When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
I began and finished reading this book in one day. I opened it up at lunch. In between the chapters I'd take bites of my sweet potato. I was hungry before, but now I'm ravenous. I've forgotten about food; now I'm just aching to finish this book, irritated that lunch is only one hour, and hoping that the library won't be too busy so that maybe I could steal moments to continue reading. And that's exactly what happened. I am absolutely in love with this book. If every single book on the Newbery list that I'm trying to get through astounds me this much, I definitely will not regret proudly telling everyone that getting through that list is my goal this year. Because if every book on that list is as enticing and touching as this one, I'll probably get through the list by the end of this month. The thing about this book is that if I talk about it too much, I'll reveal too much. And I don't want to do that. Because on top of being a coming-of-age story about a young girl who deals with poverty, loss, friendship, and growing up, it's a puzzle. It's a puzzle that both the reader and the narrator piece together. And once you finish it, once the last piece is in place, and you notice all of the little details coming together so neatly and wonderfully, it'll all be worth it. This book really made me want to be a better person. I don't think it's ever hit me this hard, the truths that classics and literary fiction veil and embellish and make so difficult to stomach. Through the voice of a 12-year-old girl, the author showed me actual, practical ways of being a better human.
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