LOS ANGELES BLACK BOOK EXPO 2010!

***ATTENTION***

The Los Angeles Black Book Expo has moved from the Expo Center near USC. It will now be held @ the Sheraton Gateway Hotel near L.A.X.

WHAT: The Los Angeles Black Book Expo

WHEN: Saturday, August 21, 2010

WHERE: L.A.X. Sheraton

TIME: 12:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Taken directly from the LABBX website: The Los Angeles Black Book Expo (LABBX) will be held August 21, 2010 at the Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel. We will host a full day of activity featuring authors, storytellers, spoken word and poetry performances, musicians, exhibitors, children’s book authors, emerging writers, publishers, booksellers, panel discussions, editors, book reviewers, and others.

Elizabeti’s Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

Elizabeti’s Doll (2002), written by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen & illustrated by Christy Hale is the cutest little book. I would recommend it for little girls ages 6- 9. Phillise is 8 years old and she loved it.

“This is the best book, Mom,” she said. So, I asked her if she wanted to watch it on the Scholastic Treasury Collection (Is Your Mama a LLama?)  that we have. She did, so we watched that after she read the book. She was a little disappointed that it wasn’t animated like some of the other ones, but she liked it just the same. I would definitely recommend this book to little girls who are about to be big sisters, or for those who just want something to call their own.

This book, set in Tanzania, is inspired by the author’s own experience from her time spent as as Peace Corp volunteer in Tanzania. Elizabeti, the heroine of the book, is a cute little  5 or 6 year old who decides she needs a doll she can care for the way her mother cares for her new baby brother. She finds the perfect doll that she names Eva. Elizabeti cares for Eva as well as her mother cares for her little brother, Obedi.

When Mama gives Obedi a bath, Elizabeti gives Eva a bath. When Mama fed and burped Obedi, Elizabeti fed Eva, but Eva was too polite to burp. Mama changed the cloth wrapped around Obedi’s bottom and it was very messy! Elizabeti was very relieved that Eva’s bottom was still clean.

When Mama did her chores, she tied Obedi onto her back with a bright cloth called a kanga. When Elizabeti did her chores, she also tied Eva onto her back with a kanga. Mama had to help a little.

The trouble begins when Elizabeti sets Eva down so she won’t be lonely while she perform her chores. She can’t find her. What is she going to do? I guess you’re going to have to read it to find out. As always, visit your local library or bookstore to find it.

I thought this was the cutest little story. It’s especially appropriate for any little girl whose soon to be a big sister. Even though Phillise is not a big sister (and never will be), she still loved the book.

** Although the list price for this is $12.95, I purchased it for $5 @:

Smiley’s Bookstore

20220 S. Avalon Blvd., Suite D,

Carson, CA, 90746

(310) 324-8444

There’s a small used book section, where I purchased a couple of Magic Tree House books & one A-Z Mystery books. Check it out!

How Do I Determine the Reading Level of A Book?

How Do I Determine the Reading Level of a Book? Well, that’s a good question. I wondered that very question aloud in a classroom where I worked as an assistant before I became a teacher. The teacher was very knowledgeable. As so often happens when you’re around very knowledgeable people, a question is rewarded with a very knowledgeable answer. She showed me where it’s printed on the back of the book. If you turn the book over on some books, you may see something like RL 2.6. This stands for Reading Level for a child in 2nd grade, the 6th month of school.

Because of my experience, I can automatically look @ a book and tell what the reading level is. I know that not everyone can do this, so I’ve compiled several different ways of determining the reading level of a book.

• First, there’s the 5 Finger test method. As your child mispronounces a word, hold up a finger up. If you have put up all your fingers by the time your child is through the page for a longer page or a paragraph for the whole book, it’s too hard for them.

On the same website as above, there’s a test that I’d never heard of called the Goldilocks test. When you think about it it makes perfect sense. By asking yourself or someone else a few simple questions, you can determine if the book is too easy, too hard, or just right. Here’s the link: GOLDILOCKS RULE.

• eHow: How to Determine the Reading Level,
• Hoagie’s Gifted Education Page,
• Fry’s Readability Graph on Wikipedia & Readability’s Formula.com (very understandable),
• Yet another wonderful resource @ Genoa Schools.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but should be very helpful!

HERE’S TO 2010!