Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

Stead, R. (2015). Goodbye stranger. New York, NY: Penguin Random House LLC.

Bridge, also known as Bridget is the central character in this story and she’s growing up in New York City. She was nearly killed by a car at aged 8. The doctors told her that she beat the odds.  She has never forgotten one of the nurses that told her that she must have been put on this earth for a reason. Ever since that was said to her, the question of what that reason might be, ponders in her head thereafter. Bridge is now 12 years old and she’s starting seventh grade, middle school era. This is a year that marks a real transition from childhood to the beginning of adulthood.

Also, since she recovered from her accident, she has had a hard time fitting in with her friends. Bridge, Emily and Tabitha have been friends since childhood. Bridge’s friends are getting cooler and better and they don't understand why she insists on wearing novelty cat ears every day. Bridge just thinks they look good. They promise not to fight or have arguments in order to keep their friendship alive. But, they find out that it’s getting harder to keep their promise of no fights, especially when they start keeping secrets from each other.

Emily has a new curvy body and is the center of attention. Tabitha tells it like it is and has many interests that her friends don't always support.  Then there's Sherm, who is also experiencing his own issues with his family, but when he meets Bridge, they form an unexpected friendship as he wants to get to know her better.

Bridge is a fun and very peculiar character. She likes to wear cat ears, and not just on Halloween. She is a good friend. I loved her friendship with Tabitha and Emily, even though seventh grade can shake things up a bit socially. This thought helped me make a connection to Havighurst’s Theory of Developmental Tasks in which he discusses the importance of how adolescents need to learn how to get along with their peers. The way Bridget and her friends promise each other not to fight is an indication of compromise and or negotiation which is a component of getting along with peers.

This story beautifully examines friendship in all its forms, and asks us all to think about who we are. I also believe that this is a bittersweet story about making wrong decisions, different kinds of love, and definitely learning from one’s mistakes and growing up.

This story also examines how social media can negatively impact a person's life. Perfect example from the novel: one of the girls makes a mistake with social media and has to live with the consequences.  I think many teenagers today can relate to this part of the plot.

This novel can be used in a reading lesson by a reading teacher to teach elements of plot. In the process the students may also learn about the importance of using social media responsibly. This book is appropriate for middle school students ages 12-14. If you enjoyed reading this novel, perhaps you may enjoy reading When You Reach Me, also written by Rebecca Stead. Goodbye Stranger consists of 289 pages.