Right Back at You

by Carolyn Mackler

From the award-winning, bestselling author of Not If I Can Help It, a story about reaching across time to find the support you need against bullies, bad friends, and antisemitism.

Mason lives in 2023. His parents have just split up, and there's a guy at school who won't get off his case. As part of an assignment, he writes a letter to Albert Einstein and it ends up getting a little too personal. He throws the letter into his closet...

...and the next day he gets a letter back from a girl named Talia, who lives in 1987. She has problems of her own, including classmates who make jokes because she's Jewish. She thought her friends would have her back. But it ends up the only person she really has to talk to is... a random boy from the future?

In the tradition of such beloved novels as When You Reach Me and Save Me a Seat, Carolyn Mackler has written a funny, all-too-relatable story about finding the friend you need... even if that friends happens to live in another year.

Genres: Middle Grade, Time Travel, Fantasy, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Jewish

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2025

About the author

Carolyn Mackler is the author of the popular teen novels, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (A Michael L. Printz Honor Book), Infinite in Between, Tangled, Guyaholic, Vegan Virgin Valentine, and Love and Other Four-Letter Words. Carolyn's novel, The Future of Us, co-written with bestselling author Jay Asher, received starred reviews and appeared on several bestseller lists. Carolyn has also written Best Friend Next Door, a novel for younger readers. Carolyn's novels have been published in more than twenty countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, and Indonesia.

Carolyn lives in New York City with her husband and two sons. Her new novel for teens, The Universe is Expanding and So Am I, will be published in May 2018. This is the long-awaited sequel to the Printz-honor winning novel, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.

Reviews

[BooksNCrannies]

A thought-provoking and creatively told story about family, friends, bullying, and kindness.

✏️ Review ✏️

Humorous, relatable, heartfelt, and satisfying, Right Back at You delivers a creatively constructed epistolary novel with split-time characters. This is one of those really enjoyable stories where once I started reading I didn't want to put it down. It's just so intriguing in so many ways!

First there's the plot. It follows two characters and how, through a wormhole in the fabric of space and time (a real scientific theoretical — look it up), they are able to exchange letters across the bridge of three decades. This element is creatively anchored into the plot and makes for unique and fun storytelling. As the storyline progresses, the two MCs navigate the vast differences between the 1980s and 2020s, their respective time periods. But they also discover that they have much more in common than they realize. These similarities bring about a growing friendship, which allows for both a thought-provoking and entertaining read that I had a lot of fun with. And the ending was spectacular! ☺️

Despite Right Back at You being told only through letters, Mason and Talia prove to be well-rounded and dynamically developed characters. Each of their quirks and personalities excellently shine through their correspondence, and each of these characters' distinct voices add an underlying yet crucial layer of realism and creativity to this tale. I couldn't help but feel fully drawn right into the drama of both these characters' lives because the author presents and develops them so well.

Yeah, I had a great time reading Right Back at You. The artistic storytelling, creative plot structure, fascinating presentation of time (past and present), well-drawn characters, relevant themes, and a surprise ending all contribute to making Right Back at You a fun and memorable story.

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The enjoyable and creative plot structure.
• The artistic storytelling with the intriguing incorporation of theoretical and fascinating science.
• The well-rounded, dynamically developed MCs.
• The story's themes (i.e. the characteristics of true friendships, the damaging affects of bullying, the power of kindness, learning to speak up for yourself, the importance of a unified family unit, etc.).
• The ending — completely surprising and very satisfying.

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• (Can't think of anything atm.)

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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓

— Would I recommend this book? Of course!*

— To whom? To those who enjoy creative epistolary stories.

*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 4.25/5 [rounded down to 4 on Goodreads])
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 4/5
— 📝 Writing: 3.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 4/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 1/5

• One use of "d*mn," one vain use of God's name, one use of "j**z," and two uses of "heck."

— ⚔️ Violence: 1/5

• There are many scenes containing middle school bullying, including antisemitism (negatively portrayed in the story).

— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5

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📣 Random Comments 📣

• Content notes: (1) The FMC briefly mentions how "unlike most girls in [her] grade... [she] hasn't filled out yet." (2) The MMC's mom's worsening alcoholism is discussed on a few occasions and is a prominent element in the story at times.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

• That's what friends do. They talk even when it's hard. (p. 74)

• "Life is not about keeping away the bad stuff or only hoping for the good stuff. Because you can't control that. It's how you deal with the good and the bad that will define what kind of life you're going to have." (p. 201)

[Chrissie Whitley]

Mason, who lives in NYC in 2023, is struggling with his dad's decision to move to Atlanta, his mom's drinking, and this guy at school who will not stop picking on him. His mom decides he would benefit from seeing a therapist, who gives him an assignment of writing a letter to anyone he'd like — but no one has to read it. He chooses Albert Einstein and prints off the letter before tossing it in his closet. Later, when he goes back to retrieve the letter, he discovers another in its place ... written from a girl calling herself Talia and saying she's living in Pennsylvania in 1987.

Despite an understandably rocky start, Mason and Talia soon become pen pals, with a few time-related rules in place. Once Talia and Mason start to open up to each other Mason learns Talia is having her own problems with a bully at school who makes hurtful jokes about Talia being Jewish, on top of wanting desperately to try out for her school's baseball team (despite being a girl), and a recent estrangement from her former best friend.

As the two pen pals grow closer, they help each other in lovely ways — supportive, understanding, and caring...exactly what the two needed. Right Back at You is a charming little pen pal time-play story perfect for middle grade and adult readers alike.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

[Laura]

Right Back at You is a time travel epistolary novel about the letter exchange between Mason in 2023 and Talia in 1987. They are able to communicate through a wormhole in their bedroom closets. The pair form an amazing friendship and share similarities even though they exist in different time periods. I enjoyed the discussion surrounding bullying and the 1980s references. It was a well-paced story, and it really tied all the threads together nicely in the end.

[Ari Cohen]

AMAZING BOOK!

I love this book so much! It is so great.

Thanks so much Carolyn Mackler!

[Jen Bishop]

I think the letter format will appeal to many students. I may appreciate the 80’s references more than my students though.

[Beth Given]

Mason is struggling. His dad has moved to Atlanta for a job, and his mom has stayed with Mason in New York City where she works long hours in healthcare and comes home to a bottle of wine every night. Middle school is tough; Mason is bullied incessantly by kids who make fun of his clothes. His therapist asked him to write a letter to help articulate his burdens and anxieties. But then the letter, which he had hidden in his closet, vanishes -- and soon, there's a handwritten response from Talia, a girl who lived decades before, hundreds of miles away. They become penpals through this curious wormhole of time and space supporting each other while they deal with middle school bullies, sexism, alcoholism, and antisemitism.

This middle-grade novel-in-letters hits on so many relevant themes. I really enjoyed the characters and the fun time-travel element.

[Nicole]

I enjoyed this one more than I expected too. I picked it up for the time travel aspect. That was fun but not really explained in any way how it worked or why. I did enjoy the friendship that developed between these two pen pals. It very much gave "the more things change the more they stay the same" vibes...kids living in two very different times and yet dealing with many of the same issues. Not quite a new favorite for me but I would read this again. If anything was missing then I guess I'd say I just wished things were a little more fleshed out...that we got a little more resolution at the end.

[Terri]

4 hours on audio- So many books for middle schoolers center on bullying - I sure hope it’s dealt with by the adults better than it is in these books. I was pulled into the lives of Talia and Mason and am pleased with how things turned out.

[MaryJo Landwehr]

Interesting read about two pen pals from different times! Sweet story about friendship and family and baseball!

[Lennon Wren]

this book was amazing although a tad short definitely a book I'm gonna read.

[HF]

Truly heartfelt and hooked me from the start. The concept of pen pals from two different decades confiding in each other as they deal with the challenges from their own present days (antisemitism, bullying, parents with alcoholism, etc.) was executed perfectly. I think it was the right call for this book to be told strictly through their letters, it gave a deep glimpse into both Mason's and Talia's characters. I rooted for them as individuals as much as I rooted for their friendship. I can see this one being a big hit with kids for the simplicity of the writing combined with the profound message of standing up for what's right weaved into the pages.

[Christine]

I just love, love, love this middle school novel! Pen pals writing through time travel, one in 1987, the other in 2023 with a closet as their Time Machine. It hits on some hard topics: antisemitism, alcohol addiction, bullying, parental abandonment issues.

[Joänna]

Slow, too much baseball, and a bizarre mix of first person narration and dialogue that a kid would never write. The ending was odd. I just didn't care for it.

[annie]

This book made me feel so much. I loved it and I finished it in two days because I could not stop reading it. I personally felt all the parts where they talked about Judaism because my best friend is Jewish so In a way I just felt so connected to it. I was on the verge of tears when Dr. R.’s mom talked about how her family was murdered and treated awfully just because they were Jewish. Although it was a pretty sad book, it also made me laugh at times. I love an amusing book that also make me want to cry. And at the end when Talia wrote the letter to mason all grown up, it was so meaningful. All in all, this was an AMAZING book and I would recommend it to anyone.

[Bethany W]

penpals through a wormhole? i'm in. a really fun book but also hits on tough topics like bullying, antisemitism, and alcoholism.

[Casey]

Such a fun perspective as the reader to experience two strangers become friends! So sweet and enjoyable! My kids loved this one, too!

[Angie Swiatnicki-Smith]

This book tackles some HUGE issues our kiddos have to endure and does it in a way that makes the reader feel safe, valued and heard. Great book for book clubs and lit circles in a classroom!!!

[Charlotte Ham]

What a good book! I love the letters and time difference!

[Jane]

I really enjoyed this book by Carolyn Mackler.
Loved the writing style and how it was aimed at children but I could still learn so much.

[Carly Gruber]

So far I am reading this book and I LOVE it because I usually get uninterested but when I saw the notes I just kept on reading it because it made it interesting. I hope this is one of my favorite books. Can’t wait to read the rest.🤗

[Maria Collins]

Very sweet pen pals through time.

[Beth]

Thank you to Netgalley for the free Arc!

When I initially read the description of the book, I immediately thought of the movie The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeve who communicate with each other through letters in the same mailbox but two years apart. I found that idea to be intriguting. So I was eager to read Right Back at You, where two characters write letters to each other but are 36 years apart in 1987 and 2023.

Talia, who lives in 1987, and Mason, who lives in 2023, connect with each other by writing letters that they leave to each other in their closets. They talk about their lives in Western Pennsylvania (for Talia) and New York City (for Mason). The similarities and differences between the spring of their seventh grade years unfold through the topics of bullying antisemitism, family, and friendship.

While I really enjoyed the well-developed characters and the Jewish representation, the format felt a bit strange at times. While it was cool to read their letters back and forth, that format did not always fit with the descriptive narrative style that was used once they started telling particular stories. It might have made more sense to interweave their letters throughout a more narrative style prose.

I would recommend this book for middle schoolers to read. Jewish students will appreciate the representation and students who are not can definitely learn valuable lessons about antisemitism and the Holocaust.

[Charlotte Sienkiewicz]

Again, bought at my school’s scholastic book fair. Very cool concept so I had to buy it. Started before spring break and just finished it now. Loved the commentary on antisemitism and sexism between generations. The last letter was incredible. I wish I had this book when I was in Elementary School

[Dawn]

Mason lives in 2023 and Talia in 1987, yet they are connected through a strange wormhole in their closets that allows them to become penpals across the decades. It comes at the perfect time, because they both could use a friend.

Mason’s dad has left him behind in NYC and his mom is drinking too much. His dad always coached his baseball team, and so Mason has quit baseball, much to the chagrin of his teammates.

Talia’s best friend joined the cheerleading squad and has left her behind, just as some mean boys have started mocking her for being Jewish and drawing swastikas on their notebooks.

Mason and Talia begin sharing their struggles with each other and offering advice and support. I listened to the audiobook, which has dual narrators to match the book. A nice quick read that has a solid ending. I really enjoyed this one.

[Heather]

The concept of this book, middle school students going through hard times, thirty-six years apart, find one another and become friends by writing letters transported through a wormhole, makes for a good, relatable read for 5th grade and up.
Standing up to bullies, antisemitism, and a son’s concern about his mother’s drinking are topics all taken on with great care.
The author’s chosen cultural references were not my favorite, but I think this would be an engaging book for many of my students.
3 1/2⭐️

[Heather Hansen]

What a fun adventure through time. The two main characters form a wholesome friendship writing to each other about their real life experiences spanning decades.

I thought this book was pretty relatable because it covered topics almost everyone has had to deal with at some point growing up from sibling rivalry, your parents fighting, school and friendship drama-plus it got into racism/antisemitism and covered anti-racism in the character’s journey to stand up for herself and her people.

[Aubrey Cotton]

This was a great short read, read it in the span of 1 hour to 4 hours. It's very interesting how you learn everything about the characters though notes, I haven't read or seen this done and I love the concept. I like how it touches racism/sexism and how it's changed over the years. Fun read overall, it was a heart warming story, just didn't care much for it.

[Alysia Cunningham]

I love the plot of the book. However, I do not like how the book is structured.

[Susan Dennison]

Good message, but not a fan of the way the book was written

[Rebecca]

Mason's 2023 life kind of stinks right now. His dad abruptly took a job in Atlanta, leaving Mason and his mom--who drinks too much wine to pay much attention to Mason--in New Jersey. So Mason quit the Little League team his dad helped coach. Now Steel, the uber-nasty son of the other coach, a wealthy donor to their school, is making Mason's life hell. Mason's therapist suggests he write out his feelings in a letter to anybody, so he chooses Albert Einstein. He leaves the letter in his closet--and, inexplicably, it vanishes, and Mason gets a letter from Talia, who lives in 1987 in Pennsylvania. Talia's life also kind of stinks. Her best friend has decided to hang out with the cool kids and tell Talia that they are "growing apart." Then an uber-nasty boy at school starts harassing Talia for being Jewish. His harassment includes swastikas and throwing money at her and shouting mock-Hebrew, and getting others in her class to do the same. No one, not even her former friends, seem to have her back. And certainly her mean older brother doesn't--he just makes it worse by telling her it's her own fault. Her parents try, but their contacting the school just increases the harassment. So the only person Talia can really talk to is Mason, however bizarre that might be. Soon they are telling each other everything, and maybe, just maybe, making things better?

This was great, and I especially enjoyed the 1980s perspective since I was around back then! The kids have a normal amount of disbelief before accepting their "wormhole," and it isn't explained beyond that. They do come up with some rules so they don't make any time-related mistakes, but Talia is happy to get some baseball scores ahead of time so she can have the upper hand on her brother. Her confusion about all the tech Mason keeps talking about will make modern kids laugh! None of the families here are perfect, but neither are there any real villains beyond the rather one-note bullies at school (which includes teachers who ignore the problems). Just people trying to make things work. I think kids will like this one. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.