Title: When You Reach Me
Author: Rebecca Stead
Pages: 208
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Copyright: 2009
Format: Hardback
Rating: 
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When You Reach Me won the 2010 Newbery Medal. So, I of course had to reach for it. Pun intended.
Miranda’s life sort of takes a turn for . . . the odd in sixth grade. She and her best friend Sal have inexplicably parted ways. Her mom has been accepted as a contestant on The $20,000 Pyramid. A homeless man has taken up residence by her mailbox. And, she starts receiving notes that accurately predict the future.
When You Reach Me is well constructed, well written, and well peopled. Miranda is a plucky-with-a-side-of-realism kind of narrator that you want to spend time with. The plot is a relatively predictable and time-tested one of a kid on the brink of teenagerhood and all that entails, but there’s a nice twist to it with the futuristic mystery. There’s also some lovely homage to A Wrinkle in Time.
This is one of those books that I ache for the opportunity to have read as a twelve-year-old. It got four stars from the adult me only because it didn’t fully live up to the massive – mostly deserved – hype. So read it, but also have all your middle grade acquaintances read it. It’ll be magical for them.
When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
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{ 8 comments }
Ooh it has a beautiful cover… always a good start! Looking forward to reading it! Thanks for the review.
Elise´s last post ..Ron Mueck
I was also wishing I could have read this when I was younger! I would have been totally carried away. I did enjoy it as an adult, it was just different. I recommended it to my kids, so hopefully they’ll pick it up.
I must admit that I haven’t even heard of the hype on this one….but I’m wondering if I’ll love it all the more with no real preconceptions (except your lovely review)? I’m such a fan of YA books….wish they wrote like this when I was of the age.
Michele@A Reader’s Respite´s last post ..Pardon Our Dust
I wish I’d had this as a kid (I didn’t read A Wrinkle in Time until adulthood either). My book group read this and they were less than impressed for the most part. I thought it was pretty good, though the ending is by far the best part.
melissa @ 1lbr´s last post ..Library Loot (and Movie Obsessions)
I wish I had cousins of this age to give this book to (and sneakily read it first), but they’re all either way too young or too old. It sounds like something I would really have enjoyed as a kid.
Jenny´s last post ..Review: A Conspiracy of Kings, Megan Whalen Turner
This is a wonderful book– I was fortunate enough to have an arc before it cam out and I just loved it! I was thrilled it won the Newbery! I can’t suggest it enough! I agree with Melissa–the end just blew me away, but I also really related to the main character–her childhood was very similar to my own…except for the fantastical awesome parts! I just loved it!
I really want to read this book – so glad to see it’s good.
Elise – I, too, love the cover. Hope you enjoy the inside as much!
Shelley – There’s just something about discovering a book as a kid that can’t be matched as an adult. Oh well. I hope your kids discover it.
Michele – I can’t believe you’ve missed the hype on this one! But I’d be glad about it if I were you. Go into it with as few preconceived notions as you can.
Melissa – I have a confession to make – I STILL haven’t read A Wrinkle in Time. I know. Shame on me.
Jenny – Here’s hoping you find a MG reader in your life soon!
Kiki – How lucky are you!? That’s great that you got an ARC. My childhood was nothing like the one in the book, but I really enjoyed the narrator anyway.
Kathy – I hope you like it when you get to it!
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