Like "Ten" and "Eleven", there are 13 chapters, one month each, beginning with Winnie's 12th birthday in March, and ending with March the next year. Each chapter is largely its own story, but there is a theme hovering over them all. With "Twelve" that theme is puberty. Winnie deals with having her first real crush on a boy, the humiliation of bra shopping with her mother, getting her first period... and honestly, I had tears rolling down my face in the few pages where she learns how to put in a tampon.
With the discussions of periods, boobs and such, the series swings towards Judy Blume territory, or Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Alice McKinney series. Same Winnie, same honesty to her telling of the tale, but as Winnie is getting older, the subject matter of the stories naturally changes a bit too. ( )

This book is about a girl named Winnie who is just turning twelve, Dinah her best friend and a new best friend named Cinnamon. On Winnie's birthday she gets to pull out all the stops. In the middle of the book it is graduation day for Winnie and her friends. They are graduating from middle school to Jr. High.They have to think about a new school to go to. Ther is this boy Winnie likes and his name is Lars. Lars secretly likes Winnie but she doesn't know.

I liked this book because it was very interesting about what girls think about during the day.It tells you about making friends and not judging people on how they look or act. It also talked about what happens on birthdays. So I looked back on what happened on my birthday.This book talked about the beginning of women hood. This book also talked about boyfriends. It talked about making promises and keeping them and not telling anyone. ( )

This book brings to mind everything that I have ever heard about, Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret? by Judy Blume. It is a coming of age book through the eyes and drama of a seventh grade/12 year old girl. It makes fresh all of the worries of starting Jr High and wanting to be accepted and liked. From getting her period to finding out who her real friends are, Winnie is the typical twelve year old girl. Personally, I really enjoyed it and it has further encouraged me to read books by Judy Blume.

i would use this book and Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret as a book that kids could relate to. i think they could be used to get students to open up about some of the difficulties they face. I think it could also help them feel "normal". ( )

Once you start reading you love the books and it makes you feel like your Winnie. ( )

It's finally here! Winnie has turned twelve, and it's glorious. A best friend who's wonderful, Dinah, and no problems, even if Sandra is sassy most of the time. Unfortunately though, Winnie isn't a little girl anymore. The time has come for bras, talks, and some drama, all things Winnie was not expecting. Friends will grow, romance will bloom, and there will be fun for all, with hopefully as few tears shed as possible. Winnie Perry is twelve. And it's lovely.
This is definitely the most "coming of age" novel in The Winnie Years, and one of my favorites. I love how Winnie deals with everything new with such poise. Amanda comes back into the picture, and she really surprised me, and I think Winnie as well. Myracle wrote a wonderful novel, and one I think is a great "coming of age" story for girls that are twelve. ( )