When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me

by Rebecca Stead (Children's New Books)(J Stead)(2009)

for ages 9 to 12

Miranda lives with her single mom in New York City. Lately her best friend Sal and she have become distant. It all started when Sal got punched.

Miranda is forced to seek friends elsewhere and takes on a job at lunch time with two new friends, Colin and Ann-Marie. There Jimmy instructs them not to mess with his plastic novelty toy bank, and she has to count the bread order every day. She also gets to know the boy, Marcus, who punched Sal. Then there is the crazy "Laughing Man" who is always on their street corner, kicking into the street.

Meanwhile she helps her mother prepare to be on a tv gameshow. They practice speed rounds and giving clues so her mother is prepared to play the game with a celebrity partner.

Four mysterious notes show up, one by one-each in a different location. Each offers clues and ask her to pen a letter to write it all down. One claims to need information to help save a friend. One knows the date her mom will be a contestant on the game show. They all seem to allude to things that have not yet happened. The writer says, "I will not be myself when I reach you."

Gradually Miranda ties the clues together with the people she knows as the dramatic climax involving the endangered friend unfolds. After she puts it all together she realizes time is not as solid as she once thought.

This book has several storylines going at once and is highly engrossing. It's won parent's choice awards and is a 2010 Newbery award contender.-SC-

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