A Song Only I Can Hear

[Jane]

13 year old Rob, is painfully shy and suffers from panic attacks that can last all day, so when new girl Destry starts at school and Rob develops an instant crush on her, it is a huge challenge for him to even approach her. But he soon has another set of challenges to face when he receives a series of anonymous texts that set him a variety of challenges - the mysterious texter says these tasks are designed not to impress Destry, but rather for Rob to impress Rob. A coming-of-age book of our time, it touches on a variety of current issues - Rob is a vegan, he is very concerned for the environment and is upset by the treatment of farm animals. Rob doesn't have any friends, apart from Andrew (a great character), but the most notable relationship Rob has is with his uncouth grandfather. It is not until near the end of the book though that we the reader find out a very important detail about Rob's story - something that changes your perspective and makes you want to re-read the story! A great read for Year 7's and Year 8's who enjoy the realistic fiction genre (and for those who like a twist at the end of a book).

[Fiona]

I also really liked this and think it would appeal to a wide readership too. I also think it would make a great set text.