Don't Be Mean to 13: A Triskaidekaphobia Story

by Douglas Harris, Yip Jar (Illustrator), Robyn Blumner (Foreword)

Thirteen is feared and disliked for no good reason, while Twelve has always been so popular! When Thirteen and his friend Friday get together -watch out for friggatriskaidekaphobia! Explore the ancient historical roots of these popular superstitions while encouraging children to use evidence-based, critical thinking with our friend, Thirteen!

Genres: Picture Books

Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2023

About the author

Father of Bailey Harris and Elle Harris.

Reviews

[Dez the Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an odd but interesting book about the number 13…

Illustrated like it’s for little kids but only 1/2 the story seems understandable by my 7 year old. I’d peg this in the 8-11 category.

We learn the origin of the fear of 13 and the fear of Friday the 13th. Technical terms and word origins are introduced. Very intellectual read for smaller kids.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Melany · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 stars off due to formatting for the Kindle app on phone and kindle device. It literally sliced the pages in half, so it made reading this a chore. It also doesn't let you click on right side of screen to turn page, you literally have to click one slice then go back and click the other slice of that same page to finish 1 page. It was more of a headache than an enjoyable experience for me and my son.

The book itself is great. Loved it and it's cute, the illustrations were adorable. I'd love to try and give this another go on paperback format. As it really ruined the book due to formatting issues on Kindle app for me, made it difficult to follow along with the story itself. My favorite number is 13 and has been since I was 13, as everyone kept saying it was my "unlucky year" as i was determined to make that number the best. My son knows this, so we really enjoyed learning the facts about it. The illustrations were so cute my son stated "your favorite number is adorable!" Lol

I received this book from NetGalley to read/review. All of the statements are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

[benita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t be mean to 13 is a children’s book about the fear, triskaidekaphobia, of the number 13.

Along with the illustrations, the readers get to know what a superstition and what fear is surrounding the number 13. Now, I read this on Friday the 13th, and I absolutely love this day! And reading this book was also a really fun read. The artwork was fun and I really liked the colors they chose to illustrate the number 13.

I hope a lot of young readers will enjoy this and learn more about our good friend 13!

Happy reading!♥️

I got this book for free from netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book that takes a look at why people don't like the number 13 and the subject of superstitions in general.

What I find to be interesting is that the President & CEO for the Center of Inquiry wrote a Foreword for this book that is basically geared towards children in addressing why do adults add a bunch of made-up stuff to be afraid of. This paragraph gives a basic definition of superstitions, a model of what that person feels was a silly superstition they had to deal with and then explains that we need to understand the origins so that way we don't fall gullible to the same beliefs. And that is basically your whole book on one page.

The rest of the book itself basically does a bit of a dive of what exactly is a superstition as well as provides the reader with some other examples (although the black cat isn't technically a full black cat), explains the term for the phobias of both the number as well as Friday the 13th then explores what possible origins could have led to people being so wary of the number. The book then flips around at the end to explain one country in which 13 isn't so bad while then relating all other people in the world to being just as specially unique as our protagonist.

What I found weird is that the kid looks like a boy to me but otherwise is very gender neutral while there are no pronouns or name provided to help address the issue. 13 is clearly male while the pronoun is quite evident throughout the whole book. Another weird aspect about this kid, though, is for one trying to teach the reader to not be afraid of superstitions there a few pages where the fear is just as noticeable even if the response may be exaggerated for the sake of the book.

Meanwhile our number friend should have had a makeover also instead of being drawn to mimic a little bit of a monster or as my sister calls him a susuwatari. And if the illustrator meant that form specifically I would love to know the story behind that choice.

Any way my last bit of a hiccup is the part that lists down why 12 was thought so important with the ancients while having a dozen doughnuts included. This latter fact had no bearing and if that was going to be thrown in there then you could just as well have argued the point that a baker's dozen beats a dozen hands down any day.

All in all given to the nature of the book, the "big" concepts and terminology I would probably direct this book more to older elementary children who should be able to grasp the easy presentation much better than younger readers.

[Stef (Noveltea Corner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't Be Mean To 13 by Douglas Harris is a fun picture book all about the number 13 and why people are superstitious about it. Even better, it's being released on Friday the 13th AND features a section on why some people are superstitious of that. It's a fun, quirky information book about all things 13 and I had a wonderful time reading it.

Things I enjoyed about this book:
🖤 The message that just because people don't understand you - and might be mean to you - you are special for who you are.
🖤 It unpacks what a superstition is - great for vocab work!
🖤 It unpacks the phobia of 13 (triskaidekaphobia) - also great for vocab work as it explores the Greek roots of the word
🖤 It includes real world facts about 13
🖤 It explores lucky numbers from other cultures
🖤 It's got a great sense of voice
🖤 The illustrations are bright, fun and inviting (and doesn't 13 look cute and friendly!)

This would be a great book to read on any Friday the 13th, explore superstitions and think critically about why those superstitions exist and whether or not they still have value in the current day. I'll definitely be looking to get a physical copy of this book as soon as I can.

Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For my video review, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zZ2z...

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was slightly underwhelming since I expected a "story" about thirteen, and even on the back blurb it talks about thirteen and Friday teaming up! As someone whose favorite number IS 13, and actually LOVES Friday the 13th I did find the historical facts behind it interesting. I tried to read this with my three year old though and she was not interested. This might be a fun book for older kids or those interested in STEM or language, likely more for 8-10 year age reading. The illustrations were very well done and I enjoyed how there was a variety of representation in culture, history, and drawing.

Thank you NetGallery for the opportunity to read and review this book in advance, all opinions and ratings are my own.

[Kim Novak (The Reading Rx) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you have triskaidekaphophia? How about friggatriskaidekaphobia? This is the perfect book to teach your little nerds about the #13 and all the superstitions it brings. I bet you learn a little something yourself about this most feared number! It is also perfectly perfect that this book releases on Friday October 13th!

Thank you to NetGalley and Label Free Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this title. This picture book is for anyone who is afraid of the number 13 or wants to know more about this superstition.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that clearly wants to do three things, and sort of falls at the last hurdle for all of them. It wants to scoff at superstitions, and this is the closest to a success it gets, proving (albeit more from the introduction than the actual core of things, you know, the bit kids'll actually read) that such false beliefs have no place in life these days. It also wants to specifically talk about the hoodoo about the number 13, and Friday 13th in particular, and it can mention the Norse and the Greek pantheons, but cannot get round to mentioning the Last Supper. I mean, c'mon, I have less religion in me than a sack of potatoes does, but stop with the woke "Christianity matters so little, we can ignore it" nonsense.

On these pages, 13 is a friendly gizmo, a ball of smiling black fluff, with what looks like his name on a patch sewn onto him. Which characterisation tries to allow for the book to pass the third test, of proving to the reader, who might at times feel neglected, misunderstood, bullied or thought ill of for no reason, that they are as special as said 13 is. But again this is just a couple of half-hearted add-ons here and there, and the third and final way this doesn't quite go far enough with any of its elements to really be called a success. And I think a book whose improvements could have been so simply identified and applied can only really get three stars.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t Be Mean to 13 by Douglas Harris is a picturebook. Friday the 13th is bad luck. Some high rises have no floor thirteen. Why are people so afraid of 13!? Thirteen is feared and disliked for no good reason, while Twelve has always been so popular! When Thirteen and his friend Friday get together - watch out for friggatriskaidekaphobia! Explore the ancient historical roots of these popular superstitions while encouraging children to use evidence-based, critical thinking with our friend, Thirteen!

Don’t Be Mean to 13 is a picturebook that not only covers the superstitions around the number thirteen, but also points out how sometimes people treat people badly for equally poor reasons as they fear the number 13. I really loved the book's look and illustrations. I liked the colors and how each page is designed in a way that captures and keeps the attention of the reader. I really enjoyed the way the number 13 was illustrated, it made the character pop on each page while still appearing rather cute and fuzzy. Honestly the art is my favorite part of this book. I think it could be a little text heavy, and heavy handed with the message that everyone is special and unique like the number thirteen. However, I did like the book taught facts about 13 in history and some cultures

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t Be Mean to Thirteen
By Douglas Harris
Illustrated by YipJar

Kids have enough to fear today without being afraid of superstitions like the fear of 13 and that’s exactly what author Douglas Harris tells kids in his new entertaining and educational book, Don’t be Mean to Thirteen. In the book a boy introduces the reader to his friend Thirteen telling them that some people fear the number and explaining that it’s a superstition and where that particular superstition may have originated. He then goes on to tell the reader that his friend Thirteen is special and should be celebrated and not feared. The book is brilliantly illustrated and gives young children the power to not be afraid of unexplained things like the superstition of the fear of thirteen. The illustrations are brilliant, colorful and presented in a way that is sure to hold a child’s interest. This book can be an instrumental way to take the fear out of superstitions by using two friends to explain why it’s silly. Young children will benefit from either reading or being read this book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why exactly do we avoid the number 13 when staying at a hotel, flying on a plane, or sitting in a specific seat? That’s exactly the question author Douglas Harris sets out to answer in the children’s book, “Don’t Be Mean to 13.” The boy in the book introduces the reader to his friend 13 and explains how many people are afraid of him. He then provides the origins of this particular superstition before explaining that there’s really nothing to fear about him at all.

Douglas does a great job at combining a sort of parable, providing an example of a character that is feeling ostracized like so many children are, with the history of how many superstitions come to be. Parents and children alike will walk away from this book having learned something while simultaneously being entertained. The illustrations are engaging to the smallest of readers especially when some of the more detailed parts get a little too wordy and possibly difficult to understand depending on the age. Overall, the book does a good job at explaining why superstitions are silly beliefs that some people have.

[Farah G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book that allows the characters 13 and his friend Friday to debunk some popular superstitions! Why should 12 get such an easy ride, for example, while black cats and poor 13 have such a rough time?!

I really loved the illustrations. Very cute indeed. But I think this would have worked better for younger children if the text had been less lengthy. Also, some of the words were a little hard to pronounce.

But the idea of examining where the roots of these superstitions lie, and the key point about the importance of using an evidence-based approach to life - rather than subscribing to absurd or outdated beliefs like this - was well made and will benefit young readers.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my interest by the cover and the title! My youngest daughter's birthday is Friday the 13th and I think it's fun. I actually picked it without even thinking of superstition and more so a good luck notion?!

This book dives into the thoughts of what people thing of the number 13 but in a childish manner and teaches that it IS in fact just a number and there is no reason to have fear.

The illustrations are very well done and keeps you flipping the page. However, as an adult reading this to children, it did come across a little bit wordy and they were getting restless and just wanted to flip through the page!

[Carley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book that allows the character 13 whom we should not be mean to explain why superstitions are not to be feared or treated as fact. Readers are taught why we need evidence to prove something is real. We are shown that when the character 13 and Friday get together there is no reason one should be afraid. As a special education teacher I love how the book tells the reader they are special even if they are different.
I enjoyed the illustrations as they were cute, fun, and drew the reader into the story. As a teacher, I think the text was long for younger readers and some of the words were too complex. I enjoyed the history of certain superstitions and I feel that you could build on these concepts to teach further lessons.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review

[Maya]

The number 13 is usually thought of as bad luck triskaidekaphobia - . This book delved deeper into why people are so afraid of the number 13.

The book talks about superstitions around the number and explains that sometime people are treated badly due to their association with the number. It also helps the reader understand the history behind the bad luck for the number as well as how different cultures perceive it.

Each page is captivating and cleverly designed so your full attention is on it.

Can’t quite put my finger on the age range of this book – it can be read with younger children and I think Key Stage 2 children will enjoy it by themselves.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This children’s book is very cute and even educational. Not only does the author defend poor #13, but the reader learns a lot about the history of the number and superstitions in general. I got a kick out of this playful book. The art was fine and the etymology lesson was welcome. I appreciated reading this digital book via NetGalley.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun. It looks at the fear of 13 and Friday the 13th and explains that they are just numbers and day. It also explains what a fear is and how they can come about. It does it all with a tongue in cheek humor that works perfectly. This book would be great for any library collection.

[Lisa Gisèle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

Very cute book that taught me a lot about 13.. I have a friend who won't leave the house on Friday the 13th.
I think 13 may have gotten a push as it is Taylor Swifts favorite number (or so I've been told a time or two.)

Cute book with a lesson attached.

[Virginia Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this wonderful children’s story that helps children to understand that 13 should not be a scary number. I loved the illustrations, especially how 13 is portrayed. I love how everything is explained. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[Melissa Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and author for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5

Superstitions and the upcoming autumn season lured me into this book for my 1st grader. The artwork is engaging, however the Greek words were impossible to pronounce for my little reader and she wasn’t really engaged in the story.

[Katie Bowlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like I learned a lot about superstitions and their origin. This story had a good message and was packed with facts and information. I feel this story was also unique from other stories and I enjoyed reading it with my child.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would say the illustration is quite fun!
This book provides a short background on how the number 13 is regarded as something unlucky and should be considered dangerous.
The kids will enjoy this book a lot!

Thank you, Label Free Publishing, for the advance reading copy.

[Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable and informative read. It provides a simplistic approach to explaining a phobia with illustrations that will draw in youngsters to adults. Perfect for this time of year, too, regardless of Friday 13.

[jyweniverel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorably illustrated book to teach anyone that the number 13 isn’t unlucky. Thirteen is just a number like all the rest and there is no need to fear it. A cute, informative story that will have you thinking differently about 13 and a lot of other superstitions.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about the number 13 and the phobia surrounding it. Probably will be better for slightly older kids. I really like the word I learned for fear of Friday the 13th: Friggatriskaidekaphobia!

ARC from Netgalley.

[AliceXaphanBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was full of a lot of details but not put together in a way that kept my kids interested at all. It’s also marketed for quite a young audience yet I felt like my kids (3 & 5) were way too young.

[Davi Kladakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for the ARC copy of this book. Wow, I didn't know that much about the history of 13. All I knew was that people found the number unlucky.

[Jacquelynn Newell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this with my seven year old and was an awesome way to describe superstition to children will definitely be going to look for a copy of this one to add to our home library

[Robin Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love this book. IT was cute and very informative. Love Love love