Oh My Grinch, ULV Literacy Center Sponsors 3-Day Holiday Book Fair, Dec. 7-9

While it has been called the most wonderful time of the year, the holiday season can also be a seriously stressful occasion for many thanks to the age-old quest for the “ideal” gift.

On December 7-8-9 the University of La Verne Literacy Center is offering anxious shoppers a one-stop solution with its Holiday Book Fair. A variety of paperback and hardbound editions will be on sale, with plenty of books appropriate for pre-school, K-8 levels and even some adult titles, all provided by Scholastic, Inc. There will also be holiday-theme trinkets for sale, perfect stocking-stuffing items.

As an added bonus, there will be a special appearance at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 9, of the Grinch, who will read from the Dr. Seuss classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” There will also be a presentation of the 1966 animated television special, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Adults and children on hand for the Grinch visit will also be treated to hot chocolate.

“We want this to be a fun and festive way to get everyone in the mood for the holiday season,” said Janice Pilgreen, professor of education at La Verne and director of the Literacy Center. “The center’s mission echoes that of the university, which is to promote lifelong learning. Besides, what better gift can you give at the holidays than the gift of reading?”

Sponsored by Scholastic and hosted by the ULV Literacy Center Circle of Friends, the Holiday Book Fair will be held at the Literacy Center, located on the northwest corner of Second and E streets in La Verne. Admission is free. Parents planning to bring their children to the Grinch event on Dec. 9th are asked to RSVP beforehand to provide the Literacy Center with an accurate head count. Please contact Janie Stahly at (909) 593-3511 ext. 4660 by 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7.

Since it opened in September 2001, the University of La Verne Literacy Center has worked with more than 750 students (grades K-12) and has had nearly 250 parents take part in literacy training, all at no cost to the participants. In just 10 hours of tutoring, students see an average increase in their reading of more than one grade level. The Literacy Center serves 145 schools in six different Southern California districts.

“Support of the Book Fair will help the La Verne Literacy Center in its dedicated effort to

help young people in the community strengthen reading and writing skills,” Pilgreen said.

The Literacy Center provides hands-on literacy instruction and tutoring training to candidates within the university’s Reading & Language Arts Specialist Credential Program. To learn more, visit the center’s Web page at www.laverne.edu/academics/education/literacy-center.

Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, has a corporate mission supported through all of its divisions of helping children around the world to read and learn. Recognizing that literacy is the cornerstone of a child’s intellectual, personal and cultural growth, for more than 87 years Scholastic has created quality products and services that educate, entertain and motivate children and are designed to help enlarge their understanding of the world around them.