Thirteen Is Too Young to Die

by Isaacsen-Bright

Alexa and her family cope with her year-long skin affliction known as Lupus and its fatal consequences.

Genres: Young Adult

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book probably 20+ years ago, and I remember liking it so much. I think it was my first read about illness, dying, and inevitably death. It had a profound effect on me, and I still remember it today.

[Lynda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, I am blown away that this book has so many great reviews. I remember reading it when I was in junior high, like some of the other reviewers, and being mildly entertained, but even then I thought it was melodramatic and overblown. (And when a junior high aged girl thinks something is over-dramatic, you KNOW it's bad!)

A few years after high school, I was actually diagnosed with lupus. I happened to come across this book at a rummage sale and bought it to see if it was as weird as I remembered. If anything, it's pretty offensive, giving people the idea that a) if you have lupus, you can't do anything anymore (as the girl in the book felt, but hey, she was only 13), and b) if you get lupus, you're going to die.

Actually... DID she end up dying or not? As I recall, the end of the book just sort of fades away, leaving us to wonder if she died or not.

[Sandra Blackburn Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book when I was 11 yrs old (38 yrs ago) from a lovely lady that I only remember as Woogie (I believe my mom once told me her name was actually Marian but, this was her nickname). She lived in the studio apartment on the first floor of the house we lived in when I was in 5th grade. I came home from school one afternoon and Woogie was sitting on the small porch in front of her door like she always did every afternoon. I went to go into our front door and she stopped me and said she had something for me. She went inside and brought out this book and handed it to me. I said thank you and went inside. I didn't even read it until months later. We moved at the end of that school year and I never saw Marian again. But I read that book over and over and over, so many times that the cover started to fall apart. It was my very first ever book that I could say was just mine. I knew this story front to back. As I grew up, and moving a lot like we did, somehow somewhere this book was lost and I have really no idea as to where it went to. The last time I saw it I was probably 14 or 15 (that was 35 yrs ago). About 2 yrs ago, I was searching on ebay and a few other websites trying to find an exact copy of the book I had with the picture of Alexandra on the cover with the sailboat and purple sunset in the background. I came across one post on ebay and questioned the seller extensively to insure that this was the copy I was searching for. She promised me that it was and sent a picture of the cover to me to show me it was in fact, the one I had been looking so many years for. I won that auction and received the beautifully used book that is in the exact shape the one I once had for so many years myself, was. The story still keeps me interested in the rest of the book, even knowing how it ends. I have a granddaughter that just turned 3. I will be saving this book for her and as she gets older, I hope and pray she develops a love of reading like I have, and will cherish this book once she's old enough to have it as her own.

It's funny how no matter how long you go without reading a favorite book/story, the second you start scanning those pages, the story starts playing like a movie in your mind, taking you back to being that 11 year old girl laying on your bed seeing Alexandra on that boat, sailing into the warm late day sunset or laying in her room as the sun comes up knowing that her friend, Luke, had passed away. Funny how a book from our past can conjure up memories of the first time we read it or memories of the person that gave it to us. As I'm typing this review, I scanned through the story (because in all honesty, I haven't read the whole book through since it was mailed to me after I won the auction) & was instantly back on Wesley Avenue in my room flipping through those worn out, yellowed pages.

This book needs to be given to and read by every 10+ yr old girl. It definitely is a favorite of mine, now and always.

[Devilene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book when I wan on my 7th grade I think, I have seen the book in one of my sister's books and because it is one of the smallest, I read it and as I read it, I have seen the reality of some of the people in other side of the world. Some can tell that it was based from imagination but some can say it is really from a true story.. I'll recommend this book to those readers that wants a slice of life genre of book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

1980 doesn't seem so long ago, but in medical science, 45 years is a miraculous amount of progress for people with certain diagnoses. This story about a young teenager who develops lupus, whose doctors know basically nothing about how to treat it, was a tough read. For the correctly aged audience, probably very moving, too.

[REBECCA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book sometime in the 80’s. Sad, but realistic view of the life of a young girl with cancer.

[Jessica Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book when I read it in high school. It is one that has stuck with me ever since. It’s unfortunate anyone I tell about the book has never heard of it

[Dundee Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book when I was about 13, which is the same age as the main character Alexa. It became my go to book. Alexa is your typical teenager girl, she likes hanging out with her friends, going to dances and parties, getting interested in boys and is self conscious about her appearance.

Alexa starts noticing that she is getting tired easier, her joints hurt and her eyes keep getting blurry. On top of all that, no matter what she tries, she cannot get rid of the brown spot and pimples that goes across her nose onto both cheeks. She finally convinces her parents that she needs to find out what to do about the brown spot. After a doctor visit with numerous questions and many medical tests, she is diagnosed with lupus. When this book was published in 1980, lupus wasn't as well known of a disease and didn't have the treatment options like we do today.

When I read this book the first time, I remember feeling scared for Alexa and couldn't even imagine going through everything she was going through. Not only was she dealing with the symptoms from the disease, she also had to deal with the side effects from the treatment.

Thirteen years after first reading this book, I was diagnosed with lupus. Even though I was older and lupus was starting to become a little bit more talked about and there were more treatment options, I experienced all of those feelings that Alexa did and even some of the same treatments.

Even though it is an older book, I would definitely recommend it.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite tern book. I located a beat up copy and ordered it for my fifth grade daughter. She finished it in 3 days and made a poster for school that this is her favorite book. She reads a lot! Now, she wants a better copy and friends and her teacher want it. How can I get it? This book is on its second generation of being a preteen favorite! I need a good copy for her birthday next month.

[Alisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that Thirteen Is Too Young To Die was just heroic. I thought it was heroic because it talks about a girl who has a disease which is Lupus and it means Wolf. It also talks about the struggles of her life. But the only thing that wasn't interesting that it barely mentions God. But other than that I like it a lot.

[Tammy Romanosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid i absolutly loved this book, I read it over and over again. Recently I bought the book, just to have for old times sake, and was so suprised - there are 2 versions of it. Evidentally the book was "updated" a few years back, totally changing the book - weird.
The original is the best, sad, but great none-the-less.

[Amaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great! The book i read belonged to my mom as a kid . I always seen it and wanted to read it. And i finally did . It was awesome . I got so into it . I finished it in 3 days . This book made me .think of life in a whole diffrent perspective . I loved it . Im planning on reading some more books from this author

[Meri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was obsessed with this book when I was a kid!

[Jennifer Fosberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid, I loved to sob through this one.

[10-11 Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book ever!It really teaches you that you should enjoy life because you never know when it will end.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this clear back in the 5th? grade. The story was incredible. The poor girl went through so many things and I really loved it. I am definitely going to try to find this book and read it again.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so amazing and I would reccomend it to anyone. It really shows you not to take anything for advantage and to live everyday of your life.

[Danelle Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as a teen

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a kid and then re-read it recently. I was surprised how emotional I still felt. It is still a good story and definitely a nice nostalgic read (no cell phones!).