When You Reach Me - By Rebecca Stead

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 avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.

I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

Summary by GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5310515-when-you-reach-me

When You Reach Me, written by Rebecca Stead.  New York: Random House, 2009.

This book identifies different aspects of a classroom from race and class to poverty and home life. It is important for students to understand these different aspects and understand we all come from different backgrounds. Each of the characters has a unique relationship in this book, and I think it would be interesting to see how the students view these relationships. It will also be important to talk about why it is important to have friends from different cultures, races and socio-economic status'.