New YA science fiction novel available soon

Lost Republic, part of Enslow's Scarlet Voyage imprint and written by Paul B. Thompson, is available for pre-order and will be arriving in Enslow's warehouse soon.

In 2055, the future has arrived and the past is departing as the last steamship in the world prepares to cross the Atlantic on its final voyage. Alongside, a great glittering solar-powered vessel sails, too—a beautiful ship filled with beautiful people. On board the steamer are eight teens—some dreamers, some desperate—for whom the last voyage of the S.S. Sir Guy Carleton is only a step on a longer journey.

Soon the ship is far out to sea, and every layer of modern technology fails. Each teen must rely on their own special skills to survive—but where? What is the strange island in the Atlantic, where no island exists? Who are the men who speak an ancient tongue who capture the survivors of the stricken ship? With every breath a new mystery appears, and the desperate dreamers of the Carleton must find a way to live, or escape, the Lost Republic.

This science fiction/fantasy novel for YA readers will be available from your preferred vendor, enslow.com, bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

New Hip Hop series

As part of its fall 2014 list, Enslow is adding a series to its Speeding Star imprint. Hip-Hop Moguls, written for the reluctant reader, is a five-title series. The books in this series include a discography, as well as a list of awards given to each musician. These top-selling artists will keep your reader wanting to read and find out more!

The musicians covered in this series include 50 Cent, Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Ludacris. These titles are available in hardcover and paperback from your preferred vendor, independent bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Birthday of Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Who was she? Ida B. Wells-Barnett was an important and influential journalist at a time when few women had careers. She wrote articles about unfair laws and how African Americans were being hurt. She brought violence against African Americans to the attention of the American people through newspaper articles.

Written by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack, this elementary-level title is perfect for the beginning reader. This title, and the rest of the titles in the Famous African Americans series, are correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards, and are available from your preferred vendor, enslow.com, local bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Learning how to play soccer

With the World Cup taking place, and soccer being the sport to watch these days, Enslow's book, Soccer Skills, teaches the basics of soccer, using action shots of professional players.

This 48 page title, written for the reluctant reader, discusses dribbling, passing, heading, styles of defense, throw-ins, corners and direct kicks, defending a shot while goalkeeping, and many more topics. There is also a diagram listing the different positions and where they are on the field in relation to their teammates.

This title, and the other five titles in the How to Play Like a Pro series, are correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards. The other books in the series cover baseball, basketball, cheerleading, football, and hockey. All of these titles are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Stephanie Kwolek has passed away at the age of 90

Stephanie Kwolek, the American chemist who invented Kevlar®, has passed away.

Countless lives have been saved using products made with Kevlar®, a superstrong fiber invented by Stephanie Kwolek. From bullet-resistant vests to brake pads, her efforts have made the world a safer place.

Written for the upper elementary reader, this title (and the others in the Genius Inventors and Their Great Ideas series) are available in library, paperback, and ebook formats, and can be purchased through your preferred vendor, local bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Titles reviewed in VOYA's June 2014 issue

Three titles in the African-American Icons series were reviewed in the June 2014 issue of VOYA. An excerpt of the review is below:

"The writing is rich and engaging...Readers interested in popular culture are sure to be inspired by the impressive lives of these celebrities who happen to come from humble means."

The books cited in the review are:
Chris Rock: A Biography of a Comic Genius
Jennifer Hudson: A Biography of an American Music Idol
Sean "Diddy" Combs: A Biography of a Music Mogul

These titles are available from your preferred vendor, enslow.com, local bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

New crafts series for fall 2014

Enslow Elementary will be publishing a series of four titles, Fun and Festive Crafts for the Seasons, for fall 2014. Each 48 page book looks at a different season and gives step-by-step instructions on creating different crafts while learning about that particular season. Each title has eight crafts, including puppets and masks made out of various objects and materials.

All four books (and the crafts inside of them) were written and created by Randel McGee. These titles will be available in library and paperback formats. You can pre-order them through your preferred vendor, your local bookstore, enslow.com, amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Review of Chris Rock title in Booklist

Chris Rock, one of the latest titles in the African-American Icons series, was recently reviewed in the June 1 & 15, 2014 issue of Booklist.

An excerpt of the review is below:

"Drawing on multiple interviews with Rock himself, this biography celebrates the candor and honesty of this often controversial comedian."

This title, one of 12 titles in the African-American Icons series, was recently published by Enslow Publishers. Written by Marty Gitlin for the middle school reader, this title, and the others in the series, spotlight the personal and professional accomplishments of inspirational African Americans.

All of the titles in this series are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. They are available from your preferred vendor, enslow.com, local bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Zoom In on Insects reviewed in latest issue of Booklist

Enslow's Zoom In on Insects series, new for spring 2014, was recently reviewed in the June 1 & 15, 2014 issue of Booklist.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

"The Zoom in on Insects! series does just what good science books for a young age group should: offer facts in short but easily understandable texts. Clear and engaging photos help whet readers' appetites to learn more. The titles follow a pattern, introducing habitats, body parts, and how the titular subject evolves…The best part of the series is the wonderfully crisp photos…"

The books cited in the review are Zoom In on Bees, Zoom In on Butterflies, Zoom In on Grasshoppers, and Zoom In on Bugs. The other two titles, Zoom In on Dragonflies and Zoom In on Fireflies were listed as "also recommended from this series."

These titles, written for the elementary reader by Melissa Stewart, are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats, and are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Meet our author, Loren Spiotta-DiMare

As an avid animal lover,Loren has been writing books and magazine articles about various animals for over 30 years. Her current personal menagerie consists of six beloved dogs, numerous pet birds, a rabbit, and a Koi pond. She has been horseback riding on and off throughout her entire life. Five years ago, Elwood, a Quarter Horse, joined the family. "The bond I've developed with Elwood is like no other," Loren says. "Since he is my first horse, I've created a strong support team to care for him including: my trainer, barn manager, vet, farrier, even an equine massage therapist! I now also have a strong social network of friends who also own and love horses. I bring all of my experiences with Elwood, and horses in general, to my writing about them."

Loren is the author of a new Enslow series, Horses That Help with the American Humane Association, written for the upper elementary reader. Each title in the four book series introduces the reader to a different working horse. By the way, Elwood is on the cover of Therapy Horses. The other three titles cover draft horses, police horses, and performing horses.

These titles are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. They can be found through your preferred vendor, local bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Sunday is World Oceans Day

Officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008, World Oceans Day is held on June 8.

In recognition of this day, Our Earth's Oceans, an elementary series from Enslow, is a perfect complement to this day. Each book focuses on a different ocean, with five oceans covered in all. The titles explore and describe the physical characteristics, natural resources, and plant and animal life of the featured ocean.

This series is correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards, as well as individual state standards. These titles are available from your preferred vendor, enslow.com, independent bookstores, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

Today would have been Rachel Carson's birthday

For grades 1–3, author Mary Dodson Wade explores Rachel Carson's life in this biography for beginning readers. Learn how Carson wrote about the environment after her experiences working as a marine biologist. Her books still influence environmentalists today.

Bold. Pioneering. These adjectives describe Rachel Carson who is one of the most important figures of the twentieth-century environmental movement. The author of the book Silent Spring, Carson exposed the environmental harm done by pesticides and helped lead to restrictions on their use. This biography, for grades 6 and up, covers the life and work of Rachel Carson who has been called the mother of the environmental movement.

International Jazz Day

Tomorrow is International Jazz Day. Tomorrow's International Jazz Day Global Concert will be in Osaka, Japan.

Since most of us aren't able to be in Osaka, how about a collective biography on jazz musicians? This middle grade biography discusses the lives of eight jazz musicians.

Available in library, paperback, and eBook formats, this book is available from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, and enslow.com.

Happy Limerick Day

What is a limerick? A limerick is a poem with five lines. Lines 1, 2, and 5 have seven to ten syllables and rhyme with one another. Lines 3 and 4 have five to seven syllables and also rhyme.

The following limerick is from Enslow's April Fool's Day Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone:

When logging onto the Internet
It's almost always a very safe bet
That the fake "news" you'll find
Will be old and behind—
Or it won't quite have happened yet.

This title, and the others in the Funnier Bone Jokes series, are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. They are available in library, paperback, and eBook format.

New review of In the River Darkness

In the River Darkness was reviewed in Library Media Connection's May/June 2014 issue. This title, part of

Enslow's new imprint, Scarlet Voyage, tells the story from the alternating perspectives of Mia, Alex, and Jay. Mia has just moved to town and has befriended brothers Alex and Jay. As the three teens spend more and more time together, strange things start to happen.

An excerpt from the review:

 "Young readers will enjoy Röder's analogical writing style, and will enjoy the brief moments of suspense and mystery."

Other titles in this new imprint include: Code Name Komiko, Freak City, Paint Me a Monster, Spirit of a Mountain Wolf, and What We Did for Love. They can be viewed on www.scarletvoyage.com.

This title, and the others in this imprint, are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, scarletvoyage.com, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. 

Earth Day

Written for the elementary reader, I Love Our Earth is a series that consists of six titles, with each title covering a different environmental issue. These easy-to-read titles include color photographs that bring the text to life.

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

Another Poem for National Poetry Month

The following poem was taken from Death Poetry, a new title in Enslow's Pure Poetry series. This poem was written by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Each of the four books in this series cover a different poetry theme. A

different poet is covered in each chapter, focuses on one poem, and is accompanied by detailed analysis discussing the style and technique, poetic devices, and the cultural significance. Every chapter ends with questions, and prompts students to discuss and assess the featured poems.

Good-by

Good-by, proud world, I’m going home,

Thou’rt not my friend, and I’m not thine;

Long through thy weary crowds I roam;

A river-ark on the ocean brine,

Long I’ve been tossed like the driven foam,

But now, proud world, I’m going home.

Good-by to Flattery’s fawning face,

To Grandeur, with his wise grimace,

To upstart Wealth’s averted eye,

To supple Office low and high,

To crowded halls, to court, and street,

To frozen hearts, and hasting feet,

To those who go, and those who come,

Good-by, proud world, I’m going home.

I’m going to my own hearth-stone

Bosomed in yon green hills, alone,

A secret nook in a pleasant land,

Whose groves the frolic fairies planned;

Where arches green the livelong day

Echo the blackbird’s roundelay,

And vulgar feet have never trod

A spot that is sacred to thought and God.

Oh, when I am safe in my sylvan home,

I tread on the pride of Greece and Rome;

And when I am stretched beneath the pines

Where the evening star so holy shines,

I laugh at the lore and the pride of man,

At the sophist schools, and the learned clan;

For what are they all in their high conceit,

When man in the bush with God may meet.

This entire series is correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards, and can be obtained from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. They are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats.

A Poem for National Poetry Month

The following poem was taken from Beauty Poetry, a new title in Enslow's Pure Poetry series, and was written by William Shakespeare. The four books in this series each cover a different poetry theme. Each chapter looks at one poem accompanied by detailed analysis discussing the style and technique, poetic devices, and the cultural significance. Every chapter ends with questions, and prompts students to discuss and assess the featured poems.

Sonnet 18

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May;

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;

Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

This entire series is correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards, and can be obtained from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. They are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats.

School Library Journal review

Discover Ancient Civilizations, a spring 2014 series for Enslow, was recently reviewed in the April 2014

issue of School Library Journal.

An excerpt is below:

"Going into more depth than similar titles for this age group, these books describe the origins, organization, culture and religion, daily lives, and declines and falls of ancient civilizations. The extra detail is a welcome change from many recent sets that emphasize illustrations over text, and the format allows for ample background..."

This series is correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards, and is available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. These titles are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

April is Financial Literacy month

To help students develop the skills and strategies related to financial planning, saving, and investing, look at

Enslow's new series, Be Smart About Money and Financial Literacy. Written for the middle school reader, each of these six books cover one topic related to money and financial literacy.

Be Smart About Credit, the first title in the series, defines the two ways of looking at debt; the kinds of credit and debt; the costs of credit and debt; what are credit ratings and reports;  knowing rights and responsibilities; and troubleshooting tools. The end of each chapter features a math or word problem.

All six titles in the series are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. There is also a library/eBook bundle. These titles are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

This series is also correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards.