When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
This Newbery Medal winner that has been called "smart and mesmerizing," (The New York Times) and "superb" (The Wall Street Journal) will appeal to readers of all types, especially those who are looking for a thought-provoking mystery with a mind-blowing twist.
Shortly after a fall-out with her best friend, sixth grader Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes, and she doesn’t know what to do. The notes tell her that she must write a letter—a true story, and that she can’t share her mission with anyone.
It would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except that whoever is leaving them has an uncanny ability to predict the future. If that is the case, then Miranda has a big problem—because the notes tell her that someone is going to die, and she might be too late to stop it.
Winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Fiction
A New York Times Bestseller and Notable Book
Five Starred Reviews
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A PARADE Best Kids Book of All Time
A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of the Century
"Absorbing." —People
"Readers ... are likely to find themselves chewing over the details of this superb and intricate tale long afterward." —The Wall Street Journal
"Lovely and almost impossibly clever." —The Philadelphia Inquirer
"It's easy to imagine readers studying Miranda's story as many times as she's read L'Engle's, and spending hours pondering the provocative questions it raises." —Publishers Weekly, Starred review
Frequently asked questions
Is When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The story includes a scene where Miranda's friend Sal gets punched by a strange kid, which introduces a theme of violence in the context of childhood experiences. No scary content is referenced in the search results for 'When You Reach Me'. The story is described as a coming-of-age tale without horror elements.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have violence?
The story includes a scene where Miranda's friend Sal gets punched by a strange kid, which introduces a theme of violence in the context of childhood experiences.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have scary content?
No scary content is referenced in the search results for 'When You Reach Me'. The story is described as a coming-of-age tale without horror elements.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have religious themes?
No religious content, practices, or beliefs are referenced in the search results for 'When You Reach Me'. The narrative centers on personal and social themes without religious elements.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have racial/cultural content?
Race is not a central theme or element in the narrative of 'When You Reach Me'. The focus is on personal relationships and experiences rather than racial issues.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have profanity?
No profanity is indicated in the search results for 'When You Reach Me'. The content appears to be appropriate for a middle-grade audience.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have climate change?
No climate themes are present in the search results for 'When You Reach Me'. The story does not engage with environmental issues or activism.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have sexual identity?
No sexual content is mentioned in the search results for 'When You Reach Me'. The narrative focuses on middle school friendships and family dynamics.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have gender roles?
The search results do not indicate any explicit gender roles or themes. The narrative primarily explores friendships and family dynamics without traditional or feminist framing.
Does When You Reach Me (Newbery Medal Winner) have lgbtq+ themes?
No LGBTQ+ themes or characters are mentioned in the search results for 'When You Reach Me'. The focus is primarily on the protagonist's experiences with friendships and family dynamics.
