Using Free Texts

Hi Ms. Naylor. During these strange times, I find myself teaching my grade 5/6 class from home, and struggling to provide work each day from limited resources. I have often read Shiloh to my classes and assigned work with each chapter. I would like to do that again now, but the issue is that the students don’t have the book. I have found free online versions (notably with archive.org) but that raises ethical questions about copyright etc. So I thought I’d ask you directly, and I will respect your answer, whatever it is. Would you be all right with me using a free copy of your book and distributing that to my students? Of course this would be a one time request, and next year we can go back to reading actual copies of your book. Please let me know your thoughts. Many thanks,

We have had several requests to do this, but I checked with my publisher and we cannot allow it.   We do understand how difficult this is for teachers.  We know that once a class is into a book, however, it is very difficult not to finish it and know how it ended.  What we do permit is for a teacher to film himself reading the book aloud, and to have that a part of your online teaching.  We are only giving permission to do this one time, in this particular situation on a channel available only to your students.   Please give your class my best wishes regardless of what you decide.