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My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir Paperback – January 1, 2005
Purchase options and add-ons
- Reading age9 - 12 years
- Print length208 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level4 - 7
- Lexile measure1050L
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
- PublisherScholastic Paperbacks
- Publication dateJanuary 1, 2005
- ISBN-100439339057
- ISBN-13978-0439339056
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Scholastic Paperbacks (January 1, 2005)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 208 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0439339057
- ISBN-13 : 978-0439339056
- Reading age : 9 - 12 years
- Lexile measure : 1050L
- Grade level : 4 - 7
- Item Weight : 5.6 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #472,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #55 in Teen & Young Adult Nonfiction on Disabilities
- #679 in Teen & Young Adult Biographies
- #15,000 in Schools & Teaching (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They praise the author's powerful writing style and grace. However, opinions differ on the story quality - some find it personal and sensitive, while others consider it overdramatic and confusing.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They say it's a great read and highly recommend it.
"Must read!!! Beautifully written. Would make a great teachers gift...." Read more
"...Still, it's worth a read if you're older, have dyscalculia, a few bucks to throw around and an hour or two to sit down and read...." Read more
"...Worth the read." Read more
"Good Book" Read more
Customers appreciate the writing style. They find it engaging and informative, with a clear perspective from a young person with learning disabilities. The book offers an interesting look at math learning disabilities from the perspective of a preteen.
"...classroom. As an elementary student, Samatha excelled in language and social studies, but she also had a harrowing secret: she could not..." Read more
"...Essentially, this book is written from a preteen with dyscalculia's view, her abuse by teachers and her experiences throughout her education into an..." Read more
"...Samantha's writing style has power, focusing a bright search light on the areas readers needs to see...." Read more
"My Thirteenth Winter was the best book written on learning disabilities that I've read so far...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's style. They say it's well-written and would make a good teacher gift.
"Must read!!! Beautifully written. Would make a great teachers gift...." Read more
"...of courage and strength to share our weaknesses, she did this with such style and grace...." Read more
"LOVED this book. I picked it up merely because of the cover. It looked interesting. I have not given it to my sister and a friend...." Read more
Customers have differing views on the story. Some find it interesting and personal, describing it as an important memoir. However, others find the writing overdramatic, confusing, and not the best choice for school reading.
"...She was very impressed with the story and was happy to receive it. Most every day ordinary people have no idea of the struggles of one with..." Read more
"not the best book a lot confusing i had to read it for school so it was not my first choice read" Read more
"...shows itself in her daily life. This is the story of her persistence and her ultimate sucess...." Read more
"...I loved her story and bravery, I felt very connected to her through this learning disability...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2015Must read!!! Beautifully written. Would make a great teachers gift. Read this first then shared it with the resource (Special Education)teacher at my children's school. She was very impressed with the story and was happy to receive it.
Most every day ordinary people have no idea of the struggles of one with learning disabilities. Great read, highly recommend!
- Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2004Samatha Abeel's autobiography should be read by every parent of a learning disabled child and by every teacher who has learning disabled children in the classroom.
As an elementary student, Samatha excelled in language and social studies, but she also had a harrowing secret: she could not understand or do the math her classmates did-she could not even tell time!
It is not until she is thirteen that Samatha is finally diagnosed with dyscalculia, a math related learning disability.
The book covers both Samatha's triumphs like working with artist Charles Murphy to produce "Reach for the Moon" and her difficulty dealing with the outside world where most people do not understand how her dyscalculia shows itself in her daily life.
This is the story of her persistence and her ultimate sucess. For as Samatha writes,"...we are stronger than we think we are."
I highly recommend this story of a courageous young woman and her struggle to deal with her disablility.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2019Is your child crying over the math homework, but loves reading and is perhaps even a wiz at spelling? The book won't make him/her into an Einstein but it explains wonderfully what might be the cause of the math misery. It certainly was an eye opener for me who all through may life have never been able to tell south from north, east from west, can't add the same sum twice and get the same result, have to keep my watch set 10 minutes in advance to make sure that I'm not late. There are many, many ways that dyscalculia shows its ugly head. It's the opposite of dyslexia and it is REAL. If you're a parent this book will have you both laughing and crying. Read it with your child.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2014This book has a very specific audience: young children and clueless teachers. Still, it's worth a read if you're older, have dyscalculia, a few bucks to throw around and an hour or two to sit down and read. Essentially, this book is written from a preteen with dyscalculia's view, her abuse by teachers and her experiences throughout her education into an adult. I cried a few times and have to admit, it was like reliving my younger self's struggles to be respected, listened to and accommodated. I was a little disappointed with how "easy" it was to read. The writer was not very descriptive even though it's supposed to be by an adult, but if you just want to learn what having dyscalculia is like for a child, preteen and young teen, please read it. It's a great start for anyone just learning that dyscalculia exists and wanting to empathize and help!
- Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2014Having two children with dyscalculia I found this book fantastic. It made me see things from the side of the "victim". Dyscalculia is such a hard disability to understand and finding help has been even harder. I've learned patience, understanding and thinking outside the box helps, I feel that this book helps the reader to see this. I loved her story and bravery, I felt very connected to her through this learning disability. It takes a lot of courage and strength to share our weaknesses, she did this with such style and grace. I found her to be a true advocate and inspiration for people trying to come to grips ith this disability. I also learned a lot about college and the help that is available to kids with dyscalculia.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2020Had to read it for school, it was alright
- Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2018I hope Samantha Abeel's honesty about her academic, social, and psychological challenges will encourage those who live with learning differences to share their personal stories for the benefit of their elementary and high school teachers, college professors, school administrators, colleagues and other adults with learning disabilities. Samantha's writing style has power, focusing a bright search light on the areas readers needs to see. The way she described her experiences and emotions drew me into her life.Throughout the book, I empathized with Samantha and hoped at each turning point that her needs would be met.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2020Dyscalculia, a math learning disability that I have, is not as well known among educators and even researchers, as dyslexia. Furthermore, there is not a lot of information about the lived experiences of individuals with math learning disabilities. Therefore it was great to hear of the authors experiences with dyscalculia as she navigated through her life and I think that many people with dyscalculia will relate with some of her experiences.
Top reviews from other countries
- Luc C.Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent product.
Nice reading. Learned a lot.
- RebeccaReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic insight in to living with dyscalculia
This book is fantastic! Once I picked it up I literally could not put it down.
I had not realised just how much a Specific Learning Difficulty could impact a student during their education. It was fascinating to hear Samantha share her frustration and the problems she had to deal with as she learnt that she would never overcome her problem and instead learned how to live a fulfilling life with it.
- Turner, ANN, E.Reviewed in Canada on October 8, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
An insightful account into the struggles of learning disability.
- MagnacartaReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb read. As a teaching assistant this gave me ...
Superb read. As a teaching assistant this gave me valuable insight into what a child goes through when they have special educational need. Extremely well written and the poetry was superb.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2015
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
A very moving story, every teacher should read this book.