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When You Reach Me
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Read When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me (2009) (edit title/settings)

by Rebecca Stead (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Winner of the 2010 John Newbery Medal. Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever. By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to... read more

Summary edit see section history

This is the story of a 12 year old girl named Miranda in N.Y.C.. Her best friend, Sal, gets punched, and therefore doesn't like her anymore. Miranda becomes friends with the boy who punched Sal, Marcus, and also with Julia, the school bully. Miranda's mother wins $20,000 on a game show. An odd... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

This is the story of a 12 year old girl named Miranda in N.Y.C.. Her best friend, Sal, gets punched, and therefore doesn't like her anymore. Miranda becomes friends with the boy who punched Sal, Marcus, and also with Julia, the school bully. Miranda's mother wins $20,000 on a game show. An odd man is living under a mailbox on Miranda's street. Sal is hit by a truck and the odd man saves him. He sends small strange notes to Miranda about her future

Characters edit see section history

  • Miranda (Mira): A twelve year old girl in 6th grade living in New York. Miranda loves to re-read A Wrinkle in Time. She lives with her sometimes overprotective mom and almost step-dad. Nothing is mentioned about her real father.
  • Sal: Miranda's best friend from the time she was little. Miranda and Sal live in the same dilapidated apartment building and their mothers are friends. One day Sal gets punched by a kid on the street and after that he seems to shut her out.
  • Annemarie: A girl Miranda becomes friends with after Sal stops talking to her; she has epilepsy and a very protective father.
  • Marcus Heilbroner: A rather poor boy that lives near Miranda who is very interested in time travel and physics.
  • The Laughing Man: The crazy man who stands on the corner of Miranda's street and sleeps under the mailbox. Miranda has to dodge him every day when she walks home, but she notices lots of things about him.
  • Julia: A classmate of Miranda's, she comes from a family with money and is very possesive of her friends. Miranda doesn't like her at first but they end up being close.
  • Richard: Miranda's mothers boyfriend. He's a lawyer at the firm where Miranda's mother works.
  • Louisa: Sal's mom. They live in the apartment below Miranda and her mother and they are good friends. Louisa works at a nursing home.
  • Colin: Friends with Miranda, Sal, and Annemarie.
  • Jimmy: sandwich shop owner who employs Miranda, Annemarie, and Colin. He has a large collection of 2 dollar bills stored in a Fred Flinstone bank. (he is very possessive of this)
  • Dick Clark: The cohost for the 1970's tv show $20,000 pyramid
  • Mr. Tompkin: Miranda's teacher.
  • Jay Stringer: A classmate of Mirandas; very diligent.
  • Alice Evans: Classmate of Miranda's, she has a lot of nervous problems and spends most her day having to go to the restroom. Miranda realizes Alice's problem and helps her by becoming her bathroom buddy.
  • Meg: The main character in A Wrinkle in Time, Miranda's favorite book.
  • Mr. Anderson: Mr. Anderson is the teacher of Marcus's class.
  • Belle: Owner of Belle's Market on Amsterdam Avenue where Miranda goes sometimes.
  • Anthony: Marcus's brother who gets hit on the hood of the car. Marcus wants to show him he's tough so Marcus punches Sal.
  • Miranda's mom: works at a lawyer's office, has a boyfriend, and is good friends with Louisa, Sal's mom.
  • Wheelie: Wheelie is the nickname for the school secretary, because she tries to do everything without having to stand up.
Show all 20 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Sometimes you never feel meaner than the moment you stop being mean. It's like how turning on a light makes you realize how dark the room had gotten. And the way you usually act, the things you would have normally done, are like these ghosts that everyone can see but pretends not to.”
    Miranda
  • “"Well, it's simple to love someone...but it's hard to know when you need to say it out loud"”
    Belle
  • “First, you must write me a letter. Second, please remember to mention the location of your house key. The trip is a difficult one. I will not be myself when I reach you.”
    first unsigned note Miranda finds
  • “"Sometimes the truth is dramatic"”
    Miranda
  • “"Sometimes the truth is dramatic"”
    Miranda
  • “"Try breathing through your mouth."”
    Mr. Tomkin
  • “Never touch that bank.”
    Jimmy
  • “But he is nice-weird not creepy weird.”
    Annmarie
  • “We have lunch @ 10:45. A stupid time. The older you get the stupider your lunch”
    Colin
  • “Your lucky. Keys are power some of us have to come knocking”
    Richard
  • “Your lucky. Keys are power some of us have to come knocking”
    Richard
  • “I never judge a book by the cover I judge it by the first line.”
    Belle
Show all 12 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

New York City
  • Broadway: A street in NYC between Miranda's home and school.
  • Amsterdam: Belle's Market is on Amsterdam Street in NYC.
  • "The Corner": The laughing man lives here.

First Sentence edit see section history

So mom got the postcard today. It says Congratulations in big curly letters, and at the very top is the address to Studio TV15 on West 58th Street.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Things You Keep in a Box
Things That Go Missing
Things You Hide
The Speed Round
Things That Kick
Things That Get Tangled
Things That Stain
Mom's Rules for Life in New York City
Things You Wish For
Things That Sneak Up on You
Things That Bounce
Things That Burn
The Winner's Circle
Things You Keep Secret
Things That Smell
Things You Don't Forget
The First Note
Things on a Slant
White Things
The Second Note
Things You Push Away
Things You Count
Messy Things
Invisible Things
Things You Hold On To
Salty Things
Things You Pretend
Things That Crack
Things Left Behind
The Third Note
Things That Make No Sense
The First Proof
Things You Give Away
Things That Get Stuck
Tied-Up Things
Things That Turn Pink
Things That Fall Apart
Christmas Vacation
The Second Proof
Things in an Elevator
Things You Realize
Things You Beg For
Things That Turn Upside Down
Things That Are Sweet
The Last Note
Difficult Things
Things That Heal
Things You Protect
Things You Line Up
The $20,000 Pyramid
Magic Thread
Things That Open
Things That Blow Away
Sal and Miranda, Miranda and Sal
Parting Gifts

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 9 of 14 in 2010 Award Winners. (community list)
This book is in Newbery Medal. (authoritative list)
This book is in 2011-2012 Iowa High School Battle of the Books. (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Rebecca Stead (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Kate Gartner (Designer) - book design, art director
  2. Wendy Lamb (Editor)
  3. Caroline Meckler (Editor) - associate editor
  4. Colleen Fellingham (Editor) - copy editor
  5. Barbara Perris (Editor) - copy editor
  6. Sophie Blackall (Cover Artist)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Country: United States of America
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-385-90664-7
Page Count: 197

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PZ7.S80857Wh 2009
  • Dewey: <Fic> - dc22

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

Probably11+ would enjoy it most. It is a little hard to follow

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • First Light

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history

   
  • A Wrinkle in Time

Books Cited by This Book edit see section history

   
  • A Wrinkle in Time

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