Asher, J. (2007). Thirteen reasons
why: A novel. New York: Razorbill. When Clay Jenson received a box full of
cassette tapes, he was confused as to why, but the note informed him if he
didn’t listen to them, there would be consequences. The voice of on the tapes is Hannah Barker, a
dead classmate. As he listened to the tapes, he heard her explain about each
and every person, all 13, contributed to her death, how each individual
taunted, emotionally and physically, enough to where she eventually killed herself. With each person, Hannah gives direction to
add to her stories. After a night of traveling the town late at night,
heartache, and wave after wave of emotion, Clay’s life will never be the same.
This book is meant for ages 12 years-old and up. This dark
realistic fiction touches on a range of topics including suicide and death,
physical violence and bullying, such as rape. The protagonist, Clay, deals with
the grief of losing a classmate while listening to her elaborate as to why she
committed suicide. Teachers could use this book to discuss the importance of seeking help when questioning or visiting the thought of suicide. They could also use it to help adolescents see how their actions and comments can affect others and their lives. One never know what is going on is someone else's mind or what they are thinking.
Thirteen reasons why:
A novel is on the
NYT Bestseller list for Young Adults.
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