"When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead

            Today I just started reading When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. So far, I know that the book is about a girl named Miranda, who lives in New York City in the 1970's. One day, when she's walking home from school with her best friend Sal, he gets punched by a boy on the street. Ever since that happened he hasn't been talking to Miranda. I have a lot of questions at this point, mostly about why Sal doesn't want to be friends with Miranda anymore. I don't really have many ideas about this book so far, but I do see a recurring theme, and that's safety.

           Miranda and Sal used to walk home from school together everyday. They've been friends ever since they were babies and their mothers met in the lobby of their apartment building. Like I said earlier, one day Sal was punched by a boy on the street who hangs out with other boys that they pass by on their way home. But ever since that day, Sal doesn't want to walk home with Miranda anymore. Now, she has to fend for herself, walk down the street, past the boy who punched Sal and his friends, past the crazy man who stands on their corner and shouts out random things. Miranda no longer has her best friend to walk home with.

           Secondly, Miranda's mother has many rules about safety for her to follow. These include always having her key out before she reaches the front door, look straight ahead if she sees someone acting strange, and to never show her money on the street. To me, these seem like pretty good rules to follow. But Miranda has her own rules. Instead of ignoring people doing strange things, she instead says to them, "Excuse me, do you happen to know what time it is?" in order to sound like she's not afraid of them. It sounds to me that her mom really tries to protect her, but Miranda knows how to take care of herself.

            So far, I really like reading When You Reach Me. I think that a theme so far in this book is safety, and I am very curious to read on for more themes and issues. I also really want to know what happens with Miranda and Sal's friendship, and why Sal has grown so distant ever since that day.