I have a sony Reader. My husband gave it to me for Christmas two years ago. He has many books on that reader. I have not even opened it yet. This is in part due to the fact that I love books, real books made out of paper, the ones where you turn pages. I have piles of them unread at my bedside, on the coffee table, at my desk so that is another reason I have not turned on the reader. I need to read those books first.
But now I have have a book on e-books. Will e-books bring Julie and Bean back to life? Does this mean I can drag out the manuscript for the sequel to this book and complete it? Will schools invite me to speak because one of my YA books is back in print (sort of). Who will have access to this book now? Only those with enough cash to buy a reader? There are some opportunities out there and I guess I had better get used to them. On the other hand does this mean that now the author must write the book PUBLISH IT herself and promote it too? And will she be paid? It remains to be seen how the dust will settle after this shake up in the publishing world. For now I guess I can celebrate entering this new phase of publishing. But I will still read that stack of books at my bedside before I open my reader unless it is to download ONE THING I'M GOOD AT. :-).
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Julie Dorinsky believes she is "a dumb kid who couldn't do anything right." In fact, little seems to be going right for this fourth-grader. A shaky speller and slow reader, she's afraid to show her parents her stack of "poor work" school papers and she is losing her best friend to the class snob. Things are equally rocky on the home front. Julie's father is recovering from a heart attack, so her mother has taken a secretarial job and often seems "tired or upset or busy." Once Julie's confidante, her older sister, Alexia, is now dismissive and condescending ("You are so stupid!... You can't even take a phone message!" she screams when Julie takes down a caller's name and number incorrectly). At times, the girl's ineptitude is overblown, and most readers will quickly pick up on the ways Julie positively influences her bright and likable four-year-old brother. She patiently teaches him to write his name, make a kite and dial 911. When their father passes out and the boy phones in a life-saving call for help, it becomes clear to everyone--especially Julie--that the one thing she is good at is teaching. Williams (Galimoto) delivers an encouraging message for any middle-grader short on confidence and self-esteem. Ages 8-up. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Grade 3-5-Fourth-grader Julie thinks of herself as a real loser. She has trouble reading and she can't spell. She has "poor work" papers that need a parent's signature, but she doesn't want to upset her father, who has recently had a heart attack. She finds herself leading a life of lies, pretending that she's capable of reading difficult books, saying that she has finished her homework, and telling her sister that their father has already seen the test she failed. Then her teacher assigns an essay on "One Thing I'm Good At." Julie is discouraged, believing there is nothing she excels in, but when her father passes out, her four-year-old brother credits Julie with having previously taught him to call 911. She begins to feel better about herself, knowing that what she did helped to save her father's life. Williams has created a cast of realistic characters that includes a crabby teenager, a frustrated substitute, and a teacher's pet. A satisfying story with an important message about self-image.
Anne Knickerbocker, Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Anne Knickerbocker, Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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