Because You'll Never Meet Me

Thomas, L. (2015). Because You'll Never Meet Me. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Summary

Two recluse become pen pals and best friends. The irony is they have never met each other in person. They only write letters back and forth to each other.  Ollie is allergic to electricity. Moritz has a pacemaker. They are separated by their health issues as well as physically. Ollie lives in a forest in the America and Moritz lives with his family in Germany. Ollie does have one friend, Liz. As they get older they do grow apart. She begins high school and Ollie cannot go.  His dreams of taking her out around town or to the movie are diminished.  Moritz is not having an easier time. He is bullied at his school. Their physical limitations put them in the situation where they can be best of friends and feel like the two are all each other has.  A true friendship is what has grown between these boys after all the years of correspondence.  Ollie gains the insight and confidence to go out into the world and brave the chance of his health be affected.

Commentary

A book is good when you think it is going one way and it turns in a different direction. I thought the boys were going to turn out to be mutants like in X Men and that the story was a science fiction all along.  My interest was kept the entire novel. The novel being written in letters between the two customers helped move the plot along. The setting and events go back and forth between to two. The story of two boys having true friendship without having met each other shows young readers it has very little to do with outside appearance.  You have to be able to express yourself so that others can understand you

Conncections

teacher guide

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Connections to text

This novel shows the importance of friendship and how it will hep anyone through a tough time. It is realistic fiction but it is written as letter from one character to another. Finding ones worth is a common theme in YA literature.  These boys are both dealing with a handicapped that keeps them from living their live to the fullest and discovery what they want out of the world.