I Wish I’d Written: Lisa Williamson

Lisa Williamson chooses an awe-inspiring book.

When visiting schools, one of the questions I’m asked most regularly is ‘what is your favourite book?’ The truth is, dozens of books hold a special place in my heart, but the title I always give as my official answer is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

I’ve read and loved all of Stead’s excellent fiction for children (Goodbye Stranger is another title I’d recommend without hesitation) but When You Reach Me was my gateway. I vividly remember finishing it for the first time and thinking to myself: that was perfect.

In terms of genre, it’s a hard to pin down. Officially, it’s described as a ‘science fiction and mystery novel’ and although both these elements feature, I always think of it ultimately as a story about friendship. It is a tribute to Stead’s incredible skill as a writer that the book manages to be so many things at once, without ever feeling lacking in focus or identity.

Eleven-year-old Miranda receives a series of mysterious notes that not only appear to predict the future but also require Miranda to write a letter chronicling recent events in her own life. As intriguing as this central puzzle is, so much of the book’s brilliance comes from the everyday intricacies of Miranda’s daily existence – her changing friendships, her quest to help her mother prepare for an upcoming TV quiz appearance, her part-time job in a sandwich shop. Stead depicts every detail (including the wonderfully evocative late 1970s Manhattan setting) with such vivid specificity that it’s impossible not to be drawn into Miranda’s world.

The book begins with a quote from Einstein: ‘The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.’ In an increasingly uncertain world, When You Reach Me brings to light the promise and wonder in the unknown. I’m in awe of it and will never tire of shouting about its beauty and brilliance.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is published by Andersen Press, 978-1783449637, £7.99 pbk.

Bigg School: Stepmum Showdown by Lisa Williamson, book 7 in the Bigg School series, is out now, Guppy Books, 978-1918693102, £7.99 pbk.