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rebeccaintokyo

rebeccaintokyo

Originally from California, now living the bi-cultural life in Tokyo with husband, two teenagers, mother-in-law and an assortment of cats. I very much enjoy teaching English part-time at various universities in the area.
  • Tokyo
  • member since Sunday, August 12 2007

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  • Ozappa! Books for ESL Learners Discussion Group

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rebeccaintokyo’s last login was 3 weeks ago. show recent activity »

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Public Notes

  • sunattheirbacks

    sunattheirbacks says

    The Neverending Story was very very interesting because of the way it's written. I also loved the story, but I don't remember most of it because it got a little too fantastical for me, whereas I liked the balance between fantasy and reality towards the beginning. I think I might take another try at it though; maybe it'll mean a lot more to me now that I'm older?

    I was kind of interested in reading Dreams From My Father, but I have this sort of weird hesitation because I assume they'll be too much politics in it (any is too much!) and because I can't help questioning why he wrote the book. With writers you know they want to tell a story, but when a politician writes an autobiographical book, I don't really know what to expect.
    Do you think I would like it?

    I understand what you mean about What is the What. I read it during my very lazy, unproductive after-highschool-before-uni months, so it was perfect. I don't think I could get through it if I tried to read it now, though!
    But I think it's worth it! I didn't adore every part of it, but I was able to get through it because I like Dave Eggar's writing style and Valentino's odd charisma, and because I'm always so curious to know about people of other countries, and because I couldn't leave Valentino in that desert.

    Of course I don't mind you peeking at my shelf!

    How have you been?

    posted 4 months ago. ( send a note )
  • bb r

    bb r says

    Hi Rebecca, I was reading how you were using children's lit to encourage and support English study. I was a childlren's school librarian as part of my teaching career in a Latino community and most of my students spoke Spanish. I was able to build a collection that gathered best books from both English, Spanish, and dual language books so I support your idea.
    Have you read Mean Soup? This is not what I'd call profound literature but I used it to get my students to draw and or talk about things that made them angry or frustrated. What great drawings! (I was also studying how to help children manage their anger at a local place that specialized.)
    I have been to Tokyo and have friends in Yokohama (a tour guide and her family), my home stay family esp mom in Sakai City (Osaka) and a friend in Kobe whom I have known the longest. I was finally able to come to Japan in 98 through Japan's Fulbright Memorial Teacher Fund Program...wow, so great. Stayed with lovely young family and visited schools at every level, plus Kyoto and Tokyo and Osaka tours etc. What a priceless gift! I believe the program is continuing. I was able to come home and share my experiences with my students and teachers from a number of schools. Still in correspondence with Japan local friends. Perhaps one day...I will be able to come back.
    This is just a quick hello. Let me here which books have worked best for you. I may have a couple to add. How old are your students? college? hs? Take care. Happy Reading!
    Barbara (a semi retired tchr and grandmother and doctoral student)

    posted 8 months ago. ( send a note )
  • sunattheirbacks

    sunattheirbacks says

    I LOVED The God of Small Things.
    Michie (Umeda) was actually the one who recommended it to me. She was reading it two summers ago, and she lent me the copy from her local library.
    I wanted to talk about it with her but she doesn't seem to get really into writing styles etc the way that I do, so we couldn't. But I really really loved it. I don't think I'd ever read something that was so detailed but not at all meticulous or boring.
    Yeah it was very sad, but I think in a tasteful way. It wasn't unbelievably tragic and it wasn't written pityingly.
    P.S. What is the Airport Fairy??
    P.P.S. You have a lot of children's books on your shelf! Have you ever thought about writing one? I did, when I was 10 or 11. Specifically picture books. I realized that they're a LOT harder to write than regular short stories or novels. For me, anyway. Because it's like every sentence has to mean something, whereas in a short story or novel, you can go on and on and on just to make one point, and it still sounds pretty. :)

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • sunattheirbacks

    sunattheirbacks says

    (How do you respond directly to notes?)

    No, there was no success in WirelessLand; we gave up and went back to WireLand. :P

    I read Stranger in a Strange Land a while ago, too. I think I was in 4th or 5th grade. I don't remember much of it, but I do know that I didn't like it either. Maybe because it was too hard for me! It was very difficult to get through. It was on our summer reading list and I was such a loser back then, I'd always pick the longest, most difficult-looking books. Luckily I don't do that anymore because I usually hate the books or they're way above my level and of absolutely no interest to me.

    The books I put on my shelf, are pretty much all the books I've read since I started getting serious about reading (from when I was 8, 9, etc) so it's very likely that I don't remember anything about it, which is pretty pointless because people put books in their shelves so that they can talk to other people, right? I think I'm just using it to keep track of the books I've read. haha I'm sorry.

    How did you like The God of Small Things?
    And you're reading What is the What! I saw an article about it on TIME about about a month ago and I'd been looking all over for it. I finally found it yesterday and made my sister buy it for me as a late Christmas gift. I'm SO excited to start reading it! (Right now I'm reading In Cold Blood. Sometimes I read more than two books at once, but I want to start really concentrating all my attention on one book at a time.) How is it so far?

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • jzmtakestime

    jzmtakestime says

    Hey, friend. Did you read Blink? Good thinking about thinking. Now I'm reading another young adult fantasy, the Pellinor series. I'm on the Riddle. Should I be embarrassed?

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • sunattheirbacks

    sunattheirbacks says

    Sorry I couldn't respond earlier, my dad was trying to get us wireless internet connection and he made some mistakes, so we lost all internet until now.
    How have you been??

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • whirlwind

    whirlwind says

    kawaii primary picture! kawaii chibi neko! hehehe thanks for adding me up! dozo yoroshiku! ja a:)

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • whirlwind

    whirlwind says

    kawaii primary picture! kawaii chibi neko! hehehe thanks for adding me up! dozo yoroshiku! ja a:)

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rickylynlyn

    rickylynlyn says

    I loved Sisterhood! This summer when I went 2 visit my grandmother in Chicago, I got the 4th book. Haven't read it yet
    but I can't wait 2 know what happens to the girls.

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Chihiro

    chihiro says

    Hi, Rebecca.
    I'll try "Holes"!
    Please order it for me.

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Nodoka

    nodoka says

    Hi Rebecca,

    Thank you for your note.
    But last Monday, I sent you an e-mail from waseda-net about changing my book.
    I'd like to change my book from 'Olive's Ocen' to 'Bridge to Therabithia'.
    Please change my book.
    Thank you.^^

    Nodoka

    posted 12 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Paul N

    paul n says

    Just wondering why you didn't like Ishiguro's book so much

    posted 12 months ago. ( send a note )
  • jzmtakestime

    jzmtakestime says

    I still haven't figured out how to do all of this. It is cool to see what books you are reading - I'm getting ideas. Maybe I will learn something. I've just started. Little by little I guess. I'm stealing time from work right now! Sent your tape - watch for it!

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )
  • jzmtakestime

    jzmtakestime says

    hi, looks like fun, i'll do the book thing after work

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )


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