Author: Rebecca Stead
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books / Random House
ISBN: 9780375850868
Reading Level: Ages 10–13 (Grades 5–8)
Main Character: Miranda, a sixth-grade girl living in 1970s New York.
Plot: When You Reach Me follows Miranda as she navigates friendship shifts, mysterious notes, a break-in, and a tangle of time-travel clues. As summer winds down and school approaches, Miranda’s world becomes more layered and uncertain but also more interesting.
She receives strange anonymous messages that predict the future and hint at a tragedy she might be able to prevent. Alongside that mystery is the very real challenge of figuring out who she is becoming and what it means to let go or hold on.
Settings: 1970s Manhattan apartment buildings, corner stores, and city sidewalks.
Genre/Theme/Style: Realistic Fiction + Light Sci-Fi, Mystery, Growing Up, Time Travel, & Retro Vibes.
I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁
Why 5 Roars? It’s smart, layered, and thrilling. Perfect for readers who want something thoughtful to wrap up the summer, especially kids who’ve outgrown chapter books but still crave stories that have meaning.
Critical Analysis: The book weaves together a coming-of-age story with a science fiction twist that never overwhelms the emotional depth. Themes of forgiveness, independence, and time (literal and emotional) give it staying power. It’s a cool puzzle kids will want to solve.
Connections: Pairs beautifully with books like Harriet the Spy (city kids with notebooks), Tuck Everlasting (big questions about time), and The Westing Game (puzzling plots). Could also spark great conversations about what readers would do if they could send a message to their past or future selves.
