2010 Newbery Award Winner Visits GMS
On February 3, author Rebecca Stead visited GMS and spoke to our entire student body. This January, her novel When You Reach Me won the John Newbery Medal for outstanding children's literature, the top prize for children's book authors. The novel is set in New York City in the 1970s, and tells the story of Miranda, a sixth-grader, who gets mysterious notes saying she needs to be saved from a future tragedy. The judges heaped praise on Stead's intricate book, explaining that every scene and word is "vital to the plot."
Author visits are an important part of the GMS experience. They provide students with a real taste of literature, allowing them to hear someone passionately talk about what it means to put pen to paper. Giving girls’ exposure to a professional writer’s joy for language is a fantastic way to motivate and inspire their own love for reading and writing.