By Rebecca Stead
4RBooks: 4/6, grades 6-8
Amazon rating: 4.5/5, grades 3-7
Good Reads: 3.55/5
Common Sense Media: 4.5/5, ages 9/10+
197 pages
Synopsis:
Until now, Miranda’s life has been consistent. She lived in the same apartment with her mom with the same neighbors just downstairs. She and Sal were best of friends and walked to and from school together every day. She shopped and snacked at Belle’s and would talk to her about her favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time, which she always carried with her.
Now 12, Miranda’s life starts going through many changes. Her best friend Sal has started to distance himself, and then after getting punched one day, seems to want nothing to do with her. Her mom is trying to prepare for an appearance on the $20,000 Pyramid game show and is prepping every night with her boyfriend Richard. She makes a new friend, Annemarie, and starts to like a boy named Colin while they all work together at the sandwich shop at lunch.
Then the notes start to arrive. Someone is watching her and may have broken into her apartment. He wants her to write a letter explaining everything but doesn’t elaborate on what he means. She is worried and confused. He indicates that the letter will help him save someone’s life but doesn’t indicate who or how. What is she supposed to do, and how will she know?
Parental Guidance: medium-high
Miranda learns she is being watched and someone has access to her
apartment and school.
Miranda must pass a crazy homeless man on the corner almost every day.
A group of boys hang out on the corner and make comments.
Miranda and Sal see a boy pushed against a car and repeatedly hit.
A strange boy comes out one day and punches Sal in the stomach and then
across the face.
Miranda’s boyfriend spends the night.
The school is shut down a couple of times because a naked man is roaming
the streets.
Recommendation:
This novel was the Newberry Medal winner of 2010. It is a simple coming of age story about a 12-year-old girl with a science fiction twist that makes sense at the end, but you don’t necessarily see coming. It starts out as more of a creepy mystery and it is uncomfortable thinking that this young girl is being watched and that she is keeping that information to herself. Once the science fiction aspect is explained, it’s not so creepy, but still uncomfortable. There’s a definite nod to the terminator movies in the way things play out, but for the more positive reasons.
I believe that many different readers will find this story entertaining. It’s a short and easy read with chapters barely 3-5 pages long. The characters and situations are believable in their day-to-day interactions, and their relationships are genuine. It subtly covers a number of issues from racism to evolving friendships and the challenges of growing up.
Teachers could use this as a class read or small group book, especially with girls. Most students should be able to read this without parent supervision, but some parent discussions after the read would be recommended.
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