Saturday, January 15, 2011

advance reader's copy

These are also called book proofs, galleys etc. I definitely have a dilemma with these books. I know these are printed by the publisher to be distributed at book conferences to anyone who really wants to read the book before making purchases for their businesses or for schools. I really do understand that issue. To give away a book might help sell the book.
My dilemma is this: my colleague acquired a few ARC s from Barnes and Noble, the book store. I didn't know this, its was not brought to my attention when the books came into the library. She sent the books to be catalogued into the collection. No problem yet! The books came back placed in circulation for the students to read. Still no problem, yet. We held our annual book fair and low and behold a couple of the ARCs are now a published book in the book fair to be sold to the students. I began to pull the ARCs from the collection. I placed the ARCs in what we call Honor Book collection. Now the issue is from my colleague why would I do that? I tried to explain that possibly there is a copyright issue with having the ARCs in the collection to be circulated when we have the purchased book on the shelves. The books are proofs, not paid for by anyone, so the author, publisher or even BN didn't get paid for the books and lastly it is a proof of the book which could have errors from simply spelling to who knows what kind of errorsor changes to the book.

So what is it, should these ARCs remain on the book shelves along with the purchased book? Is it a copyright infringement? I do know since BN gave the books away, the ARCs aren't on their book shelves to be sold! Need advice, it just doesn't seem fair to the author or publisher to have the ARCs on the shelf next to the purchased book. I would like to have authors or publishers add to this entry.

The Cardturner written by Louis Sachar


This author also wrote Holes. I read only bits and pieces of Holes, I think the movie ruined the book for me so I never really completed reading the book. I do try to read the book before the movie comes out. it seems to the movie version of a book ruins the book. The best example recently was Riordan's Lightning Thief. The movie was nothing like the book, what a disaster for so many middle school students.


Anyway I read the entire book The Cardturner, actually I read the advance reader's copy. That is another entry on this blog. I am not certain what the book cover has to do with the story line. The entire book is about a boy who needs a job for the summer, Alton's great uncle is wealthy, Alton's parents want to remain in the Uncles good graces, so Alton becomes the Uncle's card turner. The uncle plays Bridge (the card game) since the uncle is blind Alton assists the uncle playing the game. At first Alton has no clue how to play Bridge, over time Alton picks up how to play the game. Uncle Lester Trapp is very sick and old. Towards the end of the book Lester passes on but Alton wants his Uncle's dream to become real. Alton takes on Lester's role as a Bridge player along with Toni and together they win the Grand National Tournament.


I am reading the book cover if there is a deeper meaning to this book 'perception and reality' it has gotten lost on me. Try the book, maybe you will pick up the game Bridge along the way, the way Alton did, I am just not certain if my students will.

Friday, January 7, 2011

if i stay written by Gayle Forman


The title alone may give you an idea what the book is about. On the cover there is a phrase 'what would you do if you had to choose?'. Reading the book it begins with a snow day for the children. The family decides to use the snow day to visit friends. Then a tragedy occurs, this is where the phrase from the cover 'what would you do...' becomes a real question. When the tragedy occurred I was shocked and had to put the book down. Then I went back to the book and read it.


I needed tissues several times as I read the book. I am not certain what my answer would be to the question, it does give you as the reader to think about, does she stay?


touching and a good read, from the Virginia Readers Choice books list