Engine Summer

This is a difficult book to review, because I flatly refuse to tell you anything whatsoever about its plot, characters, emotional trajectory, etcetera, on the grounds that this is very good, you should read it, and you would rather not know. I had heard exactly three words about the content of this book before I picked it up, and it turned out to be more than I would have liked to have heard. I am not usually spoiler-sensitive about things, but seriously, when you pick this book up, you should know that:

-- the title is When You Reach Me
-- the author is Rebecca Stead
-- and the book is very good.

Do not read the back. Do not read the flap.

You have my permission to notice that it won the Newbery Medal, and that, for a change, that does not mean that it is cripplingly depressing beyond anyone's ability to cope with. The Newbery people should keep that up, and maybe I will start paying attention to them for book recommendations again, instead of just following the Norton and the National Book Award.

You also have my permission to notice that it is intended for children. I am uncertain as to what age of child the author, editors and so on intend it for, but then publishers always get that wrong when they put it on the spine anyhow. (You see, I am examining the cover so you don't have to.) The reading protocols of good children's books are slightly different from those of good adult books, although not as different as a lot of people seem to think.

And that is absolutely everything that I have to say about this book.

Apparently the author has also written at least one other, about which I know nothing at all. Don't tell me. I'll read it.

You can comment here or at the Dreamwidth crosspost. There are comments over there.