Alex will reply to all email personally.
Date: Wed, 01 Jan 1997 09:39:50 -0800Subject: Max finds his Mummy
My son Nicky is 4 and he really liked your story.
How about a story where Max and his Mummy and Daddy visit the zoo?
Nicky lives in Portland, Oregon USA. It is really rainy here and we have no koalas in the trees. We wish we were down under.
Happy New Year!
Reid Sanford
Date: Wed, 01 Jan 1997 09:53:49 -0600Subject: Story Ideas
Dear ALex,
I would like Max to meet Mickey Mouse.
Jeramie McSwain
jmcswain@infinet.com
Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 10:14:24 -0600Subject: Koala Trouble
Dear Alex,
I loved your story about Max.
My three year old daughter, Sarah, and I just read the first one. It was great. Thank you for having something fun on the internet for young computer users. Sarah loves to use the computer like the big kids, ages 8 and 10 and now we have a place to go.
Thanks again. You're great!!!
The Luder's
Date: 10 Jan 1997 16:31:29 USubject: 6
DearAlex and Scott Balson,
I found your webpage for a school assignment. I was surprised to see a 5 year old with a home page, congratulations. I am a High School Junior from Wayzata, Minnesota, United Statesof America. If you would write me back through my teacher, I would appreciate that.
My teachers Email address is tim_herbst@wayzata.k12.mn.us
thank you,
Dave
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 19:21:31 -0600Subject: max
My 2 kids, Fraser, 6 and Angelina ,3 loved your stories and I enjoyed the whole sight immensely. We live in Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada which is on the exact opposite side of the globe from you. But, we've been exploring Australia with the idea of moving there for a job at the University in Darwin. We would like to find out about what kind of bugs and other dangerous animals there and what you do during the rainy season. Right now it is snowing for the 4th day in a row and in the mornings it is -35C. During the day it is a balmy -25C. We have to stay indoors a lot but thankfully we're all having fun on the computer. Thanks for your sight, a reply would tickle us pink. Have a good day eh?!
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 12:37:56 -0800Subject: A KOALA
THANK YOU FOR THE STORY. HELP ME FIND MY MOM. AND I ALSO DID THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.
My name is Manann, I am five years old too.
I live in Camden, Maine , USA and I can be reached through my mom
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 14:32:43 -0800Subject: the big Christmas party
I really enjoyed your story about Max and the big Christmas party. I like your beautiful and colourful pictures. I teach a grade one class and I know they would enjoy all of the stories about Max.
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 20:44:51 -0500Subject: Your Story: )
Dear Alex,
Your story about the lost Koala bear was very good. I liked your art work very much.
Thank you.
Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 12:17:04 -0600Your stories are pure genius and I love the pics my 4 year old loves playing them thank you so much for putting on such good entertainment.
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 23:04:56 -0500 (EST)Subject: I liked your story.
Hi.
My name is Alex too. And I am also five years old. I live in California in the United States. I read your story about Max and the Joey with my dad's help.
It was to find out that a baby Kangaroo is called a Joey. There are not any Kangaroos by where I live. I liked all of the story.
The end.
Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 21:40:23 -0800Subject: Aussies
Thank you for the stories about Max, my grandaughters (Tahkyla & Demi) enjoyed them, Tahkyla liked the colouring in and Demi liked to point and click!
Regards
Gael.
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 13:45:11 +0100Subject: The awards!
Congratulations Alex and Scott!
It has been a while since I was running around at your pages and it was a big surprise - a happy surprise! - to find that you had got the award of the Australian Internet.
I must say you were the right one to get it.
I wrote to you almost a year ago about an assignment I had in school about sites for kids. The work isn't completed yet. I think I promised to tell when it was, and I just wanted to tell you now that I haven't forgotten!
I wish you a happy new year -97 and I also hope you keep up the good work with Max and his adventures!
Yours sincerely
Irene Hartsmar, Kalmar, Sweden
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 17:19:49 +0000Subject: more stories
dear Alex,
We liked your story and we have another adventure for you. How about a story where Max goes to the beach. Our names are Olivia and Sarah and Theo we live in Medford ma. U.SA..
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 17:30:15 -0500Dear Alex,
I Like your stories and I live in the USA and I was wondering if you could write a story about Max & Marty coming to the USA and having adventures there.
Matthew,10 Shipshewana,Indiana
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 16:48:20 +0000Subject: Request for permission to GWB Gold Site
Dear GWB Gold Site,
I am writing to you on behalf of ALC Press Inc., a Tokyo-based publishing company. We are the leading publisher in Japan of English language study materials. Recently we have produced a digital self-study English course. The course is designed for Japanese English-learners to develop English reading and listening skills through articles from web sites.
We would be appreciate it if you would kindly permit us to include some articles and a story by Alex Balson from your web site, with translations in Japanese. We believe that students need to read current, relevant English. This is why we selected your articles. This is also a good opportunity for you to make your site better known in Japan. We promise to credit your name and URL on our on-line textbook.
We look forward to your favorable reply. We would be grateful if you could give us a response by 20 January, 96.
Best regards,
Rie Shiota
ALC Press Inc.
Multimedia Div.
shiota@alc.co.jp
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 17:37:52 -0500Subject: Seeking your permission
Hello!
My name is Don Leu. I am a Professor of Education at Syracuse University. I have a somewhat lengthy message, but a short request.
I am writing to request permission to use your name, in some cases, your home page URL, and (in one case) a screen shot of your home page.
I am completing an article for my column, Exploring literacy on the Internet, appearing in the International Reading Association's journal, THE READING TEACHER. This journal has a world-wide subscription of approximately 35,000. The article, "Caity's question: Literacy as deixis on the Internet", will appear in volume 51 (1997) of THE READING TEACHER. In this column, I provide examples of exemplary learning opportunities on the Internet and include a brief mention of your work as an example. I have copied the appropriate section below for your review.
______________________________________________________________
Over 200,000 children have traveled to a computer in Australia to
explore a wonderful series of adventures about Max, the Koala Bear, and
his friends (http://www.peg.apc.org/~balson/story/jump.html). These
stories have been written and illustrated by Alex, a five-year-old boy,
and his father, Scott. They are accompanied by delightful music and
interactive animations. Alex, it appears, is quickly becoming the most
widely read five-year-old author in the world.
Hundreds of thousands of similar stories take place on the Internet each day as teachers and students explore the potential of this resource to fundamentally redefine what is means to become literate..."
"...It is no accident the Internet has appeared at this time. The
Internet is the most efficient way currently to store, access, and
communicate large amounts of information to vast numbers of people
interested in identifying and solving important problems. To prepare our
students for the challenges of their tomorrows, the Internet and future
technologies will be central to our mission. Doug Crosby, Linda
Hubbard, Alex and Scott Balson, Brian Maguire, and Tim Lauer and many
others are pioneering new forms of literacy within the Internet. The
rest of us will quickly follow and homestead these new forms in the
years to come. Increasingly, new abilities will be required for literacy
in a digital, information age...."
_______________________________________________________________
Donald J. Leu
Professor of Education
Syracuse University
203 Huntington Hall
Syracuse, New York 13244-2340
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 15:45:56 -0800Subject: Max
Dear Alex,
I found Max!!! He's cute.
I whispered to him and he
was curled up in my bed.
He's
so comfortable he doesn't want to leave.
What do I do??
I've tried everything. I liked your book. maybe I could write one too.
Here's an idea...How about Max at the Amusement Park. I know that I love it...I am sure he will too. I play with Max every day he's a lot of fun. What's his favorite foods?
Maybe he can sleep in my bed tonight. He will!!
I'll tell him to go home tomorrow.
Okay? Thanks.
Your friend..
Ashley Hartz
Return to what the kids said about Koala Trouble in 1997