When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Published by Wendy Lamb Books (A division of Random House)

208 Pages

Ages: 9-12



Publishers Summary: Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever.
By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner. But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:
I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.
The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

“Words can barely describe how I feel about this book and all it reveals about us as human beings. Miranda is the kind of girl we all are or were. We struggle to find out why things go the way they do and suffer, sometimes in silence, through the changes that happen in our lives. Being about the life of a girl in her early teens it’s easy to assume it’s written only to reveal the paths our lives can take when were young, but it is about much more. Primarily about caring for others and taking an active roll in transforming the lives of those around us. Doing these seemingly small things have the power to transform their lives and ultimately our own character. This is exactly what happens to Miranda. I may be alone in my thinking, but this is the way it touched me.

“Rebecca Stead has beautifully crafted an amazing journey that spans what seems decades when it is only a few months. So many times in my reading of this book I thought I had some part of it completely figured out, only to learn I was just off and the subtle changes made the difference. After reading a bit more about Stead herself I can see where some of the twists come from, because as she says, “The most important thing to know about writing is that there are no rules.” Her imagination takes you places and helps you to feel things you may have not thought about in ages and it’s wonderful.

“My most genuine feeling about the journey of this book was how much I can’t wait to share it with my own children, Littlebug in particular. When things can be so difficult, this book shows a way to make the best of things. It’s truly a book for all ages and very appropriate for a young audience. And although I know it will appeal to younger readers I feel that an adult audience has so much to gain by reading When You Reach Me. As you will find deeper meaning in the relationships you have carried with you through the years.”

“Also, if you have a second, check out Rebecca’s website, it’s so cute and really fun!”

This book was a gift for my birthday to reside in our home library.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.