What a great book! This is the story of Hula Hoopin contests in an NYC neighborhood. I loved it. I recommend the read-aloud by Oprah Winfrey available on Storyline Online. ( )

This book was delightful. I love the colorful pictures and the family ties that grounded Kameeka. Although she was vying for the hula hoop championship, against a neighborhood friend, in the end, she knew who the real champion was when she saw her aunt hula-hooping. The aunt did tricks that neither Kameeka nor her competitors could pull off. In the end, everyone concurred that Auntie had won the neighborhood hula-hooping championship. ( )

kameeka is a little girl that LOVES to hula hoop. She loves it so much that she’s willing to challenge Jamara to find out who’s the best. Kameeka finds out that she can’t meet Jamara to challenge because she has to help her mom set up for her Miz Adeline’s party. When a Kameeka leaves the house for sugar she sees Jamara and challenges her forgetting all about getting back with the sugar. When she makes it home it’s too late to make the cake for Miz Adeline. Kameeka comes up with the idea to use a donut with whip creams, strawberries and a candle to make up for the cake she ruined. The party ended with a hula hoop contest between neighbors(family)
Kameeka faced many challenges trying to make the hula hoop contest and please her mom. She wasn’t successful on either end but she put a smile on her neighbors face by being creative with what she did have. She even brought the competitiveness out of the neighbors at the party. This book is fun and the illustration painted everyone’s feelings perfectly on each page. I can imagine my class wanting to challenge each other after reading this book. ( )

This book is delightful and entertaining. This story is about Kameeka trying to become a hula-hoopin queen, but her mom wants her to help her with Miz Adeline's birthday party. Kameeka's mom trying to set up for Miz Adeline, however, when Kameeka mess up the cake her mom sends her to go get more sugar to bake a new cake. When she's on the way to get sugar, Kameeka became easily distracted by competing with Jamara by hooping. Kameeka forgets to bring the sugar back in time, so there's no cake for the party, but Kameeka gave her a chocolate donut with whipped cream and strawberries on top. Eventually, the whole town hula-hoopin even Miz Adeline. I believe the theme in this story is family. This is a great book to read to children. ( )