Thirteen Reasons Why

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why

Before Hannah died she made several tapes, each side containing one event that had led her to the decision to take her own life, then she had them mailed off. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is the story of a girl who commits suicide and how her death impacts those she leaves behind. The story is propelled forward both by Hannah’s voice on the tapes and by the experiences of Clay, one of the tapes listeners. I like how the story shows the snowball effect, each event leading up to her final decision. I also like how it shows how our actions effect others, how easy it is to put your foot in your mouth without knowing it, and the importance of being kind all the time. However, more conservative parents may be wary of letting thier teens read this book as there is a slightly graphic rape scene.