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41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Richie's Picks: THE YEAR OF SECRET ASSIGNMENTS, March 17, 2004
Lots of laughs, plenty of attitude, mystery, and hijinx permeate this book. Three longtime girlfriends in high school--Emily, Lydia, and Cassie--who are connected through parents who went to law school together, are each required to become penpals with guys in a cross-town school with a bad reputation. The story is told primarily through these letters back and forth, along with some journal entries, and a hysterically funny fill-in-the-blanks writing workbook that Lydia's dad has given her. I'd considered myself pretty waterlogged from the publishers' wave of girl-writes-a-journal books of the past few years, but this is a horse of an entirely different flavor. I'm sure there are some great lessons to be garnered from this book, but, above all, I found it to be a totally delightful read. And the author's background as an attorney is certainly put to good (comedic) use.
At first I wasn't sure what more to say about the book.
But being away for a couple of days up in the middle of the (cold, snowy) Sierras this week, with nothing to do at night, I found myself rereading it like it was comfort food. And it's as good as leftover lasagna the second time around. For one thing, I caught many of those little clues concerning who did what that I'd missed the first time through. But, more importantly, I understood all the Emily-isms that I wasn't clear about on the first go round.
In the same way that non-Americans might find it a bit more difficult to understand the wisdom of Yogi Berra or the rapid-fire dialogue in a Marx Brothers movie, I wasn't sure on the first read exactly what was Emily and what was the English language as it is spoken Down-Under. But the second time I understood what the author has accomplished in creating the wacky voice of this young woman who longs to be a lawyer someday:
"I am not saying that this is true. I am only giving a hyperactive situation of how you might give offense."
" 'You must have dislocated it. Try looking again.' "
"I was just nom-plussed..."
"I decided to use this opportunity to practice my handwriting. As you can see, I am developing a highly eloquent style."
"Anyway, I didn't believe that for one millimeter..."
"They have very sun-dewed light so you look attractive in the mirror..."
"I think this is a "play" on Thompson, which is my last name. I think it is an angiogram of Thompson, actually."
"I can't explain how beautiful the singing was because you can't write music."
"We need to cook on the element of surprise."
"It's immortal keeping a secret."
"...he says that schools which are close to one another should forge ties, and I hope you are as keen as I am to get started with the forgery."
"Hyperbole is something to do with graphs. What is it in particular? I don't know. I hate maths."
"Also, I have seen on TV that you can get head transplants and it seems to me that it is a tragedy if you are bald and you don't get a head transplant."
Bravo for the girls from Ashbury and the guys from Brookfield. I have no doubt that this will be a major hit with our students. That is, if they can wrestle it away from us grown ups.
Richie Partington
...
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Your Secret Assignment, June 22, 2004
Operation Book Purchase Agent: Reader
Nickname: REDR
Number: 0102930291
Experience: Has read a variety of other books, is a member of amazon.com ASSIGNMENT: Buy and read THE YEAR OF SECRET ASSIGNMENTS. Notes:
This is not a difficult assignment because this book is hilarious, touching, and filled with penpal letters, diary entries, writings in The Notebook (tm), and even court transcipts, complete with adverbial phrases. TYOSA is also from the excellent author of the terrific book Feeling Sorry For Celia, Jaclyn Moriarty. This novel is in fact a companion to said terrific book, and if you have not yet read FSFC, that is your next assignment. THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST BE COMPLETED ASAP.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
good, but can't recommend for middle schoolers, August 2, 2005
This review is from: The Year Of Secret Assignments (Ashbury/Brookfield Books) (Paperback)
I definitely enjoyed the clever writing and 3-dimensional characters, but, as a middle school teacher looking for new books to recommend, I have to pass on this one, due to too much profanity and sexual references. The kids will probably find it on their own, through word of mouth references, since it is quite a delightful work (a la the traveling pants books)--- but I can't put it on my recommended list for this age. High school teachers should take a look, though. I enjoyed the story.
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