Stars: 5
Author: Andrew Clements
Format: 183 pages, some drawings.
Reading level: grades 5 and up


Summary: Abby is a 6th grader girl who really enjoys the outdoors and physical activitity but does not focus to much on academic work at school. As a result, she is about to repeat a year. Her teachers decide to give her one more chance as long as she works hard, really improves her grades, and does an extra project. She ends up with a pen pal about her age, in Afghanistan. Before she realizes it, she becomes virtual friends with this boy and they begin to exchange letters back and forth. These letters need to be hidden. The readers become engaged in the exchange and we wish it could continue and that the story would not end as it is really captivating. Clements is really good at this. We learn lot in this book, unfortunately, we also learn how difficult life is in Afghanistan, much to our sadness.

This is a another book that we wish would never end, or that had a different happier ending. It is a truly beautiful story. Just great.

Please note that I have no association with the author or his publisher!

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