13 Ways to Say Goodbye

by Kate Fussner

Overview

A novel-in-verse about life after loss, 13 Ways to Say Goodbye beautifully renders the power of sibling bonds, the depth of grief, and the strength of learning to love again, perfect for fans of Everywhere Blue and The Distance to Home, from the author of The Song of Us.

Nina always followed her older sister, Lily. But just before her thirteenth birthday, Lily died, leaving Nina behind forever.

In the three years since she lost her sister, Nina has completed Lily’s secret Before Birthday lists to continue in her footsteps. But now Nina is catching up. When Nina flies to Paris, France, and completes tasks that Lily never finished, Nina finds herself magically transported inside of her own memories, face-to-face with the ghosts of her past.

With her birthday looming and the last list running out, Nina is torn between visiting her sister in her memories and adventuring in the present, including crushing hard on her art classmate, Sylvie. Should she follow Lily’s instructions or try something new? And what happens when she finishes the list?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063256989
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/18/2025
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.97(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kate Fussner (she/her) is a novelist, teacher, and accidental poet living in Massachusetts with her wife and dramatic dog. When not reading or writing, Kate can be found spending time with her family, baking, or singing her favorite musicals. Kate believes in the power of a good laugh and a good cry, and hopes her stories will provide readers with both.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Song of Us: "Two seventh grade Boston girls meet in poetry club, fall in love, fight, and find their way back to each other in this verse novel. Their personalities shine through their beautifully crafted poems, full of aches, worries, and joys. Thirteen-year-old love at its finest." — Kirkus Reviews

"Immediate-feeling verse traces painful self-discovery and heady first love in Fussner’s debut, a queer retelling of “Orpheus and Eurydice.” Snappy verse embodies the girls’ achingly real alternating voices while thoughtfully considering topics such as coming out, mental health, parental abuse, and peer pressure. Hand this yearning-tinged slice-of-life romance to fans of Ashley Herring Blake and K.A. Holt." — Publishers Weekly

"In this gorgeous tale, Fussner delivers what feels like…a song. Of us. Of anyone who has ever been in love. Or anyone transformed by it. An impressive debut!" — Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A tender book about first crushes, peer pressure, and parental problems in middle school. Written in glorious verse, The Song of Us is an ode to love—love that defies expectations, overcomes disappointment, and transcends grief, love that springs in our hearts like song." — Rajani LaRocca, Newbery Honor-winning author of Red, White and Whole

“A stunning song of first love, heartache, and the freedom of knowing yourself. Eden and Olivia will linger in my heart.”  — Lambda literary award winning author Rebecca Podos

From the Publisher