Thirteen Reaons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
 288 pages

Publisher:  Razorbill (2007)
ISBN:  1595141715
Reading Level/Lexile:  7th grade and up/550L
Genre:   Realistic Fiction Mystery

Annotation/Teaser:  When Clay receives a package containing cassette tapes, he is surprised to hear the voice of his dead classmate and secret crush, Hannah.  According to Hannah, the thirteen people she chose to listen to these cassettes are the thirteen people she blames for her death.  Why is Clay on this list?  How many of the tapes will he have to listen to before he finds out the reason he is included in Hannah's list?

Plot Summary:  Clay Jenson, comes home one day to find a shoe box full of 7 cassette tapes.  Each cassette has stories told by Hannah, a classmate who has recently committed suicide.  Each story is told about a person who Hannah feels is to blame for her death.  These tapes, mailed the day Hannah dies, instruct each person to listen all the way through and then pass on to the next designated person so that each person on the tape has a chance to listen to Hannah.  Clay cannot figure out why he is included in this group of people and is obsessed with listening to the tapes until he can find out why he is one of the thirteen included.  Each tape shows is a cry for the person listening to be more aware of how their actions and words can have a lasting effect on another person.  What Clay hears on these tapes will change his life and have the courage to speak up.

About The Author:  Jay Asher  Jay Asher was born on September 30, 1975 in Arcadia, California.  He has a younger brother, Nate.  Asher graduated from St. Luis Obispo High School in 1993.  He attended Cuesta Community College and then Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he left his senior year.  On September 2, 2002, he married Joan Marie and they now have Isaiah Nathan who was born on December 11, 2010.
"Except for six months in Wyoming, I've lived my entire life in California. It was during those six months in Sheridan, Wyoming that I came up with the idea for Thirteen Reasons Why. I've worked at an independent bookstore, a chain bookstore, an outlet bookstore, and two public libraries. Before those jobs, I worked at a shoe store, a trophy shop, and an airline. My very first writing award earned me a free fruit smoothie every day for a year. I've won a lot of awards since then, but that one tasted the best!"


Jay Asher Bio (n.d.) Retrieved from www.jayasher.blogspot.com


Critical Evaluation:  The narration of this book jumps between the 1st person narration of Clay and the 1st person narration of Hannah from the audio tapes.  While Hannah may be considered an unreliable narrator because of her state of mind, this narration works in this story.  We see insight inside of someone's head who is no longer alive.  Clay's reaction to the tapes in the first person narrative makes for a powerful story.  Clay questions Hannah's reasoning behind the tapes and the suicide,  as well as points out when he feels she is not being fair. Another powerful element of this narration is when Hannah addresses the listeners by their names.  She does this to lay more blame and make the listener feel guilty.
Another element that works well in this book is the suspense the author creates in Clay which is then carried to the reader.  Clay can't stop listening to the tapes because he wants to know why he is included.  This creates an element of suspense for the readers, as well.  The reader wants to know just as much as Clay does.   

Curriculum Ties:  English, Language Arts, Psychology


Book Talk Ideas:  Clay has no idea why he got the tapes.  What does this have to do with him anyway?


Controversial Issues:  Suicide, Sex, Underage Drinking


Defense: 

*I will keep the library's selection policy on hand and memorized with a good understanding  of the standards and policies to show that the selection meets the standards. 

*I will keep good and bad reviews (both electronic and print) and make sure they are from reliable and respected sources such as School of Library Journal, Booklist, and YALSA. I will have copies of these reviews to give away. 

*I will confirm the library's position to provide intellectual freedom as stated in the Library Bill of Rights and keep a copy of this.

*I will keep a written rationale to justify the reasons this material is included in the collection, such as educational significance and curriculum ties.

*I will be respectful and calm and practice "active listening".

*I will make sure I read the material and are very familiar with it.

* I will keep a reconsideration form on file in the event that my other strategies don't work. 

Why I Chose This Book?  I chose this book because I feel it is a good read to get young adults to think about the consequences of their actions and words.