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!
For freshmen advancing Pre-AP English II next year, please read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card at least once. Twice, or even three times, would be preferable. Be familiar with the plot, characters, and to the extent possible, the novel's major themes (you'll have to decide what those are).
In class we began identifying information to complete a 3-way Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting Ralph, Piggy, and Jack. (If you lost your handout, click and print the image to the left of this text.) To complete the assignment, follow the four steps, below.
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.
Practice bringing your copy of William Golding's Lord of the Flies to school every day next week by bringing it to school tomorrow!