Plot 11 Birthdays

1 plot

1.1 11 years before present time
1.2 10 years before present time
1.3 present time

plot

11 years before present time

the novel begins 11 years before present time; angelina d’angelo rushes through halls of birthing center stopping right in front of nursery window @ newborn babies in room. spots 2 little babies came see; has waited long time day arrive. both parents babies appear next , exchange stories each 1 , tell ellerbys naming son leonard fitzpatrick, after great-grandfather. ellerbys exclaim naming daughter after great-grandmother, amanda ellerby. while “uneasy feeling, remembering out of storybook read them when children, runs through them, angelina takes moment tell them “being born on same day special. predicts best of friends , makes them promise celebrate day every year before rushing off again. though had promised, both ellerbys , fitzpatricks walked away believing never see each other again.

10 years before present time

ten years before present time, on amanda , leo’s first birthday, both ellerbys , fitpatricks astonished find again pure chance. turns out both families have been booked same birthday room @ magic castle birthday party palace mistake. laugh off , spend amanda , leo’s birthday together, watching 2 bond , take first steps together.

present time

it night before amanda , leo’s 11th birthday , amanda busy practicing handsprings best friend stephanie. she’s nervous , worried hurting herself stephanie encourages because gymnastics tryouts tomorrow @ school , both need on team in order befriend popular girls. stephanie leaves amanda’s mother arrives home work, leads discussion amanda’s birthday party tomorrow. amanda notices mother has sent leo invitation party , gets upset because she’s still angry overheard leo year ago. amanda , leo had spent every single birthday on night of tenth birthday, amanda overheard leo tell friends thought stupid had spend birthday girl doesn’t have many other friends wouldn’t want tell , hurt feelings. after amanda refused speak leo, going far eradicating him life such locking away pictures of them , throwing flowerpot had hand painted leo on 5th birthday, along plant in out window.

the whole day of amanda , leo’s birthday seems go bad worse her. starts having take bus school, realizes forget lunch, , there pop quiz in class. fails cheer team tryouts , doesn’t make team though lisa , when comes time birthday party seems if of friends end ditching in favor of leo’s. night ends finding out mother has been fired job because had mistakenly switched important work presentation sister’s science presentation. amanda relieved turns 11 once , goes bed.

when amanda wakes next morning seems if whole day playing out day before. @ first believes playing cruel joke dawns on day of birthday on again. same before, afraid change details. it’s when she’s getting ready party , has slip on shoes costume realizes has blisters because of them night before. knows she’s not dreaming or crazy, , she’s stuck in time loop.

the next morning same previous 2 days time amanda decides fake sick , stay home. neighbor takes doctor lets slip old family feud between ellerbys , fitzpatricks doesn’t know it, amanda doesn’t pursue it. party ends being cancelled , spends night family.

in morning, amanda realizes she’s still stuck on same day. frustrated , confused goes school time, while she’s sitting in class, sees leo wink @ her, makes realize 2 of them stuck in time loop together.

they decide “lie low” , “compare notes” (mass 106) after parties unable because amanda becomes grounded later night on misunderstanding.

amanda relieved next morning when nobody remembers angry , no longer grounded. remembers remind mom taking right presentation. @ school, amanda , leo chance talk. apologizes things said , tells said them because wanted cool in front of friends. both agree miss each other , become friends again , decide tomorrow going skip school , go out since there no consequences next day.

the next morning amanda fakes sick , stays home. when dad falls asleep, sneaks out meet leo. leo has whole day planned , starts them going breakfast leo orders lots of food never eat. leads open mike poetry reading gets in front of crowd , reads of own poetry. leo proceeds take amanda audition band looking drummer. after coaxing amanda agrees try out. she’s band members impressed, tell young come when older. exhilarated, 2 head mall security grabs them , turns them on families worried sick them.

amanda relieved again next morning when reverted. day goes after school amanda , leo go visit senior community center , ask around family feud amanda’s neighbor had mentioned. find out grandfathers used own competing apple groves , things try , harm others’ farm; got point interfere town. then, randomly, made , nobody knows why. amanda , leo still need more answers decide go willow falls historical society next day.

when go willow falls historical society find angelina there. tells them town had sought of special told 2 men had patch differences harvest day or else there consequences. angelina claims doesn’t know anymore , thing have more information journal stolen while ago. amanda , leo come next day sneak historical society , around journal because think stashed journal somewhere in place. end finding leo’s great-grandfather’s journal instead revealed because didn’t heed woman’s warning , patch things within year went through time loop until resolved differences , fixed damaged caused. amanda , leo confused because made week ago still stuck. decide possibly can tomorrow in hopes fix things.

the whole next day amanda , leo possibly can, such reminding mother presentation mix up, though mother still gets fired, suggesting things meant be. amanda makes cheer team! during birthday parties decide merge them , both leo , amanda have high hopes have broken time loop.

in morning, amanda realizes celebrating birthday again 11th time. frustrated when gets on bus sees angelina bus driver , gives , leo answers. reveals 1 put spell great-grandfathers , worried transfer on them. insists shouldn’t have happened though because on 5th birthday gave them plants protecting them curse. long had plants close shouldn’t have fallen time loop. leo claims that’s still sitting in room amanda admits threw hers out window year ago on night of tenth birthday. angelina makes them hurry class goes normal, except time amanda tries out marching band instead of cheer team, secretly had wanted whole time. when amanda gets home school relieved find plant still in bushes under window , returns place in bedroom. both amanda , leo decide going have 1 big party time spend night laughing old times.

to both amanda , leo’s relief, next morning day after birthday. have broken enchantment. happy , relieved on , end making pact stay in touch each other won’t happen again.