The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for My Special Day in Jasper,Texas USA
Because My Special Day in Jasper,Texas USA was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Mutai Marshal
I could have read this book based on the cover page and title since they hinted at the book being a biography, a genre I like. My favorite aspect of it was the simple and straightforward language used. The sentences were easy to understand. Through the dialogues, the relationship between mother and child was clear. It also contains graphical presentations that make the book memorable. After sampling the first ten pages and reading the OBC review, I will complete reading this book to bolster my understanding of the atrocities the people of color face in the United States of America. The review alludes that the book was exceptionally edited. However, I found a grammatical error (“These ladies are two people I have admired down though the years because of their courage.” I believe “though” should be “through.” Page 4), and I, therefore, cannot conclude if the book was professionally edited. Lastly, there are no suggestions that I can offer for improvement.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 4:58 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Howlan
The Amazon sample had only two pages of the first chapter, so I base my decision based on the official OBC review and the Amazon customer reviews. This book targets a younger audience, so I am not the ideal reader for this book. Moreover, this book teaches the concept of being different and facing the challenges of life, which I think is an important concept that needs to be taught to children. I like the content in this book, but I do not think I will enjoy reading it as I am not interested in the story. Based on OBC review, Amazon reviews, I would not have read it without the program. So, I am not going to buy and read this book today. No typos were found in the two pages of the Amazon sample, and I could not find anything that I would suggest for this book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 4:50 am by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
smolbird
If I were to make a decision based only on its cover and title, I wouldn't have read the book, as it seemed to be a genre I don't read. However, its official OnlineBookClub review made me interested in reading it. Based on its sample, I found the book to be well-edited, as I didn't catch any errors. I like that this children's book talks about racial segregation. I can't think of anything that it could improve on.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 4:26 am by smolbird.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Manang Muyang
This is meant to be a children's book that introduces the concept of "equal though different." However, the cover is not something that would catch a child's eye. The title also seems inappropriate because it connotes just one day; the story takes longer. Also, "Jasper, Texas, USA" would have been the proper way to write that part of the title. I would have sampled the book; children's books always beckon to me. I liked the introduction written by Martha herself; a short biography would have been a nice addition, though, for a child to better connect with Martha. I noted some grammar issues, too. I already mentioned the title. In the introduction, commas were missing from the phrases "I think about the hundreds, perhaps thousands of black children" (comma needed before "of") and "the spectacular publicity of Linda Brown in Topeka, Kansas or Ruby Bridges" (comma needed before "or"). The first chapter also used several sentence fragments like "Separating schools. Separating everything." These may not be advisable for children who should be exposed only to correctly constructed sentences. I would not buy the book, as I have no children at home to share it with. The official OBC reviewer lauded the book's message but recommended that an adult guide the child who would read it, especially in light of recent violent situations involving racial issues. The lesson of "equal though different" is great, but it is a hard one to teach. I am Asian. I know.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 4:20 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
The cover is alright, and the official review seems interesting. Still, there are no ratings on Amazon, so I'm not sure if the book is good. Since the blurb is appealing, I decided to give the book a try. However, the sample shows only the cover and the introduction, so I can't read the content. As I don't know anything about the book, I like nothing and have no suggestions. I'm not sure if the editing is good either. Therefore, I won't buy this.
Error example: Brown's situation came as a result of the landmark court case Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, that struck down so called separate but equal school policies. -> I think there should be a hyphen between "so" and "called"
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 3:47 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vickie Noel
I wouldn't have read this book outside the program based on its title and cover art because I'm not a big fan of biographies and the like. I'm surprised to hear that this is a children's book because it has all the markings of a memoir or biography. My interest was somewhat piqued because of this irony, and I looked forward to sampling the book to see for myself whether or not it was truly a children's book. Alas, this was not to be, as the sample provided wasn't more than a brief introduction to the book's protagonist, Martha, rendered in her POV. Even the tone didn't sound "childlike" as a children's book should. I'd read nothing that would prompt me to purchase the book; the sample provided was too scanty to allow me to experience the writing style and the story itself. I still saw some errors in the brief reading. One was within the sentence, "These ladies are two people I have admired down though the years because of their courage." The correct word to be used is "through" and not "though." Also, "so called" is supposed to be hyphenated in the part sentence, "...that struck down so called separate but equal school policies." This must mean that there are many more where these came from, and the services of a professional editor is needed. I have no recommendations for improvement other than that the author should be more generous in the provision of adequate reading material for proper analysis. I saw an OBC review, but it didn't influence my decision.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 3:39 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mwatu
The Online Book Club Review had me interested in the book, and I would have sampled it based on the review. After sampling the book, I will finish it. I would love to know more about what it was like for Martha as the first black child in an All-White school during that period. The book seems professionally edited. I did not detect any errors. I loved most Martha's encounter with Mrs Gannon. Glad to read someone was on her side during such a time. I can't find anything worth improving on.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 3:30 am by Mwatu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Ann Ogochukwu
I would have sampled this book based on just the OBC review. The review was interesting and engaging, and I wanted to know what Martha's special day was like. However, to my disappointment, the sample available on Amazon contained just the introduction to the book, which was not sufficient to make me want to buy this book. On this ground, I will not be completing this book. I like the idea of the book, though, and I like that such an important topic has been drafted into a children's book.
I recommend that some portion of the actual story be included in the sample, so prospective buyers may know what they're signing up for. I didn't notice any error in the bit I read, which speaks well of its editing.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 3:19 am by Ann Ogochukwu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
After I read the title's Amazon page and official OnlineBookClub review, I opted not to acquire the biography. Even though I'm pleased to know the name of the first black child to study at a white school, the intrigue I felt isn't enough to propel me into purchasing and acquiring the title. Sampling the book did not change my mind. I wouldn't acquire the title because nothing in its Amazon sample piqued my curiosity or compelled me to pore over the remainder of the book. The sample contains an introduction. Since the Amazon sample only has a few pages, I decided what I liked most is the mention of the landmark court case Brown vs. Board of Education. In the introduction, the "1950's" and "1960's" should have just been spelled as "1950s" and "1960s," without an apostrophe. The identified errors are relatively minor, so the book still seems professionally edited to me. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 2:43 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. While I like finding new children’s books, and I think the history of Black students in the education system is important, I was hesitant about the way this one was written. According to the review, this book is written from the point of view of Martha, but the author is not Martha. After reading the sample, I won’t be buying this book. The introduction was from the point of view of Martha. There was never any introduction from the author about the story or why he wrote it. It just jumps into the intro from her point of view. I think this needs improvement. Since he is writing from someone else’s viewpoint, there needs to be something to introduce this. There wasn’t anything I liked so far. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2021, at 1:22 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jsovermyer
I like that the author put a picture of Martha Adams on the cover. I think it could be improved with a scool-age picture of Martha instead of the adult Martha. It doesn't look like a children's book, and I would probably not buy it from the cover alone. The official reviewer liked the story and gave it a high rating. It is exceptionally well edited, as I found no spelling or grammatical errors in the entire book. I felt so bad for Martha when she finally made a friend in the new school, and then the girl's father forbade her from associating with Martha because of her skin-color. The story is heartbreaking and also inspirational. It could be improved with more pictures, especially those of Martha at different ages. I liked this book and read the whole thing. It is important for children to learn about segregation and racism.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 11:23 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The book's genre confused me. Although it was marked as a children's book, the subject matter seemed to be too complicated for them. However, based on the premise as well as the official OBC review, I wanted to read the book. I found two errors in the first ten pages (pg 1: "1950's" and "1960's" should be "1950s" and "1960s", respectively.) The author started by paying respect to those who were the first ever black kids to enroll in a 'all white' school and faced unimaginable difficulties. Later, she started on the present situation, where the protagonist's mother reasons with her daughter regarding her enrollment in a white school. I found the premise worth knowing in detail. I loved how the author presented the discrimination even within a couple of of pages. I had nothing to dislike about this book. My only suggestion is to consider the issue of specifying a suitable genre. Based on my experiences, I would love to read this book.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 9:56 pm by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Justine Ocsebio
I would have sampled this book based on the blurb, as I was intrigued by the premise. I liked how, in the beginning, the author already established what Martha’s first day of school meant. She is the first black child to go to an all-white school. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. I’m going to read the whole book because I’m looking forward to learning more about the characters and the story. The official review did not affect my decision. The text is well edited.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 8:06 pm by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jorge Leon Salazar
It was moving the introduction was written by Martha Adams herself. She mentions the cases of Linda Brown and Ruby Bridges, who were also black girls who were pioneers in the fight against segregation in elementary schools in other parts of the United States. Like the book, the sample is considerably short; it focuses on the moment when Martha Adams' mother informs her she is going to study in Jasper in a white school. In the conversations between them, relevant aspects like the intention of Martha's mother to send her to a white school are highlighted. She wanted Martha to obtain access to the best, implements, desks, and books. All those stuff were only available in the white schools.
Martha's mother said to her important things about what she was accomplishing, for instance: "You are putting an end to segregation in this town, in the elementary school." Martha didn't comprehend it until she grew up. In the same way, she understood what her mother told her about the folks who had died so that she could enjoy that privilege. Aside from being a tribute to Martha Adams, the book is a reminder to this generation that did not live through the hard times of the Civil Rights Movement.
The official review highlights the feature that the book is narrated from Martha's perspective. In addition, it stands that the author manages to convey the emotions Martha may have experienced, thereby placing the reader in her shoes. What I read seemed intriguing, so I would like to learn more about the experiences and challenges Martha went through as the only black child in that elementary school. The editing seems prominent as I didn't see any details to comment on. The cover is straightforward and simple and in keeping with the content. However, I think it is not the most striking cover for children. Apart from that, I did not see anything else that I believe could be improved. Ultimately I think I will read the rest of the book, as soon as I can.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 5:41 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Scerakor
After reviewing the title, genre, cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. Although I recognize the importance of this topic, I'm not interested enough in this aspect of American history to buy this one. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I really liked how the stage was set for the book in the first chapter. The fact that Martha didn't understand the importance of her first steps is fitting of the times. That being said, and as mentioned earlier, I'm just not interested enough in the topic to buy and read the rest of it. Although the book looked well written and edited, I did see one error. In the first chapter, I don't believe "Civil Rights Movement" should be capitalized. The only thing I would have improved from the sample I read is the underlined "special" at the end of the first chapter. It seemed a bit unprofessional in my opinion. There was an official OBC review, but it did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 2:58 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the first pages of the book, I wasn't interested in it because, in my country, I don't see as much racism as I know there is in the USA, so I don't identify with this book in particular, and after reading the sample, it didn't grab my attention so I'm not going to continue reading it. I like the idea of reading about segregation from the perspective of a child, and how she would later understand the importance of her role in history. It seems professionally edited and it has an official Online BookClub review. I didn't see anything that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 1:17 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Aubrey Lewis
The overall appearance of the book is simple and not quite eye-catching, in my opinion. When I read through the official OBC review, I felt that I wouldn't be able to appreciate the book since I am not fond of reading children's books. If I weren't a part of this program, I wouldn't have read the sample at all since the book's cover, genres, and summary didn't interest me enough to want to check it out willingly.
When I finished sampling the first few pages, I decided not to read the rest of the book. Due to the shortness of the book, the free sample only came up to the end of the introduction part, so I cannot say for sure that the contents are professionally edited. Since I was only able to read the introduction, I got a glimpse of Martha Adams' character as well as the hardships she must have faced as a black child, especially the unfair discrimination. Unfortunately, since I never got to read even a small part of the first chapter, I was not interested enough to know more, so I will have to pass on this book.
Since my reason is due to my own personal preference, I don't think there are any improvements the author needs to make.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 12:59 pm by Aubrey Lewis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Based on the title and cover, it seems like a children's book, which I am not in the market for; hence, I would not have sampled it. I have also come across a positive OBC review of the book, but this would not have changed my decision not to sample, since this book does not belong to a genre that I am looking for. After sampling, there are a couple of errors present. For example, at 48% in the sample. there is a missing comma to mark an interjection: "...hundreds of, perhaps thousands of(,) black children across...". I suggest more editing to improve book quality. I like that the book starts off with a bang, by having Martha, the main protagonist, explain to the readers from her perspective (which is that of a child's) what segregation is. At first, she doesn't understand why she has to go to this particular elementary school (where "none of the other colored kids are going" to). Her mother first gets angry at the questioning, but then tells Martha that she is special and it is important for Martha to be brave, as she is the first coloured child to attend a white elementary school in Jasper, Texas. Martha also explains to the reader (through her thought processes) that the term "black" is going to replace the term "coloured" because using the word "black" gave people of colour more pride in their culture. However, to further improve book quality, I suggest that the author also include a short introduction of her reasons for writing this book, and her relationship with Martha (the lady Kenyatta mentioned on the book cover). This is because without this introduction, it is difficult for me, personally, to understand who Martha is, and why she is important to the author. A short introduction by the author will solve all these problems. However, as I am currently not in the market for children's books, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 11:24 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
I like that the title rhymes (day and USA). I was confused by the picture on the cover. According to the blurb, this is a children's book about a young black girl, but the girl on the front is not young. The review was positive and gave a good summary of the book. I found a missing comma error in the introduction. "Many of us did not receive the spectacular publicity of Linda Brown in Topeka, Kansas [,] or Ruby Bridges in New Orleans, Louisiana." I thought that the vocabulary and sentence structure were appropriate for fifth graders, which is the age of the protagonist in the story. My suggestion for the author is to put a picture on the front of a young Martha. I will not finish reading this book because it is a children's book.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 10:16 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
I sampled the book as part of the program. I thought this book was a memoir with a lot of dramatic stories. The cover photo is a bit misleading because the genre is for children, so I recommend changing it. Unfortunately, the sample is very little, and I don't read the real story. I like how the author portrays the black and white race's conflicts long time ago. Furthermore, the sample looks professionally edited because I don't pick up any typos. I will not read the rest of the story because I'm not belong in the black race nor in the white race.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 10:05 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
The subject matter of this book deals with things like the placement of a black child in a white school and how hard it was, so I don’t plan to purchase the book. I try to avoid stories that may tend to be sad or upsetting. That said, I can see the intrinsic value of a a work like this. It will appeal to readers who enjoy true works that are still a valid source of insight in today’s times. It seems professionally edited . I saw no need for improvements to it at all. I enjoyed reading about the author’s thoughtfulness in the 4-star Online Book Club review. Nice job.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 5:03 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
When I saw the cover and the title, I guessed that this book could be a memoir of Martha. Therefore, I read the official review of this book as I was curious to know more about Martha. After reading the official review, I learned that this is a children’s book, which focuses on the challenges of Martha Adams, the first black child to attend a white elementary school in Jasper. This information encouraged me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. When I saw the sample, I could not find any free page of the necessary content apart from the introduction. When I read the introduction page, I realized that this book is not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "That situation was being the first child to integrate a school or a school system...". The sentence could have been, "That situation was being the first child to integrate into a school or a school system...". I cannot say what l liked the most because I could not read any required content in the sample. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing and give us at least a couple of free pages of the first chapter for assessing the quality of the book. After looking at all these aspects, I decided not to purchase and read this book today. I will wait until the author considers my suggestions so that I could sample the book and see the content before deciding whether or not to purchase and read it.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 3:42 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
After reading the sample of this book, I would say that the book seems to have been well written. I didn’t have any problem with the book’s cover page; I think it was okay. The title was also okay. It had an OnlineBookClub review, which gave an insight into what the book is all about. The sample only had the contents and introduction sections, and it would be impossible to comment about the illustrations since I didn’t see any. Martha’s story is narrated in the first-person point of view (from the perspective of Martha—the first black child to attend a white elementary school in Jasper, Texas, during the turbulent 1950s and 1960s). I didn’t encounter any error, and I would wager that the book was professionally edited. The book’s description on the Amazon website served its purpose well, and I have no suggestions for the improvement of this book. Having read the sample and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m not going to finish reading this book because I’m not a fan of children’s books.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 1:24 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
OB Brian
Yes. I would have chosen to read this book based on the blurb, cover, and genre. It is not only a good history lesson but also a show of resilience in the face of adversity and the above elements attest to it. I, however, did not find any customer reviews to back the read up. A sample was also unavailable. Thus, I cannot, beyond doubt, say what I liked most in this work or whether it is edited professionally. Nevertheless, I will get it if only to glimpse at the life of the force that was Martha. Still, if I were to improve on it, I would make the cover more appealing to kids, the intended audience. That said, I read an official analysis of this title at OnlineBookClub.org. It influenced my decision to check out this book.
First Ten review added on May 10, 2021, at 12:51 am by OB Brian.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Stephanie Runyon
The cover is simple but is nicely done with the picture centered well. I would not have sampled this book based on it being a memoir. There was an OBC review, but it didn't influence my decision to not read the entire book. The sample was extremely brief and only included the introduction. To improve the sample, a page or two of the actual story would help to influence a reader to buy the book. The introduction seemed professionally edited, but I can't state anything that would stand out about the book to say I liked any of it. I didn't see anything online that gave me any inclination to read the book. I am passing on this due to the lack of information of the content in the sample and my lack of interest in memoirs.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 11:26 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Odette Chace
I don't like the title and the cover looks a bit amateur. The synopsis on Amazon was interesting. The official Online Book Club review gave the work a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. As the first paragraph of the review was exactly the same as the synopsis on Amazon, it didn't change my initial opinion of the book. I probably would not normally sample this book as I don't generally read children's books in my spare time. "My Special Day In Jasper[,] Texas Usa In Memory Of Martha Why Me?" (loc. 27). USA should be capitalized. It was hard to get a feel for the book as only the introduction was included in the sample. Additionally, since so little was included in the sample, the fact that there were errors really stands out. I don't believe the work was professionally edited. I was glad that the introduction mentioned Ruby Bridges because I was reminded of her story while I was reading the synopsis. Highlighting that many other children were going through the same thing at this time gave me more to think about. Still, I don't plan to finish reading the book. I don't read children's books.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 9:46 pm by Odette Chace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for this program, I wouldn't sample this book based on its title, cover, or Official OnlineBookClub review because it is a children's book, and I do not have any children. After reading the sample, I will not continue to read the book because of the same reason mentioned previously. From what I know about the book, my favorite part is the topic it discusses. I think this book is a great way to introduce children to several different important topics (racial discrimination, history, etc.). I wish there were more books like this one for children. This book appears to be professionally edited, and I do not think it needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 7:51 pm by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
PeterRabitt20
Judging by the cover, I would not read this book. It looks like it is a eulogy-type genre. After reading the sample, I was surprised to find out that it is a children's book; the OBC review also mentioned that. However, I would not read this book because I am not looking for a children's book. The OBC review did help me make my decision. Mostly, I liked the theme of desegregation. I found only one error; the phrase "New Orleans school district" needed to be capitalized. My suggestion is to change the cover page.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 7:27 pm by PeterRabitt20.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
I did not see a blurb, but since it was such a short book, I would have sampled it even if I were not part of this program. I was surprised by the introduction—this was a story very familiar to me. Like Martha Adams, my mother and I were among the first Blacks to integrate the elementary school in my hometown. My mother taught second grade, and I was entering the first grade. I was so excited to go to school that I didn’t notice how that year was so different from years past. I didn’t recognize the pressure that my mom must have been under, and I didn’t know that her classroom was moved right next to the principal’s office that year “just in case there was any trouble.” I am glad that there are fresh stories for children to read about a time that was not so long ago. I was disappointed that the sample was not longer. The sample included one page of the introduction. I would have liked to read some of the story. I noticed one minor grammatical error in the introduction—“so-called” should be hyphenated in this sentence: “Brown’s situation came as a result of the landmark court case Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, that struck down so called separate but equal school policies.” The featured OnlineBookClub review was complimentary and noted that the book was well written and thoughtfully produced, but I am not certain why the review also included that these attributes were so surprising. A suggestion for improvement would be to have an animated cover, perhaps featuring Martha and depicting a scene from the book. This would make the book more appealing, especially to children. I will buy this book. I would like to hear Martha’s story. Perhaps I can give a copy to a child, and if they’d like, they could include my interview in the space provided at the end of the book.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 6:56 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gabrielle Sigaki
My Special Day in Jasper,Texas USA by Jermaine Kenyatta is the story of Martha's journey in a white children elementary school as the first black student to attend there. If I didn't sample this book, I would already read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review since I found its theme unique and important to teach children lessons about love. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I will read the entire book since I liked the fact that the author approached such an important theme with an informal narrative, that kids could understand with the help of an adult. I think my favorite aspect was that casual writing style with simple language to talk about a complex issue that is discrimination. Besides, the book seems professionally edited, there's nothing to be improved in it.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 6:08 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sonya Nicolaidis
The front cover of this book was a little drab and certainly not what I would expect from a children’s book. As much as I appreciate the photo of the lady on the front cover, it wouldn’t be appealing to children and it is equally as uninviting for adults as well. The OBC reviewer was full of praise for this wonderful little book, although they made the observation that the illustrations are not great. This, along with the cover and title, might need to be re-addressed before the book could have wide spread appeal. I really liked the humility with which the author writes in her foreword. It is a message from the heart and without any malice. There was nothing that I didn’t like in the sample and I didn’t see any errors in grammar or punctuation. I would imagine this book would be better suited to early teenagers rather than children, unless a parent is going to help them with it. I liked what I read so far, and I would definitely try it based on the pleasant style of writing and also the sincere and important message. It’s a “yes” from me.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 4:43 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
AntonelaMaria
I don't usually pick up children's books to read. This is a very interesting book, and I wish parents would pick it up to read it with their children. The sample doesn't give much about the story besides the introduction. I understand that as this is a very short book. However, it doesn't give me much about the story to critique or form an opinion about the book. In the introduction, the author explains the reason behind the book, and I find it very compelling. The Offical Onlinebookclub review is excellent in demonstrating reasons for reading this book. I didn't notice any grammatical errors. On Amazon, it says that the publication date is April 6th, 2021. It also says that the kindle version of the book is not available for purchase. I would rectify that. I did found the book on Barnes & Nobles.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 4:09 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
I would not have checked this book out based on the title and cover because it did not catch my interest. After reading the official review, I was curious about Martha being sent to an all white school. As I read the first ten pages my heart went out to Martha as she was not given a choice about going to a white school. For a fifth grader, that was a hard thing to have to face. Children can be very cruel, so it was a difficult transition for her. I guess the crulest part was the clown that visited her class and embarrassed her. I did not find any errors or anything that needs to be improved. I don't plan to read the rest of the book as I have no more young people to raise and teach.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 3:38 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
Obviously, the picture of the book cover is of Martha, the protagonist of this story. However, I do not find the book cover very attractive. The book title does not specifically mention that this is a kids book but this is explained in the OBC review and blurb. I would suggest to add a comment on the book cover that this is a children's book because it actually looks more like an adult's memoir. I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a book store because of this reason. The OBC review revealed that this is actually a very important story to be told, and that Martha's experience of being the first black girl to attend a white school is one that needs to be remembered. Unfortunately, I was unable to read the sample because the OBC link to the free sample on Amazon.com showed me a message of Amazon that this book is momentarily not available for purchase. Searching the Amazon page, I could find no link to the free sample.
Based on the blurb and review, I will not buy this book as I am not part of the target audience.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 3:20 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'My Special Day in Jasper, Texas USA' is written by Jermaine Kenyatta. It is the story of the first black child joining a white school. The sample only consisted of one page. The editing seemed to be good. I liked the historical references to black children who integrated the school system in various states. The title is a tad too long. The cover, OBC review, and the Amazon reviews are great. There is nothing in need of an improvement. I will give this book a try as I would like to know how the child adjusted in her new environment.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 3:04 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
I like that this book is based on first hand experience and what it was really like to be a black child integrating into an all white school. The review said the emotions and feelings of the people in the story are very well-developed, which I like in particular. The cover is also attractive. I didn’t see any errors in the story, so the book appears to be professionally edited. I don’t read a lot of historical books, so I wouldn’t have come across this story outside of the program. I can’t think of anything to improve the story, so I have no suggestions. The genre isn’t really one I’m interested in so I will pass for today.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 2:51 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The story is set in 1968 and follows the journey of a black child named Martha Adams, who bravely stands up to discrimination and bullying while attending an all-white elementary school in Texas. As I am not fond of children's books, I would not have read the book without The First Ten program. Unfortunately, I did not change my mind after reading the OBC review and sampling the book, but I appreciated the clear, descriptive writing style. Plus, I found the characters relatable and only noticed two minor errors throughout the sample. For example, it should be written "all-white school" in the following sentence: "...while all the new stuff goes to the all white school." (location 71 of 78 • 91%) All things considered, I found nothing that needed to be improved. Those interested in reading thought-provoking children's books will definitely enjoy this one.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 2:27 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
Certainly, the book seems praiseworthy based on the Official Review. But I thought the cover to be quite amateurish for a topic such as this. It is certainly not a cover that suggests a children's book. And since this is a children's book, I won't be reading it. From what I read, this appears to be a good educational book. I particularly liked the way the author uses dialogue between the mother and daughter to explain difficult concepts, such as Uncle Tom and militant. This works extremely well. My dislike is in line with the Official Reviewer that the drawings inside are not very appealing. As far as being professionally edited or not, I don't believe it was as I found a few errors in punctuation. On page 10, in the paragraph that begins, "Cindy grabbed..." there should be a comma before the quotation that starts "Come on..." On page 12, in the paragraph that begins, "Well, Baby..." there is no need for a quotation mark at the end of the paragraph as the dialogue continues with the next paragraph.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 1:59 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
Based on the title and description, I likely would have skipped the sample of My Special Day in Jasper,Texas USA. The cover had me thinking that this book is meant for adults, but the official OnlineBookClub review and the description state otherwise. Because of this, I will be skipping the rest of the book. There wasn't any book content to sample except for the introduction; I think adding a page or two of the book's actual content will be a great improvement. I did not find any grammatical errors in the little bit of the book that I did read. I also found the fact that the author faced discrimination in public schools when segregation was becoming less popular interesting. Readers that have children and want to teach them about the history of segregation may want to start here.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 1:49 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
The cover and title of this book are generic and I am not a fan of book covers that feature photographs. After reading the Amazon blurb, I was surprised to learn that this is a children's book. I would not have sampled this without the First Ten program because I do not have kids. The first few pages seem well edited. I really felt for Martha as she questions her mother on why she has to go to the new school where "none of the other colored kids are going". It was sad to see her get yelled at shortly after. The official OBC review was positive, but it did not change my mind. I think this book is an important and educational read for young kids, I can definitely understand why the OBC reviewer gave it such a high score. Unfortunately, I do not have any children. Therefore, I will not be reading the rest. My one suggestion for the author is to update the cover to make it more colorful and child-friendly.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 1:19 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Bertha Jackson
I would not have checked out this book based on the cover, title, or blurb because I am not particularly interested in reading children’s books. I was disappointed that there was no customer or editorial reviews to give me some idea about the book. I purchased the book to read the first ten pages and could not stop reading. Every child should read this book to help them understand the emotions someone feels when they stand out because they are different. Every child should be so lucky to have a Mrs. Gannon in their life. The OnlineBookClub review was favorable for this book and reinforced my desire to be supportive of this book. I did not see any errors in the first ten pages or anything I would recommend changing. This is a great book.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 1:18 pm by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I didn't know what to make of the cover of the book. I don't know who the woman on the cover is, and I have no idea what the title could mean. There's no blurb available on Amazon, and no ratings. Considering I have absolutely no information on this book, of course I wouldn't have bought it based on my first impressions.
The sample, I guess due to the brevity of the book, consists only of the Introduction. From the sample, I still wouldn't know what to expect. Of course, this is a book about racial segregation, and apparently about a not-so-publicized case, but I couldn't tell more. The only mistake I found is that usually, we don't use an apostrophe to signal decades like the 1950s and 1960s (position 40). The only things I know from this book are from the review, and I wouldn't buy it because it's a children's book. I would beg the author to improve the cover and to add a comprehensive blurb because most readers won't have the patience to look up a review, and this is a very important topic.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 12:33 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I wouldn’t have picked this book up based on the cover alone because the title and cover art don’t tell me what the book is about. However, the Online Book Club review of this book was very positive and gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The OBC review was interesting and informative. So, I didn’t need to read an additional customer review. The first ten pages of the book describe a young African American girl sent to attention and white elementary school. She is the first African American child in this area of Texas to attend this school. I like the historical aspect of this book. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. Based on the first ten pages and the OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on May 9, 2021, at 11:48 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 33%
My Special Day in Jasper,Texas USA earned a score of 33%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 33% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
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