Goodbye Stranger, by Rebecca Stead
by manz
Rebecca Stead, author of Newbery Medal winning When You Reach Me, has a new youth fiction novel out, and it’s delightful! Goodbye Stranger is a story of friendship, love, family, and betrayal set in New York’s Upper West Side. Bridge, Em and Tab have been BFFs forever and they Twinkie swore “no fighting.” Then 7th grade hits. The main character Bridge was in a car accident in 3rd grade which left her immobile for a year, and she struggles with wondering why she survived and what her purpose is.
Now that it’s 7th grade things are changing. Em has new curves, Tab is involved in civil rights, and Bridge is enjoying hanging out with a boy named Sherm, but they’re “just friends.” It’s a good mix of teen angst and innocent wonder. Em gets into some hot water over texting things she shouldn’t be texting and it spits fire on the friendship – even though they Twinkie swore.
The novel is told in the 3rd person, with some chapters told in 2nd person from an unidentified character’s POV, as well as a few chapters with letters Sherm writes to his grandfather.
As a middle grade pre-YA novel it does a good job featuring kind adults and teachers, and while some of the kids come from families of divorce it doesn’t overwhelm the novel. It’s a good one if you’re looking for an easy breezy middle grade novel with a bit of teen drama and lots of beautiful writing.
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