Helpful Score: 4
Fascinating book. Great read for young folks and us oldies as well. Truly a "different" way to look at "time". Is time in a line? After reading this wonderful book, I say no, time is circular. We go back to it, we live in it, and we experience something far far ahead...when all along, time is really now.
Helpful Score: 2
Reviewed by Karin Librarian for TeensReadToo.com
WHEN YOU REACH ME was a one-sitting read for me.
Miranda lives in New York City with her mother. She and her best friend, Sal, spend most of their time together, navigating the ins and outs of life, school, and their neighborhood. One day when walking home from school, Sal gets punched in the stomach by an older boy who hangs out down the street from their apartment building. Sal pulls away from Miranda after that and stops hanging out with her. Miranda feels completely lost without him.
Since Miranda isn't spending much time with Sal anymore, she has plenty of time to help her mother prepare for an appearance on The $20,000 Pyramid. Miranda and Richard, her mother's boyfriend, drill her every night on different questions that could appear on the show. Sal's mother even takes notes on the game show every day to help.
Losing Sal's friendship bothers Miranda a lot. Not having him to talk to is bad enough, but she really hates walking home alone. Not only does she have to walk by the group of older boys by herself, she also has to walk past the crazy old man by the mailbox. Then, the notes start arriving - notes telling her things about the future.
Can Miranda trust the notes? Can she really save the life of someone she knows by doing what they say? You'll love following along with the mystery to find out what Miranda does, who she saves, and what the old man has to do with it.
If you like WHEN YOU REACH ME, you need to find THE POWER OF UN by Nancy Etchemendy. It is fantastic and shares some of the same story elements.
WHEN YOU REACH ME was a one-sitting read for me.
Miranda lives in New York City with her mother. She and her best friend, Sal, spend most of their time together, navigating the ins and outs of life, school, and their neighborhood. One day when walking home from school, Sal gets punched in the stomach by an older boy who hangs out down the street from their apartment building. Sal pulls away from Miranda after that and stops hanging out with her. Miranda feels completely lost without him.
Since Miranda isn't spending much time with Sal anymore, she has plenty of time to help her mother prepare for an appearance on The $20,000 Pyramid. Miranda and Richard, her mother's boyfriend, drill her every night on different questions that could appear on the show. Sal's mother even takes notes on the game show every day to help.
Losing Sal's friendship bothers Miranda a lot. Not having him to talk to is bad enough, but she really hates walking home alone. Not only does she have to walk by the group of older boys by herself, she also has to walk past the crazy old man by the mailbox. Then, the notes start arriving - notes telling her things about the future.
Can Miranda trust the notes? Can she really save the life of someone she knows by doing what they say? You'll love following along with the mystery to find out what Miranda does, who she saves, and what the old man has to do with it.
If you like WHEN YOU REACH ME, you need to find THE POWER OF UN by Nancy Etchemendy. It is fantastic and shares some of the same story elements.
Helpful Score: 2
I think a lot of kids might have trouble getting into this book at first. A lot of kids today won't be familiar $20,000 Pyramid or A Wrinkle in Time, both of which are important to the storyline. But, if they stick with it the mystery is very interesting and keeps you guessing until the end.
As an adult, I really liked the story. Stead did a great job of capturing that age when you're first finding your identity.
As an adult, I really liked the story. Stead did a great job of capturing that age when you're first finding your identity.
Helpful Score: 1
Plot Summary
Four mysterious letters change Mirandas world forever. By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where its 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 Mirandas mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper. 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.
Critical Analysis
One of the themes of this low fantasy, science fiction, and mystery book is time travel. The setting of the book, New York City in the late 1970s, draws attention to time right from the beginning of the story. Another clue that time is important is that Mirandas favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time. The main character is Miranda, a sixth grader, and the story is told from her point of view. The story has many little mysteries and puzzles to figure out and the first person narration allows the reader access to Mirandas thoughts. Friendship is another theme that weaves itself through the book; Mirandas strained friendship with her childhood friend Sal, her growing friendship with Julia and Annemarie, and the guilt she feels over her new friendship with Marcus.
Cynthia Holloway, a narrator of more than thirty audiobooks, does an excellent job portraying the voice of Miranda. There are many threads to this book; time travel, friendship, single parent family dynamic, social class differences, epilepsy, future goals, and dreams. Rebecca Stead does a great job of tying all the threads into one cohesive tapestry of a very engaging story.
Four mysterious letters change Mirandas world forever. By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where its 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 Mirandas mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper. 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.
Critical Analysis
One of the themes of this low fantasy, science fiction, and mystery book is time travel. The setting of the book, New York City in the late 1970s, draws attention to time right from the beginning of the story. Another clue that time is important is that Mirandas favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time. The main character is Miranda, a sixth grader, and the story is told from her point of view. The story has many little mysteries and puzzles to figure out and the first person narration allows the reader access to Mirandas thoughts. Friendship is another theme that weaves itself through the book; Mirandas strained friendship with her childhood friend Sal, her growing friendship with Julia and Annemarie, and the guilt she feels over her new friendship with Marcus.
Cynthia Holloway, a narrator of more than thirty audiobooks, does an excellent job portraying the voice of Miranda. There are many threads to this book; time travel, friendship, single parent family dynamic, social class differences, epilepsy, future goals, and dreams. Rebecca Stead does a great job of tying all the threads into one cohesive tapestry of a very engaging story.
Helpful Score: 1
When I first read the description of this book, I feared that it was going to be a little gruesome. Creepy letters from someone who claims to know the future? But this book really is not meant to frighten readers--but to inspire.
Stead does an excellent job of telling the story. There is enough suspense to keep the story interesting, but not so much suspense that the reader is overly scared. Throughout the book, Stead keeps the tone light and friendly.
To get the most out of the story, it would be helpful for the reader to be familiar with the story "A Wrinkle in Time." I did not realize how important that was until I was about halfway through the book--and it had been so long since I read A Wrinkle in Time that I needed to find an online synopsis to refresh the story in my mind.
Stead does an excellent job of telling the story. There is enough suspense to keep the story interesting, but not so much suspense that the reader is overly scared. Throughout the book, Stead keeps the tone light and friendly.
To get the most out of the story, it would be helpful for the reader to be familiar with the story "A Wrinkle in Time." I did not realize how important that was until I was about halfway through the book--and it had been so long since I read A Wrinkle in Time that I needed to find an online synopsis to refresh the story in my mind.
Every once in a while there comes along a book that is so unique, so awe-inspiring, that you have to immediately rave about it to everyone around who reads books. WHEN YOU REACH ME is such a book. Rebecca Stead's second novel is a middle-grade treasure that people will hopefully stumble upon and love all their lives.
My favorite part about this book was, of course, the sci-fi time-travel aspect, which was seamlessly woven into a coming-of-age story set in post-Vietnam War New York City. WHEN YOU REACH ME references Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time heavily, which means that it will appeal to about 95% of readers, though Stead's appeal is less fantasy and more about how seemingly impossible concepts can fit smoothly into our conceptions of our world. It's not often that you get to read a science-y book that blows away all your expectations and predictions.
Besides for the sci-fi aspect, WHEN YOU REACH ME is also a charming coming-of-age novel with memorable characters. Miranda deals wonderfully with her family and classmates: she's at that stage where she struggles to figure out who she thought she was in new situations. Perhaps the characters could've been developed slightly more, but readers come out of the experience very much impressed, and will have difficulty finding anything lacking.
In short, WHEN YOU REACH ME is 2009's not-to-be-missed middle-grade novel. Its lovely blend of reality and sci-fi makes it truly stand out, and Stead's impeccable writing draws us right into Miranda's world. Be sure to get your hands on a copy of this book in any way possible!
My favorite part about this book was, of course, the sci-fi time-travel aspect, which was seamlessly woven into a coming-of-age story set in post-Vietnam War New York City. WHEN YOU REACH ME references Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time heavily, which means that it will appeal to about 95% of readers, though Stead's appeal is less fantasy and more about how seemingly impossible concepts can fit smoothly into our conceptions of our world. It's not often that you get to read a science-y book that blows away all your expectations and predictions.
Besides for the sci-fi aspect, WHEN YOU REACH ME is also a charming coming-of-age novel with memorable characters. Miranda deals wonderfully with her family and classmates: she's at that stage where she struggles to figure out who she thought she was in new situations. Perhaps the characters could've been developed slightly more, but readers come out of the experience very much impressed, and will have difficulty finding anything lacking.
In short, WHEN YOU REACH ME is 2009's not-to-be-missed middle-grade novel. Its lovely blend of reality and sci-fi makes it truly stand out, and Stead's impeccable writing draws us right into Miranda's world. Be sure to get your hands on a copy of this book in any way possible!
I read this book after my daughter read it and declared it the best book she's ever read. My daughter couldn't put this book down and said she found her new favorite author. I've found it very difficult to find books my daughter finds interesting throughout the story and this one was a winner in her book.
I read the book after she did so that I could see what the fuss was about and I can now see what she was talking about. This book was fabulous. It was written fabulously with a little mystery, suspense, tragedy, humor and even preteen heartbreak. The book was blended so well that I found myself reading during dinner.
My favorite character by far was "The Laughing Man". It isn't until the end when you realize who he really is and when that happens your mind just blows. Everything this man did and no one knew who he really was.
All I can say is "READ THIS BOOK". No joke. It's not just for kids.
I read the book after she did so that I could see what the fuss was about and I can now see what she was talking about. This book was fabulous. It was written fabulously with a little mystery, suspense, tragedy, humor and even preteen heartbreak. The book was blended so well that I found myself reading during dinner.
My favorite character by far was "The Laughing Man". It isn't until the end when you realize who he really is and when that happens your mind just blows. Everything this man did and no one knew who he really was.
All I can say is "READ THIS BOOK". No joke. It's not just for kids.
Please read this book, please. Readers of all ages will love this story. Young adult is not my preferred genre, but this one resonated with me more than a lot of the books meant for adults. I imagine this is a great one for parents and children to read and discuss together.
I purchased this book to read aloud to my 7- and 9-year-old daughters. A few pages in, they weren't interested, so I set the book aside. Later, I decided to read it for myself and I am glad that I did. The plot centers around the events in a 12-year-old girl's life in New York City. The central mystery unfolds and builds to a surprising conclusion. After I finished the book, I immediately re-read it and it only increased my appreciation for the ingenious plot and thoughtful details. I can't wait until my daughters are ready to read this for themselves.
I read this book after my daughter read it and declared it the best book she's ever read. My daughter couldn't put this book down and said she found her new favorite author. I've found it very difficult to find books my daughter finds interesting throughout the story and this one was a winner in her book.
I read the book after she did so that I could see what the fuss was about and I can now see what she was talking about. This book was fabulous. It was written fabulously with a little mystery, suspense, tragedy, humor and even preteen heartbreak. The book was blended so well that I found myself reading during dinner.
My favorite character by far was "The Laughing Man". It isn't until the end when you realize who he really is and when that happens your mind just blows. Everything this man did and no one knew who he really was.
All I can say is "READ THIS BOOK". No joke. It's not just for kids.
I read the book after she did so that I could see what the fuss was about and I can now see what she was talking about. This book was fabulous. It was written fabulously with a little mystery, suspense, tragedy, humor and even preteen heartbreak. The book was blended so well that I found myself reading during dinner.
My favorite character by far was "The Laughing Man". It isn't until the end when you realize who he really is and when that happens your mind just blows. Everything this man did and no one knew who he really was.
All I can say is "READ THIS BOOK". No joke. It's not just for kids.
