This study represents an attempt to understand the roles and discourse of preservice teachers engaged in literature discussion with elementary students through e-mail exchanges. After local fourth graders chose books from a list appropriate for their reading ability, they were paired with a preservice teacher for an online experience involving email exchanges about the book. Primary data came from the exchanges and surveys filled out by the preservice teachers, supplemented by transcripts of the sole face-to-face meeting that occurred at the end of the experience. Thematic qualitative analysis indicated that the preservice teachers took on different roles when interacting with young students and those roles seemed associated with the kind and success of the discussion that ensued. In addition, dyads had specific discourse patterns that were indicative of a successful (many exchanges, depth of talk, and/or relationship building) or less successful (few emails, lack of connection to text, or relationship building) partnership. (Contains 1 table.)