When you reach me by Rebecca Stead

Text Publishing, 2010. ISBN 9781921656064.
(Ages 10+ ) Highly recommended. Miranda lives in a run-down apartment building in the city with her single mum. Her best friend Sal lives upstairs, and they do everything together. But one day an older boy punches Sal on the way home from school, and suddenly Sal doesn't want to be friends any more. Miranda is confused, but makes some new friends, and soon makes an alarming discovery about Sal's attacker. When strange and frightening notes start appearing in odd places for Miranda, she doesn't know who she can turn to, or what they mean. She knows someone's life is in danger, but whose? And what can she do to help? With a remarkable range of characters, and some very interesting twists, this witty and suspenseful book is sure to please boys and girls alike in the upper primary years.
Donella Reed