Book Review: "When You Reach Me"

When You Reach Me is a wonderful little gem of a book by Rebecca Stead.  So wonderful, in fact that it was awarded the 2010 Newbery Medal.    I was hesitant to read this book.  Honestly, it's a small book with only 197 pages.  The novel summary released by the publisher, located on amazon didn't give much information about the novel.

But, I have to admit that I was intrigued by the premise of the story.  6th grader Miranda lives in New York City with her single, working mom in the 1970s.  She has only one friend, named Sal, who for reasons explained later in the book, starts to withdraw from her.  The main plot line revolves around a series of notes that she receives.

The first one reads: "I am coming to save your friend's life, and my own.  I ask two favors.  First you must write me a letter."

The story picks up from there, as the reader is engaged in the plot with Miranda, trying to figure out who sent the letters and what in the world they're talking about!

This book is written from a unique first person point of view.  The setting bounces around the story.  I can see a lot of students getting confused easily by what is going on.  While I initially thought that this story was really weird and lacked continuity at the beginning, it surprised me tremendously in the very end.

Rebecca Stead weaves a coming-of-age tale, full of mystery, intrigue, science fiction, friendship and love.  It really is a wonderful little story that holds a special place in my heart.  The transformation that Miranda undergoes during the story is a wonderful example of a middle school child moving from being completely self-involved to a loving, caring, giving individual who learns from those around her.

I recommend this book for 6-8 graders or older, who are advanced readers that understand setting and point of view.