Review Detail

Its 1978 and this is the story of Miranda. Shes addicted to A Wrinkle in Time, maybe because she doesnt know her father. Shes entranced by the thought of time travel. Her mother got picked for the $20,000 Pyramid TV game show and Miranda and Richard, her moms boyfriend, are constantly helping her get ready. Rambunctious boys hang out at the local garage that shes got to pass on the way to and from school. Some kid she doesnt know hits her life-long friend Sal for apparently no reason and now he wont talk to her. It turns out his name is Marcus and hes a nice guy&a little strange, but nice. Miranda makes a new friend in Annemarie, however Annemaries best friend is Julia. Miranda and Julia havent spoken to each other in years. Theres a crazy man who hangs out on her street, kicking up a storm at absolutely nothing. And theres a Fred Flintstone piggy bank. What else could you possibly want in a book and what else could possibly happen?

How about finding a letter in her library book which says:

M.

This is hard. Harder than I expected, even with your help. But I have been practicing, and my preparations go well. I am coming to save your friends life, and my own.

I ask two favors.

First, you must write me a letter.

Second, please remember to mention the location of your house key.

The trip is a difficult one. I will not be myself when I reach you.

What does this all mean? Read When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead if you want to find out the answer. Its a dandy book. The chapter headings are questions from the $20,000 Pyramid. The characters are great. The action is absorbing. I didnt want to put it down. Despite what I thought as I was reading it, it all comes together in the end, although you need to think about it. Im still thinking about it. Im not actually sure I get it, so maybe if you read it and understand it, you can explain it to me. However, it doesnt lessen my enjoyment of the book. Time will travel fast when you read When You Reach Me.