I put off reading Rebecca Stead's When You reach Me for one (unfortunate) reason: I hated the cover. To me, the cover looks washed out and boring. I thought that the book would read this way, but I was wrong.I had read a bunch of rave reviews from blogs I trust, but I was having a hard time believing that this pastel, surreal-looking cover was going to lead to any sort of excitement. And, it's kinda based on a book I (don't kill me!) hated--A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I hated that book. Of course, I haven't read it since I was a preteen, so I might want to revisit it at some point, but I don't truly know that I ever will.
But, When You reach Me is all good. It's about a sixth grader named Miranda, who has just lost her best friend Sal for mysterious reasons. He didn't die or anything--He just stopped talking to her. She doesn't understand why Sal, who's known her since they were little, would ignore her. Eventually, she starts to meet others and make new friends. But, when she starts receiving bizarre letters predicting the future, she's not sure what to believe anymore.
Who could be leaving these letters for her? How did this person get in her bedroom? How can anyone know what will happen in the future?
Though this story takes place in the 1970's, it reads smoothly and holds universal appeal. I think that girls would love this book, and those interested in books like A Wrinkle In Time will find it appealing as well. After reading it in two sittings, I'd definitely classify it as a page-turner.
