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ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSTwelve-year-old Miranda lives with her single mom in a New York City apartment in 1978, spending her days helping her mother practice for an upcoming appearance on the game show The $20,000 Pyramid, making cheese sandwiches at a neighborhood deli, and navigating the complicated world of sixth grade after her best friend Sal abruptly ends their friendship. When anonymous notes begin appearing in odd places, addressed to her and written in tiny handwriting on stiff scraps of paper, Miranda tries to make sense of their cryptic instructions and impossible predictions, all while the writer claims to be coming to save a friend's life.
Free Battle of the Books questions for When You Reach Me
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about When You Reach Me. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a green army jacketed kid suddenly punch another kid in the stomach?
✓ Answer
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Marcus walks up to Sal and punches him in the stomach and face for no apparent reason while Miranda watches. This unprovoked attack is the moment Miranda calls the beginning of the whole story, the event that ends her friendship with Sal.
- First half
In what book does a sandwich shop owner stash two dollar bills folded into triangles inside a cartoon bank?
✓ Answer
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Jimmy's Fred Flintstone bank is famously off limits. Miranda and Colin sneak a peek and discover it's full of triangle folded two dollar bills. The bank becomes a major plot point when it's stolen and Jimmy wrongly accuses one of the kids.
- First half
In what book does a mom describe an invisible bridal veil people lift to see truth?
✓ Answer
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Miranda's mom uses this metaphor to explain how she gets into the right frame of mind for the game show, but it's also a deeper observation about awareness. Miranda wonders if some people are born without veils, seeing the big stuff all the time.
- Second half
In what book does a girl get a signed first edition from her mom's boyfriend on Christmas morning?
✓ Answer
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Richard gives Miranda a signed first edition of her favorite book for Christmas. The inscription, Tesser well, matches the words in the third note, proving the writer knew about events before they happened.
- Second half
In what book do two friends make origami frogs and draw comic strips on special paper with sticker bubbles?
✓ Answer
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
On New Year's Day at Annemarie's apartment, the girls draw with her new art supplies and learn origami frogs from her mom. The frogs become important later as gift toppers for Miranda's mom and Richard.
- Near the end
In what book does a girl learn her hair is not brown but really more of a caramel?
✓ Answer
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Julia studies Miranda's hair in the light and tells her it is caramel, not just brown. The moment is part of Miranda discovering that Julia is more thoughtful and observant than she first assumed.
