If you’re like me, you’ve spent some of the past few months mourning the loss of various activities and freedoms thanks to the international COVID-19 emergency.  It’s been a rough time for everyone, and no one has been untouched by it.  We’re all feeling a little off-kilter, topsy-turvy, crowded and cramped, and even just plain crabby.

But then, here comes that Pollyanna of poetry, Emily Dickinson:

There is no frigate like a Book

To take us Lands away,

Nor any Coursers like a Page

Of prancing Poetry--

This Traverse may the poorest take

Without oppress of Toll--

How frugal is the Chariot

That bears a Human soul.

So, my question:  where is your reading taking you this summer?  And what do you think of it?   We’d like you to send us your own (BRIEF) book reviews--let us know what you’ve been reading, what you recommend, what you don’t.  It’s a great way to learn about new reading opportunities and learn from each other’s experiences, too.

Please include the following and email to me (Stacie) at sCourt@LearningAlly.org:

• Title

• Author

• BRIEF review

• Your name

All reviews received by July 20th will be considered for inclusion in the following week’s blog post (basically, we’ll print them all but reserve the right to edit to keep them appropriate for our audience).  Any book you've read/started to read since locking down is eligible for inclusion.  We will also print multiple reviews of the same book if received.

To get you started, here are a couple of sample book reviews:

Funny Girl: A Novel                           Nick Hornby

I love Nick Hornby’s writing! (in case you’re not familiar with him, among many others he also wrote High Fidelity and About a Boy)  In this book, Barbara leaves her working-class home in Blackpool, England, to follow her dream of becoming Britain’s version of Lucille Ball.  The writing is superb and the story is great, combining Hornby’s tongue-in-cheek comic sense with a nostalgic view of 1960s TV.  I kept David awake with my giggling while reading this wonderful little book.

Billy Budd                      Herman Melville

This was the shortest book I was assigned to read in high school...and the only assigned reading I did not finish.  I have since read Moby Dick and loved it, so I determined to give Billy another try  this summer.  Guess what?  I’m still not finishing it.  I find it dreary and deadly boring.  I cannot stay awake.  I did some research and discovered that even Melville himself got bored with it and never completed the book.  If he didn’t feel the need to finish it, neither do I.  Goodbye, Billy Budd.

Happy Reading!

You’re reading along, either as a Narrator/Reader or a Listener/Checker, and suddenly you run into something you’re not sure about, something that doesn’t seem to be covered in your Project Guidelines.  It’s 10:00 Saturday night and you’re pretty sure all the staff are off-duty. What should you do?

1. Write a long rant in the Hangout or Google Group, complaining about the ridiculous state of education in our country.

2. Just make a guess; you’re pretty smart, anyway.

3. Check out the Resources Tab at the Volunteer Portal.

4. Quit and never respond to any communications from staff ever again.

Well, you probably ARE pretty smart...but if you are, you will choose C.  The Resources Tab at the Volunteer Portal can be your best friend in tricky situations.  So, let’s take a look at it together; we’ll give a brief overview of each section. NOTE: you do not need to be a member of any specific community to explore that community’s links.  You never know what useful information you’ll find!

The Textbook Community section includes a variety of very useful documents, ranging from conventions and helpful guides to forms:

• Computer and Code Guidelines:  directions for computer-related items like reading code, how to announce various symbols within code, etc.

• Conventions Wiki: the general guidelines for Textbook Community projects

• Famous Names and Places:  great tips on how to research the pronunciations of famous names and places; this document includes all kinds of helpful links to sites specific to occupations and locations around the world.

• Figure Description Crib Sheets: instructions for reading all those pesky non-text items like tables, vo-tech figures, and the dreaded infographic.

• Foreign Language Wiki:  TWO SECTIONS: (1) conventions for the Foreign Language Community;  and (2) resources for pronunciations of words in many different foreign languages, ranging from Amharic and Punjabi to Lithuanian and Lang Belta, as well as a section on science terminology (because science is a language of its own).

• Law Links: hints for learning how to say all those convoluted abbreviations used in legalese.

• Math Reading Guidelines: does your history book suddenly, bizarrely, have a math equation in it?  Try this document to learn how to read that unholy aberration.

• Science Terms and Conventions: Did the authors of the writing style guide you’re reading use examples from a science text?  Go to this document for help with that situation.

• Writing/Style Guide Conventions: all we have on reading those crazy writing and style guides.

• Checking Instructions: examples of good versus bad wave forms and instructions for leaving kind yet informative notes to Narrators/Readers.

• Project Guidelines Help Sheet: help for learning what is meant by the various terminology used in your Project Guidelines.

• Recommended Equipment list: equipment recommendations from Textbook Community staff

• Upcoming Absence form: form to let staff know when you’ll be absent for more than a day or two.

The Literature Community also has some useful links:

• Audition Reminders: directions for submitting an audition for a Lit project

• Book Trailer Request form:  application to have staff create a trailer from your completed Lit project

• Literature Conventions:  general reading conventions for Lit projects

• Literature Fast-track Summary & FAQ:  information for Narrators working outside of EasyBooks

• Narrators: instructions for Narrators

• Listeners: instructions for Listeners

• Recommended Equipment list: equipment recommendations from the Lit Community staff

Software & Apps:  just what you think it would be

• Welcome to webEB!: gives EasyBook users a look at the differences between the two

• webEB Reference Guide: place to go to access directions and links for using our new web-based software: no more worry about what type of computer you use, or all the files building up on your device!

• EasyBooks for PC Reference Guide: guide to all things EasyBooks

• EasyBooks (PC):  instructions for EasyBooks for PC; includes link to latest version

• Google Hangouts Extension install link:  link to install Google Hangouts

• Adobe Reader install link:  link to install Adobe Reader

• Chrome install link:  link to install Chrome

General: a catch-all for some items that didn’t fit in the other categories:

• Common Abbreviations: directions for reading a variety of abbreviations

• Reference Links: links to online dictionaries, etc.

• Try out LAABS!:  directions for using the Learning Ally Audio Book Solution--check out the user experience on the books you’ve worked on

• Volunteer Submitted photo album: a place for volunteers to share photos

• Meet the Team:  image and brief audio for each staff member

• Hangouts: document with links to various Hangouts for meeting other volunteers and staff

Volunteer Nation Live! Events:  links to the all the VNL webinars

Training Resources:  Links to a variety of Mini-Lesson, Videos, and Documents; in the top paragraph there is a link to the Virtual Training Center

So, as you can see: even when staff are off-duty, you’re never far from a source of help!  Dive into this tab full of great resources, and see what you find.