“Ifthirteenissupposedtobeanunluckynumber...youwouldthinkacivilizedsocietycouldcomeupwithawayforustoskipit.“
Noonewillwanttoskipanyofthetwelveshortstoriesandonepoemthatmakeupthiscollectionbysomeofthemostcelebratedcontemporarywritersofteenfiction.Thebigbarmitzvahthatgoessuddenly,wildly,hilariouslyoutofcontrol.Afirstkiss--andarealizationaboutone’ssexualorientation.Acrushonagirlthatendsupputtingtheboywholikesherinthehospital.Apairofsneakersakidhastohave.Byturnsfunnyandsad,wrenchingandpoignant,themomentslargeandsmalldescribedinthesestoriescaptureperfectlytheagonyandecstasyofbeingthirteen.
