Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased. Screenwise is a Bookshop.org affiliate and an Amazon Associate, so if you buy a book through one of our links, we may earn a commission. Bookshop.org purchases also support independent bookstores.
Screenwise Verdict
This is a rare 'perfect' book. It’s a Newbery winner that actually deserves the hype and doesn't feel like 'homework.'
If your kid is into puzzles, mystery, or just feels like their friend group is shifting in weird ways, hand them this. It’s smart, it’s fast-paced, and it respects the reader’s intelligence. It’s the antithesis of brain rot.
Age Fit
Perfect for 4th through 8th graders. It's sophisticated enough that adults often read it and find themselves surprised by the twist, but the voice is pure middle-school.
WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
92
It captures the messy, shifting dynamics of middle school friendships with total honesty. The protagonist, Miranda, navigates her mom's quirks and her own social mistakes in a way that feels emotionally mature and grounded.
Imaginative
96
The time-travel mechanics are handled with a precision that puts most blockbuster movies to shame. It uses a non-linear puzzle structure that invites the reader to play detective alongside the main character.
Safe
94
As a book, it's inherently free of digital traps. The plot involves a tragic traffic accident and some realistic middle-school punching, but it's handled with gravity rather than shock value.
Enriching
95
It demands active reading. It explores the concept of 'the veil'—the idea that we often don't truly see the people around us—which is a high-level empathy lesson for kids hitting that self-centered pre-teen phase.
Parent Info
✓
Why It Might Be Great
The 'Aha!' moment at the end is one of the most satisfying in all of children's literature.
It treats 12-year-olds like they are actually smart and capable of following a complex, non-linear plot.
The 1970s New York setting is vivid and gritty without being overwhelming or 'educational.'
It handles the 'drifting apart from your best friend' trope with more nuance than your average middle-grade novel.
⚠
What to Watch For
A pivotal character is killed by a truck; it's a heavy moment that might require a quick check-in if your kid is sensitive to 'random' tragedy.
There is a scene involving a kid getting punched in the stomach, reflecting realistic but jarring schoolyard violence.
Conversation Starters
"Why do you think Marcus did what he did to Sal? Was he a 'bad' kid?"
"If you could send a note to yourself in the past, what's the one thing you'd tell yourself to change—or not change?"
"What does Miranda mean when she talks about 'the veil' that keeps us from seeing people as they really are?"
"How did the 1970s setting (no cell phones, kids walking everywhere alone) change the way the mystery unfolded?"
