Showing posts with label Freebies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freebies. Show all posts

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Free Audiobooks: Jane Eyre and "Incorrigible Children"

Two audiobooks are available for free from SYNC this week (through June 12th).

Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Brontë

Orphaned at an early age, Jane Eyre leads a lonely life until she finds work as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets the mysterious Mr. Rochester and sees a ghostly woman who roams the halls by night. The relationship between the heroine and Mr. Rochester is only one episode, albeit the most important, in a detailed fictional autobiography in which the author transmuted her own experience into high art. In this work, the plucky heroine is outwardly of plain appearance but possesses an indomitable spirit, a sharp wit, and great courage. She is forced to battle against the exigencies of a cruel guardian, a harsh employer, and the rigid social order that circumscribes her life and position.

OK, a lot of big words in the synopsis, but it's a good story. Please check it out. (Follow along with the novel by downloading the text from Project Gutenberg, here.)

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1:
The Mysterious Howling

by Maryrose Wood

Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the-middle, is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.

Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must help them overcome their canine tendencies.

But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures, and how did they come to live in the vast forests of the estate? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance’s holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische?

To get either audiobook (or both!) start at the download page.

You'll need to install the OverDrive® Media Console™ first, but the page walks you through that. The audiobooks have download buttons below the green sync-head thing in the third column of the page.

Enjoy!

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Free Audiobooks: Shakespeare's Tempest and a Mermaidish Story

Two audiobooks are available for free from SYNC this week (through June 5th).

The Tempest
by William Shakespeare

A storm rages. Prospero and his daughter watch from their desert island as a ship carrying the royal family is wrecked. Miraculously, all on board survive. Plotting, mistaken identities, and bewitching love follow as the travelers explore the strange place of spirits and monsters.

This is one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies (not necessarily ha-ha funny, but it doesn't end in a bloodbath like most Shakespearean tragedies or histories). Please check it out. (Follow along with the No Fear version here; download the text from Project Gutenberg here.)

Of Poseidon
by Anna Banks

Galen, prince of the Syrena [mermaids/mermen], is sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish and after several encounters with her Galen becomes convinced Emma holds the key to his kingdom.

To get either audiobook (or both!) start at the download page.

You'll need to install the OverDrive® Media Console™ first, but the page walks you through that. The audiobooks have download buttons below the green sync-head thing in the third column of the page.

Enjoy!

Friday, May 17, 2013

All Classes: Free Audiobooks this Summer

As mentioned in some classes today, you have an opportunity to get 24 free audiobooks this summer. Check out the Download Schedule and sign up for text/e-mail reminders.

There are some very good titles here: Shakespeare's Hamlet (you'll read it as a senior) and The Tempest (one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies); Frankenstein (good chance you'll read that senior year, too); Bless Me, Ultima; and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail."

In addition to the dozen "classic" literature choices, there are also 12 "young adult" picks. Death Cloud, Rotters, and Once look interesting to me.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

English Classes: Reading Reminders

Pre-AP English II: You need to have read through Chapter Four of Lord of the Flies by the time we come together tomorrow. (See this earlier blog post for a way to get the text of the novel free.)

English I (Pre-AP): You need to have read from Act 2, Scene 2, through Act 2, Scene 6 of Romeo and Juliet (Ms. Muñoz is going to talk to her students and see if some want to re-sell you their copies of the book. If you don't have a copy, start bringing $5 to school to pick up a copy as they come available).

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Text of Lord of the Flies

Although you aren't enrolled in Mr. Heald's GCSE English class, I don't suppose there's anything to stop you from going to his website and availing yourself of the links to .doc and .pdf versions of Lord of the Flies for your digital device.

Enjoy.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Free Julius Caesar E-Book

Project Gutenberg has free no-frills Julius Caesar e-texts available for Kindle and iBooks/Kobo reader apps. Click the appropriate link below to get the file, then sync it to your reader. Enjoy!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

English Students: Bonus Points Opportunity

Need some bonus points? Of course you do.

Follow these three easy steps:
  1. Enjoy the Shakespeare Dallas presentation at NorthPark Center this Saturday at 1pm.
  2. Take a picture of you and someone Shakespeare-y.
  3. Show me the picture on Monday.
Ka-ching! (Bonus bonus points if you get the Shakespeare-y person to make "duck lips.")

Monday, March 18, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Free Othello! (Kindle Version)

If you have the Kindle app on your computer or smart device, you may download a copy of Othello from the Amazon store for free. (You must download the book from your computer or web browser on your smart device; the book will by synced to the app the next time you run it.)

Friday, November 9, 2012

Pre-AP English II: Free Christmas Carol e-book

If you have the Kindle app on your computer or smart device, you may download a copy of A Christmas Carol from the Amazon store for free. (You must download the book from your computer or web browser on your smart device; the book will by synced to the app the next time you run it.)

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Pre-AP English II: The Pearl for Cheap

Word is that copies of The Pearl are hard to find. If you find yourself stuck without a copy, don't despair. You can find the text free at Scribd.com. If you want to subscribe to their service, you can download a .pdf or .doc file.

Oooorrrr you can copy the text and paste into your own MS-Word (or equivalent) document. From there you can either print it out (you might want to adjust margins, columns, and font size to save on paper) or upload it to your digital device. (If you have a Kindle or Kindle app, Send to Kindle is a free PC/Mac app to easily upload a .doc file.)

To get credit for Friday, print at least the first chapter and bring it with you to class.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

All Students: Free Smart Office 2 App


This weekend (Sept. 8-10) Smart Office 2, an Microsoft Office-type app, is free for iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch devices. It allows you to create and edit word processing documents, as well as spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.

Even if you've already done your literary terms presentation, this may be a handy app for the future.

(There are versions for other devices, but as far as I can tell, they're not free.)

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

All Students: Free Pizza at Pizza Patron

Today, from 5 to 8pm, you can get a free large pepperoni pizza at Pizza Patron if you order in Spanish.

For those of you who struggle with Spanish, that'd be "KEE-air-oh PEET-zah, por FAH-vor."

Enjoy!