So it’s probably a good time for an update. I’m in Southern California visiting my 95 year old grandmother, going to appointments with her etc., but my mind is never far from our project.
Our Amazon Wish List is now empty. Wow. You all just completely blew my mind this summer. I have volunteers sorting on site and trying to get things ready for school to start next week.
Did I tell you because of you I was able to make class sets for the two schools plus others in the area?
I made two class sets of Book Thief.
I made three class sets of I am Malala.
I made two class sets of Persepolis and one of Maus 1 & 2.
I made two class sets of Diary of a Part-Time Indian
And about 10 different sets of classics as well.
We have a teacher who wants to do March by John Lewis. We only received a couple of copies of that.
I told him I would throw it out here and see if anyone would be able to help build 30 class sets of the wonderful series.
Here’s our list if you are still interested in helping us.
Also your comments helped, btw. I think bureaucracies have no idea how inhuman they sound until faced with criticism from outside their sphere of power. Keep up the good work.
Also. I had a great conversation with my cousin who lives in La Habra, CA. Her daughter said she was a little jealous because last year her school put books from the library in dumpsters in favor of the One-to-One program ipads with ebooks. That’s fine she said, but when 1/2 of the kids don’t have the Internet at home , it’s hardly fair for the schools to be assigning internet based homework and readings. Our school district Plumas Unified, also is aiming to do that on each campus despite the fact that the Internet goes down without warning even for the households that have it several times a day –at least once a day. And despite the fact that not everyone has it here either.
Sometimes I wonder if school administrators ever met a poor child? Or a family? And why create an uneven playing field and why take books out of the hands of children?
Okay. Grandma and I are on to appointment number 2 today. Then tonight I get to interview someone really fascinating for my book. Tomorrow I will be back on a train headed north. Talk to you soon.
Also. If you’re in LA soon? Do take in the Guillermo del Toro exhibit at LACMA. Definitely worth it.
Throwing Chanclas 
What’s a class set?
When there are enough copies for all students in one class.
Thanks.
Glad to hear the comments are getting through. Hopefully they’ll change their minds on the mess!
re: the ipad-digital books. I can totally see the point. And I LOVE having my personal library available to me on my ipad. But that doesn’t make it right for a school device. I’d much rather have the actual books available. Heck, there’s nothing quite like having the actual book in hand to read…….and thats without considering the technological problems with using ebooks for school!