Title: When You Reach Me
Author: Rebecca Stead
Illustrator: Rebecca Stead
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Year Published: 2009
Format: Hard Cover or Paper Back
Genre: Newberry Award Winner
Reading Level: Self-Reader
Reading Interest Level: Upper Elementary- Middle School
Topics: Loyalty, Friendship
Summary: Miranda and her best friend Sal have most things figured out in their city, who to avoid and safe places to go, but when Sal is punched by the new kid for what seems to be for no reason and shuts Miranda out of his life, things begin on a downward spiral. Miranda is soon receiving anonymous letters about future events about to happen in her life, and she slowly figures out there is a tragic event that she can prevent.
Extension Activity: Since this book deals with “unknown” letters, I would have the kids each write one nice thing about a student in the room and keep it anonymous, then have them drop them into a bucket and then I would read them aloud to the class. By keeping the statements anonymous, the kids would get more into the activity and be able to have more fun with their statements.
