when you reach me by rebecca stead summary

Hence the five star Sweet rating, we don’t give those out so easily! And it bears repeating, read this book yourself or with your child! You will not be disappointed.

This is just a wonderful read that is truly destined to be a classic. The plot is a well drawn puzzle, but what is so special about this story is the characters are also magnificently drawn. This is where the mystery and time-travel piece come into the story. You will undoubtedly see your young self in Miranda and so will your middle grade readers.ĭuring the story, Miranda also finds mysterious letters written to her by someone who seems to know her future. Stead has made Miranda so authentic, her pre-adolescent struggles ring with truth. Miranda and Sal are best friends and watch out for each other, both being only children of single parents, until the day he gets punched and pulls away from Miranda, much to her disappointment.Īt the same time Sal is gaining independence from Miranda, she is left to deal with the crazy Laughing Man (as her mom calls the homeless guy on her corner) and find alternate friendships. Miranda lives with her mom and is a latch-key kid (do we have any of those anymore?). Stead has captured that time and place so impeccably. As a child of the seventies myself, the time period this novel is set, I found myself with many wonderful moments of reminiscence and familiarity. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs.Miranda is our twelve year old narrator who resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Their assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. He and Georges quickly become allies-and fellow spies. That’s how he meets his twelve-year-old neighbor Safer. The first day Georges (the S is silent) moves into a new Brooklyn apartment, he sees a sign taped to a door in the basement: SPY CLUB MEETING-TODAY!

Publisher Wendy Lamb Books 1st edition (July 14, 2009) If that is the case, then Miranda has a big problem-because the notes tell her that someone is going to die, and she might be too late to stop it. It would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except that whoever is leaving them has an uncanny ability to predict the future. The notes tell her that she must write a letter-a true story, and that she can’t share her mission with anyone.

Shortly after a fall-out with her best friend, sixth grader Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes, and she doesn’t know what to do.

When you reach me by rebecca stead summary