Elizabeti's School (Elizabeti Series) [School & Library Binding]

Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen (Author), Christy Hale (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Elizabeti Series

In this third book in the Elizabeti series, the young Tanzanian girl discovers the joy of learning at school and finds a pleasant surprise at home. It’s the first day of school, and Elizabeti is so excited she can hardly sit still long enough for Mama to braid her hair. When she arrives at school, she feels shy and wishes she had stayed home instead. While the teacher talks, Elizabeti wonders if her family misses her. She’s happy when she leaves for the day, but in the evening she plays a game she learned at school and discovers she can use her new math skills to count her new kittens!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Elizabeti's Doll and Mama Elizabeti will welcome the third title in the series, Elizabeti's School by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, illus. by Christy Hale. Elizabeti looks forward to her first day of school but, once she arrives, she wonders what her family is doing at home.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Elizabeti is excited about her first day of school and her new clothes, but when faced with the noisy, busy schoolyard, she becomes reticent. A friend leads her into a game similar to jacks, and she is eager to try it. In the classroom, she has difficulty concentrating because of her homesickness. At recess, with the encouragement of an older girl, she enjoys dancing, and, back in the classroom, she easily masters the counting lesson. However, once she is home, she's convinced that she doesn't want to return to class. During the evening, Elizabeti so impresses her family with the knowledge and skills she's learned that she decides that although home is best, she will "-give school another try." This is the perfect story for sharing with young children, most of whom will understand the girl's bittersweet feelings. Her pride and sense of accomplishment in learning are a good lead-in for discussing the joy and purpose of school. As in the other stories about Elizabeti, her family life is rich in love and warmth, although it is apparent that the family is very poor. The predominantly watercolor and mixed-media illustrations help convey all the texture of family life in a Tanzanian village, just as they did in Elizabeti's Doll (1998) and Mama Elizabeti (2000, both Lee & Low).
Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books (July 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584300434
• ISBN-13: 978-1584300434
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,800,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but some details are a bit fuzzy, July 28, 2008

By 

Ulyyf "Connie" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elizabeti's School (Elizabeti Series) (School & Library Binding)

As you might guess, this book covers Elizabeti's first day at school.

She's nervous to show up, then she gets comfortable, then she goes home. Pretty standard fare, really, though I'm fascinated with the differences between her school and the ones in the US - and the similarities! It's true that people everywhere play jacks :)

One thing, though. After Elizabeti shows off the new things she's learned to her parents, it mentions that she'll "give school another chance". This is a reasonable sentiment, especially for this subject - but there was no mention of her being homesick after the start of class, nor any mention on the way home of her doubting how much she'd enjoyed her time in school that day. It just comes out of the blue. This could have (should have) been written more clearly.

Incidentally, for those interested in the subject, this book does show Elizabeti's mother wearing her baby sister, Flora.

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely book!, October 27, 2011

By 

Carol Sue (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Elizabeti's School (Paperback)

This book is educational in a number of ways. It shows the way an East African family lives. It deals with issues that transcend country and culture, of growing up and going to school for the first time. The illustrations are beautiful too--you can see the love in the eyes of the family members.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, April 18, 2009

By 

Anna Marie (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Elizabeti's School (Paperback)

My daughter and I really enjoy the Elizabeti books. The story is simple but real, and can be enjoyed by various ages.