When You Reach Me

Bibliography

Stead, Rebecca. 2009. When You Reach Me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 9780385737425

Plot Summary

When Miranda receives a mysterious letter that says “I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own,” she is alarmed and intrigued. At the request of the letter writer, Miranda writes her own letter, detailing the events of the last few months. As events unfold, Miranda pieces together the mystery and discovers that the future offers fantastic possibilities, including time travel.

Critical Analysis

In When Your Reach Me, Rebecca Stead flawlessly combines mystery and fantasy with typical childhood experiences, thus creating a unique and intriguing story of self-sacrifice. When Miranda begins to receive a series of mysterious letters and clues about the future, she starts to examine everything around her in hopes that something will reveal the identity of the letter writer. Although Miranda isn’t sure why, she suspects that the homeless man outside of her apartment building, whom she calls “the laughing man,” is an important clue to the mystery. What's more, she senses that her discussions about time travel with a boy named Marcus are also significant. Miranda finds the idea of time travel hard to believe, but in the end she discovers that anything is possible.

Stead has created a savvy and likeable character in twelve-year-old Miranda. Miranda's loyalty to her mother and friends is endearing. Children will relate to her curiosity and desire to solve the mystery as well as her longing to forge lasting friendships. Miranda’s disbelief in time travel will resonate with children that are skeptical of such fantastical ideas and makes her a more credible character.

When You Reach me is a contemporary story with a fantasy twist. Stead does not create a fantasy world, but rather inserts fantastical elements into a realistic world. Children will easily understand and relate to the characters and their urban setting. The story is told through first-person narrative, as Miranda writes the letter. In her writings, she recounts all of the events that have led up to the present. She details how she eventually unraveled the mystery and learned of Marcus’ ability to travel through time.

Miranda’s neighborhood is integral to the plot because that is where the most critical events in the story take place. Stead does an excellent job of transporting readers to 1970's Manhattan. Her references to décor, fashion, and various locations help readers visualize the setting and lend credibility to the story. Stead also introduces readers to 70’s popular culture as Miranda’s mom practices for the game show The $20,000 Pyramid.

When You Reach Me is an intriguing story that begs to be read over and over. Although younger readers may be confused by some of the dialogue pertaining to time travel, Stead ties up any loose ends in the final chapters of the book. Stead does not go into great detail about how time travel is possible, she merely acknowledges that it is possible. Although the science behind time travel leaves some questions, Stead still manages to provide a thoroughly satisfying ending.

Awards

*Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature: Winner, 2010

*John Newbery Medal: Winner, 2010

*Parent’s Choice Award, 2009

Reviews

Booklist Starred Review, 2009: “The ’70s New York setting is an honest reverberation of the era; the mental gymnastics required of readers are invigorating; and the characters, children and adults, are honest bits of humanity no matter in what place or time their souls rest. Just as Miranda rereads L’Engle, children will return to this.”

Kirkus Reviews, 2009: “Some might guess at the baffling, heart-pounding conclusion, but when all the sidewalk characters from Miranda's Manhattan world converge amid mind-blowing revelations and cunning details, teen readers will circle back to the beginning and say, ‘Wow...cool.’”

Library Media Connection, 2009: “The author’s style is appealing because of her character development and clever plot vehicles. The topics are interesting and the short chapters keep the pace flowing quickly. Recommended.”

Connections

¬  Read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine l’ Engle, then discuss the similarities and differences between the two stories.

¬  Ask student to write an essay about a moment in time they would revisit and what, if anything, they would change or do differently.

¬  If possible, share some clips of The $20,000 Pyramid and then divide children up into pairs to play the game.

¬  Share other books by Rebecca Stead, including: First Light and Liar & Spy