Jason Robert Brown

Just a few months shy of his 13th birthday, native New Yorker Evan Goldman is doing pretty well, he thinks. For instance, he's finally made contact with his crush's upper lip. But his celebratory bubble is burst when his parents announce an imminent divorce, and then his mother insists on moving him to middle-of-nowhere Indiana.

To make matters worse, Evan's mom is now insisting he have a Bar Mitzvah, even though there aren't even any other Jews in Appleton, and the only site available for show more the ceremony is the basement of the Methodist Church! But at least they found a nearby rabbi on the internet.

Still, things begin to settle, as they will. Evan makes a summer friend, Patrice, and then finds himself in the Dan Quayle Jr. High "cool" crowd headed by local football star, Bret. (Although this does limit his interaction with the outcast Patrice, who eventually stops talking to him.)

Now he's thinking that maybe the Bar Mitzvah won't be so bad, what, with a huge crowd of local, popular kids around him -- even if they aren't sure what a Bar Mitzvah is. But then, a misunderstanding makes him a pariah, and he is left wondering if he will ever fit in anywhere. And whether his mom and the rabbi will be the only people at the Methodist Church in a few days.

Interestingly, this novel is based on a musical. Sadly, it is a little trite. It's not quite so bad as, "Wait, I've seen this before. Wasn't it called Keeping up with the Steins?" (A charming little film, by the way.) But it isn't going anywhere that can't be seen a mile away either. The tension falls a little flat when you don't seriously believe that he'll never get a speech written, his Bar Mitzvah will be empty and Patrice will never talk to him again.

However, this might not be so bad for a twelve year-old audience, most of whom would be sorely disappointed in an ending where, say, nobody does show up to Evan's Bar Mitzvah. The themes are simple, "becoming a man" obviously chief among them, and should appeal strongly to those around Evan's age. Also, these are tween-aged worries. I remember having some of the same myself.

With the whole plot centering around the upcoming Bar Mitzvah, I was afraid that this might be solely a Jewish-niche book, but the themes are surprisingly universal. Replace the religious event with a big birthday bash, for instance, and you have a story that could be about just anyone. Moving, divorce, popularity, friendship, fitting in, growing up, family... this is the stuff YA literature is made of, and it is all here.

One aspect in which 13 really soars is the humor. Evan is a very sharp and witty narrator. The subplot with the terminally-ill Archie is often heartwarming, but more often hilarious. (Not at the expense of Archie, mind.) I'll forgive a book almost anything if it is funny.

I enjoyed 13, for the most part, and think it will serve it's target audience, 11-13 year old boys, very well. I think, as a fairly simple and quick read, it might be an easier sell for reluctant readers, especially those who will see themselves in the text. For adults, like myself, who enjoy reading a lot of children's and YA lit, not so much. It isn't a waste of time, but there are better things out there.

On the other hand, if the musical ever comes into town, I'm totally seeing it. show less

[review written 2011]

So this book was really cool. 13 by Jason Robert Brown and Dan Elish is based off the musical, and written by the same writers of the musical. I found it disappointing it had basically the same plot as the musical–I would have liked to see Evan’s life in Indiana or New York, but if you listen to the soundtrack and can read fast, it’s great, because you hit the songs roughly the same time as you hit the plot in the book.

But 13 was a very enjoyable book nonetheless. show more The portrayal of the “popular kids” and the “unpopular kids” are spot on from what I find in my middle school (hence, the reason I don’t like going to school every day). Evan was a very relatable character, and it was funny. Archie annoyed me a lot. show less

PLOT SUMMARY: This is the story of 12 (soon to be 13) year-old Evan Goldman. Evan is a typical upper-middle-class, NYC Jewish kid. He's popular, likes his school and is is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. Then Evan gets an awful piece of news. He learns that his father has taken up with a young, blond flight attendant, and his parents are getting divorced. Evan's mom is hurt and angry. In an effort to exact revenge (and get as much distance as possible between herself and the cheating dad), show more she decides that she and Evan will move to the rural town of Appleton, Indiana to live with her best friend from college. What follows for Evan is a shock immersion in rural life, football worship, unlikely friends, and an education in what really matters. This book features some unlikely heroes and heroines - including a brainy girl with a love of books and old movies, an obnoxious but vunerable guy with a disabiltiy, and a beautiful cheerleader. It also features contemporary Jewish culture and characters, a real rarity in children's literature (which is full of Holocaust and immigrant stories).

MY TAKE: I enjoyed this novel. It made me laugh and cry, and it made me think. I cared about the characters, and there are some truly suspenseful and emotional moments. I appreciate how Evan's character evolves and matures. Since I grew up in a small, rural town, though, I'm a bit iffy on the authors' portrayal of Brett, the junior high quarterback, as the town hero. Everyone knows that high school football rules small towns, and junior high kids don't get adoration until they're in high school. This book leads you to believe that the junior high kids rule the town, which is very unrealistic.

WHO WOULD LIKE THIS BOOK: This is a book for boys and girls ages 11 and up who like humor and realistic fiction. I say 11 and up, by the way, because of the boys' all-consuming and frequently mentioned interest in making out and "getting tongue."

INTERESTING FACT: 13 is also a musical!

FAVORITE QUOTE: (Pages 194-195)"Looking out at the crowd, my eyes lingered on the 10 empty spaces at Patrice and her Dad's table. And I never would have dreamed that I'd think this, but what went through my head at that moment was: I never needed those kids in the first place, and I'm glad they're not here." show less

Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com

In three months, Evan will be thirteen. He is already planning his Bar Mitzvah when he learns his mom and dad are splitting up and he's moving to the middle of nowhere -- Appleton, Indiana. On top of leaving NYC and his friends, Evan now has to plan his Bar Mitzvah in Indiana. He knows no one will show up and is horrified to find out that it will take place in the basement of the Methodist Church.

Even though Evan expects his life to be miserable, he soon show more befriends Patrice, a pretty girl who loves old movies and is a little bit of a geek. Evan never has a problem with her until he becomes friends with Bret. Bret is an All-American boy. He's the junior high's quarterback and is loved by all the girls and their parents, too, for that matter. As Evan becomes more involved with Brett and his gang of friends, he starts to lose sight of how friends are really supposed to treat each other.

As the weeks go by, Evan gets tangled up with planning his "becoming a man" speech, more drama than he can handle, and a particularly weird situation which involves the movie The Bloodmaster. Evan soon learns that being a man isn't all it's cracked up to be and ends up learning more about himself then he ever thought possible.

I was quite pleased with this book. I don't always enjoy middle-grade fiction because I find it hard to relate to, but I can vividly remember being thirteen. The authors made an unforgettable character out of Evan that made me laugh-out-loud and reminisce about days when I was his age. I remember going through similar situations as Evan did and handling them just about as well as Evan did! Just the style of writing and the words that came out of the character's mouths were funny.

While middle-grade novels may not be your first choice, I highly suggest you pick this one up and laugh along with the story. This book would also be good for reluctant readers. It's not particularly long, yet it is long enough to be a wholesome story. The message of self discovery and being your own kind of person is also a great part of this book. 13 was an enjoyable read that will keep readers wanting more. show less