All About Chez Alpha Books /December 2017
COMING SOON : Internationally acclaimed Chef Pierre Thiam says of the book Fisherman’s Blues , "I am truly grateful for this gorgeous and timely reintroduction to the world of my upbringing. A world that is too often ignored, and yet which contribution to tomorrow’s universal civilization could be priceless." Chez Alpha Books is working in partnership to organize the initial launch of Fisherman’s Blues by Anna Badkhen to be published in March 2018 by PenguinRandomhouse. It is an intimate account of life in a West African fishing village (Joal-Fadiouth, Senegal), tugged by currents ancient and modern, and dependent on an ocean that is being radically transformed. Fisherman’s Blues immerses the reader in a community navigating a time of unprecedented environmental, economic, and cultural upheaval with resilience, ingenuity, and wonder. We'll keep you updated as we organize community events and let us know if you would like your school or organization to host a book reading!
Story Hour is Back
Let's talk green with The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle !
Children are invited to learn about recycling from a new perspective! Let's peek into this diary of a plastic bottle as it goes on a journey from the refinery plant, to the manufacturing line, to the store shelf, to a garbage can, and finally to a recycling plant where it emerges into it's new life...as a fleece jacket! Most important let's look at best ways to recycle.
Please join us!
For the Fye Family,
Writing is a Family Affair!
Lucy Fye and her daughters– Anna, YaAdam and Jainaba Fye are from the African countries of Tanzania and Gambia. They are the authors of the children’s book Princess Halima and the Kingdom of Affia. The Princess Halima project was inspired by the birth of the first grandchild in the family, Halima Bah. Halima is of Guinean, Gambian, Tanzanian descent. –... With such a rich combination of African culture and history, Lucy Fye and her daughters thought the best way to educate Halima about her many homelands was to start a book series through which she could discover her heritage, and also learn about the African continent as a whole. Continue reading at http://bit.ly/2D5pzbS
Getting Boys to Read
The number of boys who are proficient readers is significantly lower than it is for girls. This should be a matter of grave concern to both parents and teachers since there’s a direct correlation between reading and success in school and later in life. Parents and teachers can get boys to read more by first understanding why the problem exists and then taking practical steps to resolve it. Most important remember it doesn’t have to be just books. Reading is reading, no matter what it is. Magazines and comics are a great way to encourage boys to read as they tend to be visual learners. Use road signs, posters, television guides and shopping lists to get your boys reading.

Why Boys Don’t Read
There are a number of reasons why boys don’t read. According to Jane Katch, author of Under Deadman’s Skin, children begin reading earlier than they once did, which is a problem for boys who are less verbal and develop more slowly than girls. In addition, boys are more physically active than girls – making it more difficult for them to sit and read for extended periods of time. Another problem for boys is the type of material promoted in the classroom. Many teachers are women, and although they may make an effort to balance the types of reading material available, they often revert back to what appeals to females. The kinds of books that appeal to boys are often not considered acceptable reading material and as a result, they’re not promoted at school or at home. Peer pressure is another factor. As boys reach their teen years they may begin to think that reading isn’t cool. In addition, boys often don’t see their fathers and other male role models reading..continue reading at http://bit.ly/2kmiMmr
This Holiday Read With US at Chez Alpha Books
New Book Suggestions @Chez Alpha
Somethings You Take Wherever You Go!
The Pocket Rumi at Chez AlphaBooks is a wonderful little book to stick in your pocket and refer to now and then to help you contemplate the timeless questions of life!
There’s plenty of good reasons why Rumi quotes continue to resonate with people 800 years later. The themes explored in his writings transcend time. His poems explore life in its various permutations: the beauty of it as well as the inspiration that exists all around us.

In Nadifa Mohamed’s intimate and powerful second novel, The Orchard of Lost Souls , the year is 1988, and Somalia is on the brink of civil war. The civil war was so sprawling, however, that Mohamed decided to focus her intentions for her novel “not on what happened, but to ...whom it happened. Continue reading
http://bit.ly/2BIVNeZ

Here is the remarkable true story of the real Count of Monte Cristo that brings to life the forgotten hero who inspired such classics as  The Count of Monte Cristo  and  The Three Musketeers .
The real-life protagonist of The Black Count , General Alex Dumas, is a man almost unknown today yet with a story that is strikingly familiar, because his son, the novelist Alexandre Dumas, used it to create some of the best loved heroes of literature.
Education Update
California Lutheran University Pre-MBA International Student Pathways Program
On December 13, California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, CA), and ELS Educational Services, Inc. (Princeton, NJ) signed a new agreement to develop a graduate pathways program aiming to enhance the University’s international student educational experience and extend its global reach.  
A pathways program prepares international students for academic study at California Lutheran University by enabling them to take English courses and credit bearing courses simultaneously, allowing students to work toward their MBA program.
The California Lutheran University Pre-MBA Pathways Program, which is projected to welcome its first students in the fall of 2018, will offer a combination of programs and services such as intensive English language support, courses for degree credit, counseling, and support to assist students with acclimating both academically and socially.
Students come from all over the world to Cal Lutheran's School of Management. Our MBA program is recognized as "An Exceptional Value in U.S. Graduate Business Education."
Cal Lutheran is a highly-ranked university, where international students are enrolled with domestic students in classes conducted by a highly-skilled faculty.
Full-time MBA students share in a wide array of academic, professional, and cultural activities in an outstanding Southern California location and environment.
Chez Alpha Books is an official representative for ELS in Senegal - For more information contact The College Club at Chez Alpha Books / maizie@chezalphabks.com
New Books Arriving Soon
[+221338206359]  [maizie@chezalphabks.com]  
[www.chezalphabks.com]