's indicates how much I enjoyed the reading experience of each title. It is completely subjective and does not reflect the "literary value" of the book. The grade-level is also assigned by me, as much as I believe that those are the readers most likely to enjoy each title. The 
means that I read the Galley (or Advanced Readers Copy) of the book, not the finished and published book. [Previous entry: "Chasing Vermeer"] [Next entry: "The Complete Fairy Talels of the Brothers Grimm"]
08/06/2004: "The Year of Secret Assignments"
author: Jaclyn Moriarty
audience: 7 and up
This story from Australia of high school pen pals, malicious mental attacks, and touching romances is told through a series of letters and emails by 3 girls and 3 boys from two rival schools. I seem to be the only reader who does not completely trust the information provided in the letters by some of the characters -- there is so much untruth imbedded in the letters... and to me, that is the strength of the book: that matters remain murky. This one will be great to be paired with Letters from the Inside, another pen-pal, powerful story from Down Under.
