A Review of When You Reach Me

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

As you know, that is from the mysterious first note found by Miranda in Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me, the amazing Newbery-winning book I just finished reading to you. It was very cool to listen to you yesterday as you tried to sort out what was what.  And now today it is your turn — to write your own letters about this remarkable book — on your blogs.  My hope is that you will all write thoughtful and interesting ones that I can mention on my blog as I did last year.  But I can’t do that until the blogs are public so I hope you will be ready to do that with this post.  (And when we finish the mural I will put an image of that up here and on my blog for people to enjoy.)

First of all, a fun tidbit.  The book takes place, as you know, in 1979 and the television show, $20,000 Pyramid plays a major part in the story.  Go here to see a clip of the original show and then come back….

Back? Good.  Now here are a few ideas of things to consider for your blog post —we’ll add a few more today as well. (And if you want to read my New York Times review here it is.)

• The title — what do you think of it?  Would there be a better one? (One person I know suggested The Laughing Man —what do you think of that?)
• The cover — some don’t like it. Do you?   Explain why it is what it is.
• Chapter titles are mostly “Things that…” which is the way to do your answer for The $20,000 Pyramid.
• How did you feel about it being SO mysterious?  Were you able to wait until all became clear?
• Veil metaphor — when was it lifted for you?
• A Wrinkle in Time
• For kids who are comfortable with many different threads and things going on all at once.
• What suspicions did you have? Were you right or wrong?
• Do you get the time travel stuff?  Does it matter if you don’t?