From the Publisher
Praise for 13 Gifts
*"Mass keeps the plot jumping like a fireworks display; there's one surprise spark after another, all coming together at the end for a breathtaking finale." -School Library Journal, starred review
"In equal parts philosophical and wryly humorous, this magical tale will satisfy both fans and new readers alike." -Kirkus
Praise for Finally
"Rory's chatty, friendly voice and relentless optimism in the face of her many mishaps are heartwarming." -Publishers Weekly
"Growing up doesn't have to happen all at once, and it isn't always all it's cracked up to be . . . Mass provides a pretty entertaining and solidly worthwhile read." -Kirkus
Praise for 11 Birthdays
*"From the double-entendre title to the solid character portrayals to the clarity and wit of the writing, this novel offers a fresh twist on the familiar themes of middle-grade family and school dynamics." -Booklist, starred review
*"Mass's expertise with pacing keeps the story moving at a lively clip, and her understanding of this age group is as finely honed as ever." -Publishers Weekly, starred review
School Library Journal - Audio
02/01/2014
Gr 4–7—Secretive Angelina DeAngelo, a mysterious centenarian, has special powers and the compunction to bestow a benediction of sorts upon every infant born in Willow Falls. She has used her spells and machinations to change Leo, Amanda, Tara, and Rory's lives by intervening during their birthdays and by using time travel to change the past and counteract an old family curse. In this series entry (Scholastic, 2013), focus shifts to 10-year-old Grace, who sees energy surrounding everyone and everything, and who will evidently replace Angelina in the future. Grace has gone into a strange frozen state on her birthday, and Amanda and Leo must travel in time in order to fix whatever's wrong. Though the dialogue is implausible and the current story is hard to follow without knowledge of the proceeding titles, and therefore really cannot stand alone, narrator Kathleen McInerney does a stellar job of creating many distinctly different character voices. It would be a wise purchase only where the series was popular with students who have enjoyed the previous installments. An interview with the author and narrator is included.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghampton, NY
School Library Journal
10/01/2013
Gr 4–7—In this installment in the series, Mass continues to weave reality with fantasy, action, and plot twists to draw readers into her story. The Last Present pairs 13-year-old best friends, Amanda and Leo, to unravel the mystery of why 10-year-old Grace has become catatonic following their friend David's bar mitzvah. While visiting Grace, Angelina D'Angelo appears as her nurse, and the friends know that the mysterious old woman with special powers is involved. Amanda and Leo are instructed to journey to the past, specifically to Grace's previous birthday parties, to undo a curse that has befallen her. But, do they have enough information to reverse it? Angelina has a habit of leaving out important pieces of a story in order to get her way. With the help of their friends, Amanda and Leo are up to the challenge and begin their time-travel adventure. Woven seamlessly into this fantasy are the realistic issues that tweens encounter. Young love, sibling rivalry, and embarrassing parents are as much a part of this adventure as the time travel. Although part of a series, The Last Present can stand on its own, but readers will want to find the earlier titles once they have visited Willow Falls.—Annette Herbert, F. E. Smith Elementary School, Cortland, NY
Kirkus Reviews
2013-09-01
The latest volume in the Willow Falls series finds Amanda and Leo trying to save a young girl through a series of eventful time-traveling adventures. Magical, mysterious Angelina D'Angelo has set out quite the task for best friends Amanda and Leo. For 10 years, Angelina has been thwarted as she attempted to place a benediction on a young girl named Grace, who now languishes in a coma. Amanda and Leo must time travel to Grace's prior birthday parties to ensure that the benediction successfully occurs, and they must get it right not once, but three times, to save her. Or so Angelina says. The friends discover that the story is more complicated and that it is wrapped up with Angelina's own closely guarded secrets. Character development and closure are key here. Amanda and Leo do a lot of growing up as they negotiate complicated ethical terrain as well as a relationship evolving from friendship into romance. Further, Mass successfully weaves together the stories of familiar characters from previous volumes and finally reveals a full picture of Angelina, the powerful, flawed puppet master of the previous episodes. While the tale has general appeal, it is most suited for devoted series fans, who will most appreciate the tying up of loose ends and revelation of long-held secrets. (Fantasy. 8-12)
