WHEN YOU REACH ME
by Rebecca Stead
(Wendy Lamb/Random House)
Fact: I am scared of plotting. Which is why I've been sissily sticking to the ready-made plots of historical fiction in my own books, and why I go downright berserk when I read a story with such a clever, concise plot as this one. Everything, and I mean everything, counts in this book.
Now, because everyone's lobbing stars at When You Reach Me, I was braced for one of those profound, grandly composed exemplars of children's literature. But you know what? Instead, it's a perfect delight, written with an agile hand, a dose of intrigue, and a stealthy punch of emotion.
As the official synopsis will tell you, things in Miranda's neighborhood start to unravel, and then get downright mysterious when a quartet of anonymous notes foretelling the future creep into her life. But that's nothing compared to how the loose pieces (and a few more besides) all work themselves back together in the end.
And by the way, I FIGURED OUT THE TWIST. Me, all by myself. (Actually, I only figured out the big twist. There were a couple extra ones to keep me from getting too big for my britches.)
Read a smidgeon here and try to resist.
