way, and only an extraordinary dose of friendship without reason or reservation could have broken through her defenses to make her think that returning the affection was the right response. And so, drawn into a small town among other kids who immediately become her friends and include her in on the continuity of their past and present together, Tara becomes part of the magic of Willow Falls, the magic of understanding who she really is, who her friends are and how they can go about getting out there and actually changing the world for the better, taking the opportunities to do good when they come around despite the discomfort and loneliness of a past that hasn't always left her feeling as if she could be an important member of this world. As David puts it, "...the world is broken up into pieces, and...it's up to everyone to help put it all back together. It's about recognizing the spark of life in everyone and everything, and gluing those shards back together." Tara is beginning to realize that a life spent in passivity, not taking risks and moving around out there where one can be damaged and suffer injury, is not worth being lived at all. The rewards of a life tangled up inextricably in the lives of others is where one finds real meaning, and as Tara steps definitely onto the field of play, she learns more about herself than ever before. I suppose there are just some lessons one can't grasp without the help of others.
13 Gifts is a really nice book, wise and sweet and emotionally honest and always, always engaging, drawing readers toward the playing field of life even as Tara comes to understand that it's the only place to be. It seems that every time I read one of Wendy Mass's books I experience a story that will always hold a special place in my heart, filled with characters, ideas and events that help me understand myself better and really want to become more a part of the world around me. 13 Gifts is another one of these special books, a novel to remind us all of the magic of life and of our world as a whole, and what it can mean when we choose to fully participate in it. In Tara's own words, "I've learned that the sidelines may be safer, but life is played on the field." I would definitely give at least two and a half stars to 13 Gifts, and I recommend it for any and all readers who enjoy a good work of life-affirming literature.
January 26, 2023
13 Gifts by Wendy Mass
340-page Kindle Ebook
Willow Falls #3
Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Magical Realism
Featuring: Mischief, Newcomer Trope, Summer, Cousins, Birthday Parties, Family Dynamics, Friendship, Actors, Aussie Glossary, Next Book Sneek Peak - The Last Presents Chapter One - no page count
Rating as a movie: PG
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: 🔖Page 93 of 340 Ch. 8 I immediately recognize Emily. I think I'm going to play this game in every book. The rest of the gang is here too and they have mentioned past events. I'm excited about this one.
🔖216 Ch. 17 - I was worried about this one but it seems to be coming together. I would have been finished by now but lots of interruptions have led me to a loss of momentum.
This book was going to get 3 stars but it really blossomed near the end. I was even mad about the one storyline that just trailed off. I'm starting the next book immediately.
Recommend to others?: Yes. Awesome series.
340-page Kindle Ebook
Willow Falls #3
Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Magical Realism
Featuring: Mischief, Newcomer Trope, Summer, Cousins, Birthday Parties, Family Dynamics, Friendship, Actors, Aussie Glossary, Next Book Sneek Peak - The Last Presents Chapter One - no page count
Rating as a movie: PG
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: 🔖Page 93 of 340 Ch. 8 I immediately recognize Emily. I think I'm going to play this game in every book. The rest of the gang is here too and they have mentioned past events. I'm excited about this one.
🔖216 Ch. 17 - I was worried about this one but it seems to be coming together. I would have been finished by now but lots of interruptions have led me to a loss of momentum.
This book was going to get 3 stars but it really blossomed near the end. I was even mad about the one storyline that just trailed off. I'm starting the next book immediately.
Recommend to others?: Yes. Awesome series.
March 22, 2022
This is such an amusing series....
May 25, 2023
quirky, summery, and comforting. exactly what i needed to read <3
June 6, 2025
this book is kind of a rollercoaster of enjoyment, it's the most slow of the series so far and i honestly don't care that much about angelina, i feel like the true best part of the series is the friendships and the drama of the main characters, not this old woman who is lowkey annoying. i feel like after this point they get less enjoyable but i wanna finish it off for nostalgia's sake.
September 9, 2025
★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5) ★★★★★
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ this book was my theater kid origin story. i should probably watch fiddler on the roof soon; i've been meaning to for six years since reading this and still haven't found the time. willow falls is so near and dear to my heart, and i can't wait to revisit these stories again in another decade or so.
────୨ৎ──── CHARACTERS.
.☘︎ ݁˖ TARA. | she has such a great sense of humor. i related insanely hard to her feeling like an observer in her own life and being so surprised that she's genuinely wanted and loved. she's so precious and deserves the entire world, i loved seeing messy loner girl representation on the page ♡
.☘︎ ݁˖ DAVID. | move aside Hamburglar, david goldberg was the original Rizzler!! the sweetest boy ever, i loved the subplot of him figuring out his faith alongside his love for his family and his friends ♡ still looking for my nerdy bee boy who will make me cds of his voice, applications open!!
.☘︎ ݁˖ EMILY. | my little math genius!! i thought she was a little annoying at times, but the moment she gave up her friendship bracelet to the lady, i absolutely fell in love with her character.
.☘︎ ݁˖ RAY. | lowkey... need me a cute aussie chauffeur who teaches me some weird slang
☘︎ ݁˖ MINOR. | so many familiar faces here!! rory swenson, my awkward queen ♡ she's so insightful and such a good listener. amanda and leo were so supportive and so kind, connor was funny, angelina was... as angelina is, bucky is the unsung hero of every book, and i just adore the characters in this universe so much. i can't even begin to express how much they fundamentally shaped my impressionable baby self who felt like she could never relate to real people in the world. they're long-lost best friends i can pick a conversation up with again so wonderfully and simply.
────୨ৎ──── PLOT.
ׂ╰┈➤ i've wanted a willow falls friend group ever since i was a weird nerdy loner in 3rd grade who was made fun of for reading all day, every day, choosing the company of fictional characters over that of real people. angelina wreaks havoc on people's lives, and tara has to somehow solve it and find herself amidst all the chaos. there's an impromptu production of 'fiddler on the roof' and plenty of hilarious one-liners ♡ those plot twists were soap-opera INSANITY--max and flo's origin story? angelina's motives?? tara's parents?? there are no coincidences in willow falls, but i still can't fathom how wendy mass wove these characters together with her invisible string so intricately.
────୨ৎ──── ROMANCE.
ׂ╰┈➤ david's game was so good in this... flipping his hand over underneath tara's to hold it?? gifting her a birthday CD with his songs on it?? @modern teen boys TAKE NOTES. i love the way the butterflies of a first crush is described here; wendy mass truly captures the girlhood experience so well. jake twirling rory around in the living room, moving the furniture so they could dance... your honor i love them, and THEY ARE ENDGAME IN MY HEAD. LET ME BE DELUSIONAL. 🙏🙏
────୨ৎ──── TL;DR.
ׂ╰┈➤ the most whimsical homecoming ♡ this series is so endearing, it's utterly timeless no matter how old you are. wendy mass is a wizard with the pen, and '13 gifts' proves to be no exception. 💌
────୨ৎ──── ♫ PLAYLIST. ♫
𝄞 something that i want (grace potter)
𝄞 sweet caroline (neil diamond)
𝄞 close to you (gracie abrams)
𝄞 spring into summer (lizzy mcalpine)
𝄞 out of the woods (taylor swift)
𝄞 yellow (coldplay)
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ this book was my theater kid origin story. i should probably watch fiddler on the roof soon; i've been meaning to for six years since reading this and still haven't found the time. willow falls is so near and dear to my heart, and i can't wait to revisit these stories again in another decade or so.
────୨ৎ──── CHARACTERS.
.☘︎ ݁˖ TARA. | she has such a great sense of humor. i related insanely hard to her feeling like an observer in her own life and being so surprised that she's genuinely wanted and loved. she's so precious and deserves the entire world, i loved seeing messy loner girl representation on the page ♡
.☘︎ ݁˖ DAVID. | move aside Hamburglar, david goldberg was the original Rizzler!! the sweetest boy ever, i loved the subplot of him figuring out his faith alongside his love for his family and his friends ♡ still looking for my nerdy bee boy who will make me cds of his voice, applications open!!
.☘︎ ݁˖ EMILY. | my little math genius!! i thought she was a little annoying at times, but the moment she gave up her friendship bracelet to the lady, i absolutely fell in love with her character.
.☘︎ ݁˖ RAY. | lowkey... need me a cute aussie chauffeur who teaches me some weird slang
☘︎ ݁˖ MINOR. | so many familiar faces here!! rory swenson, my awkward queen ♡ she's so insightful and such a good listener. amanda and leo were so supportive and so kind, connor was funny, angelina was... as angelina is, bucky is the unsung hero of every book, and i just adore the characters in this universe so much. i can't even begin to express how much they fundamentally shaped my impressionable baby self who felt like she could never relate to real people in the world. they're long-lost best friends i can pick a conversation up with again so wonderfully and simply.
────୨ৎ──── PLOT.
ׂ╰┈➤ i've wanted a willow falls friend group ever since i was a weird nerdy loner in 3rd grade who was made fun of for reading all day, every day, choosing the company of fictional characters over that of real people. angelina wreaks havoc on people's lives, and tara has to somehow solve it and find herself amidst all the chaos. there's an impromptu production of 'fiddler on the roof' and plenty of hilarious one-liners ♡ those plot twists were soap-opera INSANITY--max and flo's origin story? angelina's motives?? tara's parents?? there are no coincidences in willow falls, but i still can't fathom how wendy mass wove these characters together with her invisible string so intricately.
────୨ৎ──── ROMANCE.
ׂ╰┈➤ david's game was so good in this... flipping his hand over underneath tara's to hold it?? gifting her a birthday CD with his songs on it?? @modern teen boys TAKE NOTES. i love the way the butterflies of a first crush is described here; wendy mass truly captures the girlhood experience so well. jake twirling rory around in the living room, moving the furniture so they could dance... your honor i love them, and THEY ARE ENDGAME IN MY HEAD. LET ME BE DELUSIONAL. 🙏🙏
────୨ৎ──── TL;DR.
ׂ╰┈➤ the most whimsical homecoming ♡ this series is so endearing, it's utterly timeless no matter how old you are. wendy mass is a wizard with the pen, and '13 gifts' proves to be no exception. 💌
────୨ৎ──── ♫ PLAYLIST. ♫
𝄞 something that i want (grace potter)
𝄞 sweet caroline (neil diamond)
𝄞 close to you (gracie abrams)
𝄞 spring into summer (lizzy mcalpine)
𝄞 out of the woods (taylor swift)
𝄞 yellow (coldplay)
March 4, 2013
The realistic fiction book called 13 Gifts by Wendy Mass, is one of many great books in this series. In this book, the main character Tera goes for the summer to a little town called Willow Falls. Her thoughts about this change are very negative, she thinks it will be horrible, until she meets some very important people along the way.
Tera is staying with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. Sooner then she thinks, she meet some new friends that she becomes very close to. Tera's bad decision takes her on a "goose chase" that involves trying to find 13 items on a list to repay her dues before her 13th birthday that is in a week. Her new friends Rory, David, Lio, and Amanda are willing to help her in any way possible. But, my favorite character David, starts to have very strong feelings for Tera, which changes everything!
I could never relate to Tera's experience because I have never left my parents for a whole summer before. But I am very close to my cousins. I also have great friends who would do anything to help me.
I really liked this book, my favorite part was when they searched the whole town to find every thing on the list, but result in a Huge change of events. I don't have a least favorite part of this book. If I could change a part, I would have Tera's parents be more a part of the story because almost the whole time they were in Madagascar for their job. If I could change the ending, I would like to know what really happens to the children now that they have grown up.
I would recommend this book to you if you like realistic fiction books that also have a little bit of a mystery within them. If you read this? I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Tera is staying with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. Sooner then she thinks, she meet some new friends that she becomes very close to. Tera's bad decision takes her on a "goose chase" that involves trying to find 13 items on a list to repay her dues before her 13th birthday that is in a week. Her new friends Rory, David, Lio, and Amanda are willing to help her in any way possible. But, my favorite character David, starts to have very strong feelings for Tera, which changes everything!
I could never relate to Tera's experience because I have never left my parents for a whole summer before. But I am very close to my cousins. I also have great friends who would do anything to help me.
I really liked this book, my favorite part was when they searched the whole town to find every thing on the list, but result in a Huge change of events. I don't have a least favorite part of this book. If I could change a part, I would have Tera's parents be more a part of the story because almost the whole time they were in Madagascar for their job. If I could change the ending, I would like to know what really happens to the children now that they have grown up.
I would recommend this book to you if you like realistic fiction books that also have a little bit of a mystery within them. If you read this? I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
August 29, 2015
Star Rating:
4.25 stars
Plot:
"Wendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!
When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble. In addition, her parents decide that instead of taking her on their summer trip to Madagascar to study the courtship rituals of the Bamboo Lemur, she must go stay with her aunt, uncle, and bratty cousin Emily St. Claire in Willow Falls. Tara thinks it's a good time to start over; she'll be turning 13 after all, so she might as well make the best of it and perhaps even attempt to break out of her shell (in a non-criminal manner). What Tara doesn't know is that this charmed town has something big in store for her on her 13th birthday. It's not a typical birthday. But then again, nothing is Willow Falls is exactly typical!"
-Goodreads description
What I Liked:
I WAS ABLE TO FINISH THIS BY 11:59 MAKING IT MY 8TH BOOKTUBEATHON BOOK. so I liked that.
I liked this one WAY better than the first 2. It was really good, and I enjoyed all the reference from the past books.
What I Didn't:
Umm... I can't really think of anything off the top of my head... I guess I didn't like that Tara was trying to steal a goat in order to make friends. Or that she stole from her uncle (even though she brought it back).
Overall Opinion:
It was great! A super quick read, took me 3-4 hours. Very enjoyable, and like I said before, I liked it better than the first 2. Maybe cuz the characters were older? I'm not really sure why I liked it more.
Recommendation:
10 and up.
4.25 stars
Plot:
"Wendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!
When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble. In addition, her parents decide that instead of taking her on their summer trip to Madagascar to study the courtship rituals of the Bamboo Lemur, she must go stay with her aunt, uncle, and bratty cousin Emily St. Claire in Willow Falls. Tara thinks it's a good time to start over; she'll be turning 13 after all, so she might as well make the best of it and perhaps even attempt to break out of her shell (in a non-criminal manner). What Tara doesn't know is that this charmed town has something big in store for her on her 13th birthday. It's not a typical birthday. But then again, nothing is Willow Falls is exactly typical!"
-Goodreads description
What I Liked:
I WAS ABLE TO FINISH THIS BY 11:59 MAKING IT MY 8TH BOOKTUBEATHON BOOK. so I liked that.
I liked this one WAY better than the first 2. It was really good, and I enjoyed all the reference from the past books.
What I Didn't:
Umm... I can't really think of anything off the top of my head... I guess I didn't like that Tara was trying to steal a goat in order to make friends. Or that she stole from her uncle (even though she brought it back).
Overall Opinion:
It was great! A super quick read, took me 3-4 hours. Very enjoyable, and like I said before, I liked it better than the first 2. Maybe cuz the characters were older? I'm not really sure why I liked it more.
Recommendation:
10 and up.
September 23, 2014
I loved this book because it all comes together in a very suprising way.Wendy Mass writes in a way that you can really feel for every caracter.You can not not read this book!!!!!
May 19, 2017
13 Gifts is about a girl named Tara. Her parents are sending her to her aunt's after she made a peer pressure decision. Her parents went to Madagascar while she was with her family. On the train someone steals all of her belongings except for her clothes. She has no money, no phone, and worst of all no one to get her. Eventually she is able to get in contact with her relatives that pick her up. While Tara is out on a walk a day later she meets an old lady that tells her she has to pay her debt. What is she in dept for? Does it half to do with her mom?
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were realistic. I also enjoyed the plot line it showed how seems thing normal then they end up in a musical.
November 2, 2017
I liked the book because it tied into the other books in the series really well. If you liked the other books in the series you will definitely like this one also. If you want to start reading the Willow Falls series, I would highly recommend reading them in order. In this book, Tara's parents go to Madagascar and leave Tara to spend the summer at her cousin Emily's house in Willow Falls. On the train Tara loses the most valuable things she brought with her, her phone, her moms iPod, and her $200 dollars from her parents for her to spend. Will she find the things she lost on the train? Will she like it in Willow Falls? Is she going to stay mad at her parents for sending her there? Read the book to find out.
October 5, 2017
13 Gifts by Wendy Mass is such a great book! People in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade would love this book too! Dork Diaries is similar to this book, so if you've read and enjoyed them you'd love this series. Basically what happens in this book is that a girl named Tara got suspended and has to live with her aunt and uncle. Then she has to collect these items for Angela, the oldest one in town. She has to put on a play with the items she collected. I would definitely recommend this book to a lot of people.
July 7, 2020
Okay, so the beginning kinda annoyed me because Tara claimed to have overprotective parents, but then they sent her on a train ride by herself to their hometown to stay with her aunt while they went to Madagascar. Which, in my opinion, isn't something overprotective parents would do. But once she met the characters from the other books it was great and I actually really love this book!
I'm giving it a 4 because of the beginning 60 pages😅
I'm giving it a 4 because of the beginning 60 pages😅
July 23, 2017
This book was so good! I was worried that it might just be another sequel, looking for more money, but I was pleasantly surprised. Filled with surprises and twists, I would completely say that this is just as good as the first 2 books in the series. This book doesn't let down, and neither does Wendy Mass.
May 11, 2018
a character strength represented is teamwork because Tara allows her friends to help her complete the challenge that she was asked to do
Read
February 21, 2019there was actual TEA at the end
September 27, 2019
Got the book from second hand shop. Didn't know it was a series. But I love it.
August 29, 2021
Nostalgia
November 10, 2021
Really like this series!
January 26, 2022
Such a fun book.
December 25, 2022
This one wasn’t as good as the others but I’m still charmed by the premise.
January 16, 2023
AMAZING! 13 gifts is exciting, suspenseful and funny! Full of magic and fun connections all trough out it. Don’t bother to try to make it last, your just going to want to keep reading!
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