When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Title: When You Reach Me 

Genre: Science Fiction

Author: Rebecca Stead 

Major Awards: Newbery Medal 

Age group: 8 to 12 years old 

 

Summary: 

This novel book by Rebecca Stead was about a normal sixth grader named Miranda. Her life was just like a typical sixth grader until she starts receiving mysterious letters by a person she called “you.” These letters contained details of things that hadn’t even happened yet. One of the things that the letters said that was really important for her was that this person was going to save her best friend’s life. At the end of the story, she discovers that the Laughing Man was the author of the letters because he saved her friend Sal from getting run over by a truck. Later, she also discovers that everything that was going on was because it has been time traveled and the Laughing Man was actually her other friend, Marcus.  

Evaluation: 

Appropriate grade levels would be 3^rd to 7^th grade. 

I wouldn’t use this novel in my classroom because I actually didn’t enjoy it myself. I have never been into science fiction genre books but since this one won a Newbery Medal, I thought I’d give it a try. The plot was a little slow and the ending was a little too rushed and a little confusing. Since I don’t really know how time travel books or have never really read a book that talks about it, I was a little confused most of the time. Some of my students might like it but I don’t think I could put together a lesson plan with this book.