Library Media Connection review of Handy Health Guides

The October 2014 issue of Library Media Connection contains a review of Enslow's series on health, Handy Health Guides. Written for the middle school reader, this 12-title series covers asthma, sleep, burns, diabetes, dyslexia, headaches, and more.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

"This series provides ample contextual scientific vocabulary development and is perfect for Common Core reading in science and health."

Correlated to the Common Core and available in library, paperback, and eBook formats, these titles can be found through your preferred vendor, local bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

It's National Tooth Fairy Day

Here are some fun facts about teeth. Did you know that when a baby's first teeth come in, they are called milk teeth (also known as "baby teeth") and there are 20 of them? When a child is about five or six, those teeth start falling out (hence the need for the Tooth Fairy) and are replaced by 32 permanent teeth. Cats and dogs also have two sets of teeth, but some reptiles and fish may have many sets of teeth during their lives. Crocodiles and sharks, for example, keep replacing their teeth their entire life.

Handy Health Guide to Your Teeth, one of twelve different titles in Enslow's Handy Health Guides series, is written for the middle school student, describing what role teeth play in our overall health, and how to take care of the teeth you have.

Other titles in the series cover topics such as ADHD, asthma, colds and flu, dyslexia, burns and blisters, and more. All of these titles are available in library and paperback editions, as well as eBooks. They are correlated to the Common Core and are available through your preferred vendor, local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Family Health and Fitness Day

Handy Health Guides, a 12-book series, is written for the middle school reader. Each 48-page book

contains information about the science behind common illnesses and injuries, and includes an activity.

Some of the topics covered include ADHD, bites and stings, burns and blisters, dyslexia, diabetes, and headaches. Did you know that Orlando Bloom is dyslexic? So is Britney Spears! And George Clooney! President Woodrow Wilson was also dyslexic, and he was a college professor before he became president. It seems that dyslexia is detected more often in boys, but just as many girls have dyslexia. It is thought that boys have a tendency to misbehave in class if they have learning problems, which the teacher will notice, however girls have a tendency to keep to themselves and will not try to attract attention.

Interested in any of these titles? They are all available in library and paperback editions, as well as in single-user and multi-user PDFs and as epubs. You can contact your preferred vendor or local independent bookstore, as well as find the books on enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

New Enslow Series Explores "Unusual" Pets, Their Care, and Science

Pets come in all shapes, sizes, and species. Enslow's new series "Far-Out and Unusual Pets" offers a fun, informative look at some decidedly unique animals that people adopt as pets.

Each title focuses on exotic creatures, their natural habitat, and their suitability for domestic life. The animals considered in this six-book series form are certain to catch a young reader's attention. The subjects range from tropical snakes to charming miniature horses. One popular title -- Hairless Dogs -- discusses the history of these canines and explains the special care they require.

The series' authors -- Alvin and Virginia Silverstein and Laura Silverstein Nunn -- bring decades of sound, appealing science writing experience. Each title also comes with plenty of color photographs, adding another "way in" for young readers to enjoy their book. For further reference, each book includes a further reading section and selected Internet links.

These 48-page, library-bound books are available directly from Enslow Publishers to schools and libraries for $17.95 per book -- a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for these titles!

Fun Facts about Ferrets

978-0-7660-3683-3
Grades 3-4

Did you know that the word ferret comes from a Latin word meaning "little thief?" Ferrets like stealing things from around the house and hiding them.

Some people say that a ferret is like a dog and a cat rolled into one. They enjoy playing (like cats) and are quite intelligent (like dogs.) This member of the weasel family includes minks, otters, skunks, martens, fishers, and wolverines. Unlike dogs which calm down and slow down as they get older, ferrets like to play their entire lives.

Did you know that ferrets can catch colds like humans? They can even catch a cold from a human (and return the favor as well!) Just because they are small, ferrets take work. Making sure that the litter box is clean, ample play time, enough food and fresh water, and enough toys to distract them from chewing on furniture, are all things to take into consideration when considering a pet ferret.

Aftermath of Hurricane Irene

The Enslow home office is quiet today. Most people had a hard time getting to the office or couldn't even get here because of the roads. Others have flooded basements and damage from trees. Some of the rivers are still rising and overflowing their banks.

We made sure to lift computers off the ground on Friday as a precaution. The office itself is in good shape. Luckily our building does not have a second floor, but we do have a flat roof, which can be a problem.

It's after events like this, that I look for some interesting facts and tidbits to pull from Enslow books. I just read in Hurricanes that if a named storm causes a tremendous amount of damage, that name is then retired and will not be used again. Created by meteoroligists, the names list are common first names in the languages of the regions where the storms strike.

One of the chapters in the book has sub-headings of whipping winds, storm surges, heavy rains, and tornadoes. Each of those things occurred in every state that was hit by Irene, except Vermont.

Author Laura Nunn Signs Books

This past weekend author Laura Nunn signed books from her Far-Out and Unusual Pets series and her Yucky Science series at a local bookshop.

Her friend, who is an animal expert, brought along some cool animals including a ferret, hissing cockroaches, a chinchilla, a degu, a dove, and some turtles. As you can see from the picture, the kids were intrigued!

Are your students asking questions about the earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan?

For those students who are asking questions about earthquakes and tsunamis, two titles will help them understand.

Earthquakes, written for the reluctant reader, examines what causes an earthquake, how scientists measure them, and provides tips to stay safe during this natural disaster. The well-respected authors also explore the dangerous aftermaths of earthquakes including landslides, fires, and tsunamis.

Tsunami, also written for the reluctant reader, discusses one particular tsunami that occurred in Hawaii on April 1, 1946, and took the lives of 150 people. That particular tsunami was one of the worst in the state's history. Author Mary Dodson Wade also explains the geophysics of tsunamis and how scientists predict future tsunami events.

Interested in getting an unusual pet?

How about a ferret, a hairless cat, a hermit crab, a hissing cockroach, an iguana, or a potbellied pig! Enslow's new elementary series, Far-Out and Unusual Pets, covers all of these animals. Each 48 page book, written by Alvin and Virginia Silverstein and Laura Silverstein Nunn, covers the feeding and care of these unusual pets.

With plans on adding to this series in the future, check out the six that are currently available!

Today is World Diabetes Day

I just saw something on tv about today being World Diabetes Day. Do your students need information about this disease?

Teens will find a lot of information in Enslow's new Investigating Diabetes title.

Middle school students will find information in The Diabetes Update.

posted by Pam

Here Comes Hurricane Earl!

With Hurricane Earl heading up the East Coast of the United States, we thought it would be interesting to learn more about these storms.

Hurricanes develop in the North Atlantic Ocean, the northeastern Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Caribbean Sea. Typhoons are storms that develop in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, near Japan and the Philippines. Storms that develop near Australia and the Indian Ocean are called cyclones. These are all tropical cyclones, and are used to describe "any storm over the tropical oceans that spins in a circle around a center of low pressure." They are known by different names, depending on where they form.

Hurricanes: The Science Behind Killer Storms discusses Hurricane Katrina, explains how hurricanes are tracked, gives tips for staying safe during one of these storms, and more. This title is part of The Science Behind Natural Disasters series.

Enslow introduces its new Yucky Science series

With all of the talk about bedbugs recently, we thought we'd include a little bit of information about them.

"During the daytime, bedbugs hide in places close to where people sleep. Their tiny, flat bodies make it easy for them to slip into little cracks in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards."

They then come out at night and get "their blood meal from sleeping humans."

Gross! The quotes above were from Dung Beetles, Slugs, Leeches, and More: The Yucky Animal Book.

See the entire series here.

Possible tornado in Dundee, MI

While driving home from visiting family yesterday, I drove past the Cabela's in Dundee, MI. I had seen on the news (earlier in the morning) that a possible tornado had damaged Cabela's. Seeing the damage was eerie (to be honest, I did not see any damage to Cabela's, but I did see damage to the building next door). Granted, I was driving, and there was a lot of traffic trying to get off the highway at that exit, so I could not get a really good look, but what I saw made me think it might have been a tornado. The roof of the water park next to Cabela's was damaged (and missing in some places). Made me want to get into the office and start looking through Enslow's Tornadoes book and learn more.