Publisher's Synopsis
Bridge is an accident survivor who’s wondering why she’s still alive. Emily has new curves and an almost-boyfriend who wants a certain kind of picture. Tabitha sees through everybody’s games—or so she tells the world. The three girls are best friends with one rule: No fighting. Can it get them through seventh grade?
This year everything is different for Sherm Russo as he gets to know Bridge Barsamian. What does it mean to fall for a girl—as a friend? On Valentine’s Day, an unnamed high school girl struggles with a betrayal. How long can she hide in plain sight? Each memorable character navigates the challenges of love and change in this captivating novel.
This year everything is different for Sherm Russo as he gets to know Bridge Barsamian. What does it mean to fall for a girl—as a friend? On Valentine’s Day, an unnamed high school girl struggles with a betrayal. How long can she hide in plain sight? Each memorable character navigates the challenges of love and change in this captivating novel.
Our Reviews
Goodbye Stranger is the story of three best friends entering seventh grade and an unnamed high school freshman dealing with a betrayal. Bridge, Emily, and Tabitha have been friends for many years, and they long ago made a pact that they would never fight, something they’re finding hard to keep to now that they’re in the seventh grade. This books deals with a lot of issues kids face: girls developing early, sexting, peer-pressure, frenemies, slut-shaming, and bullying. I liked how the author (Newberry winner Rebecca Stead) handled these issues. For example, one character sends an inappropriate photo to a boy at his urging. Yes, it’s a dumb thing to do, but the initial response of the school and the other kids is awful and completely ridiculous. Stead makes it clear this sort of slut-shaming is just plain wrong, and that’s a powerful message for kids. My one criticism of the book is the shifting viewpoints chapter to chapter take getting used to and may be confusing for some readers. This book provides a lot of opportunities to discuss big issues with kids, particularly bullying and peer-pressure. I highly recommend this book to any middle or high school girl. 4 stars ~M. Vannoni
At times I found myself confused about switching point of views, I was not sure they were even occurring in the same time frame or if it was a character having a flashback, but other than that it is an easy read. The chapters alternated between the group of girls and the sole female character written in a second person. It’s almost like two stories in one book but you see common threads and the reader waits to see how the stories finally intertwine. At the end all elements of the story tie together nicely.
I felt they glossed over the issue of texting inappropriate pictures and the consequences of doing so. I would have liked to have seen a little more attention being paid to the enormity of the possible after-effect of texting naked (or almost naked) selfies. 4 stars Michelle Labuski
I felt they glossed over the issue of texting inappropriate pictures and the consequences of doing so. I would have liked to have seen a little more attention being paid to the enormity of the possible after-effect of texting naked (or almost naked) selfies. 4 stars Michelle Labuski
I was eager to read this book, because I loved Rebecca Stead’s Newbery Award-winning When You Reach Me. Stead gives us another valuable contribution in Goodbye Stranger. Stronger readers should have little difficulty with the multiple perspectives, and the exploration of the complexities of growing up--belonging, loneliness, loyalty, betrayal, and peer pressure--will resonate with middle school students. The various plot threads come together in a largely satisfying way. (I found one aspect so moving it brought me to tears, and another seemed a bit of a superfluous addition.) 4.5 stars ~Sheila Tobin Cavooris