When You Reach Me
I’ve gone through many books recently. I have a soft spot for young adult books and was excited about When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. I’ve always liked reading “below my reading level” – when I was in high school I loved babysitting and reading the kids’ books when they had gone to sleep. Something soothing in the ease of a fast and entertaining read.
Do not read When You Reach Me if sick and prone to odd dreams. The time-travel aspect messed with my head a little. Under normal circumstances, I feel certain that the book would just be a compelling read. Stead does a nice job of dealing with the difficulties of childhood friendships without moralizing. Actually, that may be the best thing about the book, outside of being well-written and fun – it isn’t preachy at all.
I’m not sure what the intended age is for the book, but I’ve passed it onto an eleven-year-old and can’t wait until Beatrix is old enough to read it.
