The Thirteenth Child Book Club Kit
The Thirteenth Child is the official October 2026 pick for the Peanut Blossom Book Club for Recovering Readers.
The moment I turned the last page of The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig, I knew this had to be our October book club pick for this year.
Normally for spooky season I try to pick a mystery or something that is filled with fall fun but this gothic fairy tale could not be more perfect.
On the surface, the plot will sound darker than our usual lighthearted book club fare but as a Young Adult novel, I promise it is right in line with our entertaining picks.
Yes, there's lots of death and plenty of bad things befall the characters, but I believe the message at the core is actually quite hopeful and there's lots of love and compassion to go around.
If you're anxious about the overall vibe of the tale, feel free to read my full book review of The Thirteenth Child here. I've included trigger warnings at the very bottom if you need.
P.S. Just joining us? Don't miss the full list of 2026 book club book picks.
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What is The Thirteenth Child About?
All gifts come with a price.
Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather—Merrick, the Dreaded End—to arrive.
When he does, he lays out exactly how he’s planned Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.
But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it’s where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet—to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?
The Thirteenth Child Discussion Questions
I believe the best book club questions to spark a lively discussion in your group help readers make personal connections to the story.
You can read about how to write the best book club questions on your own here, but hopefully these will get you started!
Question 1:
How many kids were in your own family growing up? What did you consider a "huge" family when you were little? Were you and your siblings treated differently based on birth order like Hazel was?
Question 2:
When recounting her birth day story to Hazel, Merrick calls her parents: "The Very Foolish Huntsman" and "The Very Pretty, Very Young Wife." If your family was cast in a fairy tale, what would be each of your epitaphs?
Question 3:
Hazel is left in her cottage to read countless medical text books for a year while all her other needs are magically managed. Would this be a dream or a nightmare for you?
Question 4:
After her first romantic heartbreak, Merrick tries to assure Hazel it is but only a small moment in her long life. Have you ever experienced something that felt life-changing in the moment but is only a bump in the road when you look back on it? At what point did your perspective change?
Question 5:
When Hazel is granted the godsight, she can see every path all at once. If you were granted this power for 1 hour, how would you use it?
Question 6:
How did you feel about Hazel's use of her 3 candles? Would you have made different choices?
Question 7:
Hazel experiences several major challenges throughout the story, which one do you think was the most difficult?
Question 8:
How did you feel about the ending? Is there anything you would have changed? What do you think the author tried to convey about life?
Book Club Party Menu
I think it is so fun to plan your book club dinner menu or dessert list based on the theme of the book.
There are a few book club dinner-friendly dishes mentioned throughout the story, here are a few I'd choose if I were hosting the party:
Merrick gives Hazel a spiced nut cake that is by far her favorite dessert. You could buy a butter pecan cake mix from the store and then top it with my easy brown butter frosting and chopped pecans.
Alternatively, mimic one of his more elaborate birthday cakes and bake a layered birthday cake with pink frosting. No one needs to know you started with a boxed cake mix for the layers! If you've never baked a homemade birthday cake, you can get all my tips here:
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