When You Reach Me

Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time

• When You Reach Me heavily references this classic novel and touches on similar themes with female protagonists at a similar age.
• A Wrinkle in Time has been made into two films: a 2003 made-for-television film directed by John Kent Harrison and a 2018 film directed by Ava DuVernay.
• A Wrinkle in Time on SuperSummary

Jennifer L. Holm’s The Fourteenth Goldfish

• This middle-grade novel features a young girl protagonist whose grandfather takes a youth potion (in his quest for immortality) and becomes her classmate. Hijinks ensue. This is a light-hearted yet emotionally resonant novel that presents opportunities to discuss the ethics and applications of science.
• includes an author’s note and resources for real scientific connections to the research mentioned in the text
• The Fourteenth Goldfish on SuperSummary

Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Remarkables

• Haddix’s standalone novel revolves around the mystery of several teenagers who appear and disappear. The two protagonists work to solve the mystery and prevent a crisis that occurred 20 years in the past. 
• This novel is a little darker than the others; one child tries to change his father’s past in order to prevent him from becoming an addict. The novel presents opportunities to discuss the ethics of changing the past in the context of time travel while also exploring themes around coming of age.

Other Student Resources

“What are Tesseracts in A Wrinkle in Time & How Can I Use One to Travel Out of this Dimension?”

• an easy-to-read article explaining the science and math of a tesseract, the method for time travel in A Wrinkle in Time

“How optical illusions trick your brain - Nathan S. Jacobs”

• a five-minute TED-Ed video that explains three optical illusions and the science of why they trick the brain (preconceptions versus reality)
• explanation is delivered through visuals, animation, and voice-over

Teacher Resources

“A Wrinkle in Time and its Sci-Fi Heroine”

• a New York Times article that describes the cultural impact of A Wrinkle in Time