It's National Tooth Fairy Day!

Tooth Fairy traditions are popular among kids all over the world. Lost baby teeth are placed under pillows at night with hopes that a surprise will be waiting for them in the morning.

In our book, Dentists Help Us, part of our All About Community Helpers series, early readers learn how dentists can help them take care of their teeth.

Happy National Tooth Fairy Day!


Watch for our new Handy Healthy Guide to Your Teeth to be published this fall as part of our Handy Health Guides series for older readers in grades 5–up.

Happy National Tooth Fairy Day!

Grow a Cup of Green

Ireland has many fields of green grass. This year on St. Patrick's Day, you can grow some green grass of your own. Check out this activity from our What is St. Patrick's Day? book from Enslow's I Like Holidays! series.

You Will Need:

• a small package of oat seeds (You can find these at animal feed stores and some garden centers.)
• a small plastic or paper cup
• potting soil
• water

What You Do:

1. Put about an inch of potting soil in the cup. Cover the top of the soil with oat seeds. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of soil. Be sure not to put on too much soil. Add some water to wet the soil.
2. Place the cup in a sunny window. Water it a little bit every day. In about five days, you will have your own cup of green grass for St. Patrick's Day. 

Library Edition ISBN 978-0-7660-3704-5
Paperback ISBN 978-1598452914

Available from Enslow.com, Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, or your preferred vendor.

We're Doing a Happy Dance!

YAY!

It is officially less than one month until Spring! 

We are anxiously awaiting March 20 at 7:02 a.m E.D.T.

You can read about the first day of seasons on the Old Farmer's Almanac web site.

Happy Ferris Wheel Day!

Library Binding ISBN: 978-0-7660-2845-6
Grades 5–6

Library Binding ISBN: 978-0-7660-3964-3
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4644-0132-9
Grades 1–2

Chicago was chosen to have the 1893 World's Fair. The fair's planners wanted to impress the crowds that were sure to attend. Just four years earlier, the 984-foot Eiffel Tower had been built for the Paris World's Fair. The tower was like an iron bridge to the sky. American civil engineers competed in a nationwide contest for an idea to outdo the French Eiffel Tower.

The boldest ideas were for taller towers. Then one engineer had a different idea. George Ferris drew plans for a 250-foot wheel that could carry over two thousand people high into the sky.Some people think George Ferris got his idea for the Ferris Wheel by watching a water wheel, like this one, near his home.

Mr. Ferris gave the World's Fair directors his drawings for his giant wheel. But the directors decided against a wheel for the fair. They were sure it could not survive Lake Michigan's strong winds.

In November 1892, the World's Fair directors still had nothing to beat the Eiffel Tower. They finally agreed to let George build his wheel but with his own money. George found some wealthy investors who said the 250-foot wheel should be called the Ferris Wheel.

When the fair finally opened on May 1, 1893, George's wheel was not finished. But on June 10, the crew began hanging the thirty-six carriages. Finally, at three o'clock on June 21, 1893, George's Ferris wheel opened for business. A ride on the Ferris Wheel cost fifty cents, which was also how much it cost to get into the fair.

Because George dared to dream big and follow his dream, today millions of people all over the world have a great time riding Ferris wheels.

Today, the London Eye in London, England is one of the world's most famous Ferris wheels. About ten thousand people ride it each day. Currently, the world's largest observation wheel is the Singapore Flyer.

But world's largest Ferris wheel may be coming to New York City's Staten Island waterfront with construction to possibly begin in early 2014.  The proposed wheel would stand at approximately 625 feet.

Who didn't receive a Grammy nomination?

The 55th Grammy Awards air this Sunday with Bruno Mars, Rhianna and Sting, and Kelly Clarkson headlining the event.Check out the current list of award nominees.

Taylor Swift is up for three nominations this year. She has 12 prior nominations and six Grammy wins. 

Who didn't receive a Grammy nomination? Well, lots of talented artists but most were surprised that 
Justin Bieber wasn't on the list for his album "Believer."

This fall we'll be adding more singing sensations to our list of our celebrity biographies including Latina star Demi Lovato, Adele, and hip-hop artist Drake. Which other musicians you would like to see added to our list of celebrity biographies? 

Happy Golden Birthday Justin Timberlake

A successful musician and actor, Justin Timberlake turns 31 on the 31st which makes it his "Golden Birthday" this year. 

Justin at a Glance:

Full name: Justin Randall Timberlake

Birthday: January 31, 1981

Nickname: JT

Height: 6 feet 2 inches

Favorite color: Blue

Favorite food: Breakfast cereal

Enjoys: Golfing, skiing, and snowboarding

Favorite sport: Basketball

Collects: Sports jerseys and sneakers

Fears: Snakes, sharks, and spiders

For more fun facts about Justin Timberlake and his successful career, check our Justin Timberlake: Breakout Music Superstar  from our Hot Celebrity Biographies series available in both library binding and in paperback from Enslow, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your preferred vendor.

Watch for more celebrity biographies coming this fall. The list is sizzling with stars like Adele, Demi Lovato, Drake, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Logan Lerman!

Edgar Allan Poe Birthday January 19th

Edgar Allen Poe was born January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. U.S. American short-story writer, poet, critic, and editor Edgar Allan Poe's tales of mystery and horror made him known as the inventor of the detective story and the master of the macabre. 

In Dark Graphic Tales by Edgar Allan Poe from our Dark Graphic Novels series, playright and theater director Denise Despeyroux and illustrator Miquel Serratosa take you on a dark, mysterious journey through three of Poe's short stories: 

Embark on a treasure hunt in "The Gold Bug"

 Visit an insane asylum in "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether"

Face psychological terror in "The Fall of the House of Usher"

ISBN: 978-0-7660-4086-1

This middle-school-level graphic novel features vivid illustrations and simplified language while keeping the dark, eerie tones of the original works. All of the titles in this series includes safe 'PG' text and illustrations.

This book is available from Enslow, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your preferred vendor.

The answer is....

Walter Dean Myers!

Drawing upon his own struggles and experiences, Myers has written award-winning novels such as Hoops, Scorpions, and Slam!–realistic stories that appeal to readers of all backgrounds and cultures. Today, Walter Dean Myers is a New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author who has garnered much respect and admiration for his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young people. Winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award, he is considered one of the preeminent writers for children.

Walter Dean Myers: A Biography of an Award-Winning Urban Fiction Author from our African-American Icons series is available just in time to celebrate Black History Month.

Available from Enslow, Barnes and Noble, Amazon or your preferred vendor.

Tennessee Celebrates Elvis' Birthday and Peyton's Playoff

Mississippi-born Elvis Presley and Louisiana-born Peyton Manning have one thing in common: they both made their names in Tennessee. We were reminded of this when we looked at the calendar today. January 8th is the late King's birthday; he would have been 78 years old and, well, still the King. Young readers can find out more about Presley's fascinating career in Enslow Publishers' unauthorized biography of the entertainer. Author John Micklos, Jr.'s 160-page work explores Presley's background, his rise through the music business, and his evolution into a movie and Vegas star.

Meanwhile, aristocrats of a different type will perform in the National Football League playoffs this Sunday. Peyton Manning, who graduated from and played for the University of Tennessee football team, will lead the Denver Broncos in their quest for a championship. Peyton, his brother Eli, and their father Archie  have been characterized as football royalty. That family connection is only part of what makes Peyton Manning's life such an uplifting, page-turning story. For readers in Grades 3-4, Enslow's Peyton Manning: Champion Football Star offers an exciting account of the NFL quarterback's life and career. Author Ken Rappoport's 48-page book, part of Enslow's "Sports Star Champions" series, is accompanied by excellent color photos and eye-catching design that will please young readers and especially reluctant readers.

Peyton Manning: Champion Football Star is available directly from Enslow in a library-bound edition for $17.95; that represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price. It is also available from Barnes and Noble or Amazon or your preferred vendor. Meanwhile, Elvis Presley: "I Want to Entertain People" can be purchased in a library-bound edition for $25.95 from Enslow; that price is a 25% discount from Enslow's list price. It is also available from Barnes and Noble,  Amazon, or your preferred vendor.

Did You Know That Louis Braille Could See When He Was Born?

Braille is named after the person who invented it. Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809 in a town near Paris, France. He could see when he was born but when he was three years old, he had a terrible accident. One day, he went to his father's workshop and poked himself in the eye while playing with one of the very sharp tools. His eye became infected and the infection spread causing Louis to become blind.

When Louis was ten, he was sent to a special school for blind children. They had some books written in large capital letters that were raised so that the students could feel them and put them together to figure out the words. Louis read these books, but he thought he could figure out a better way to make books for blind people.

One day when Louis was twelve, a soldier named Charles Barbier visited the school. He told Louis and the other children about his invention called night writing that used raised dots and dashes to represent words. The soldiers used this system to talk to each other in the dark and without speaking so enemy soldiers could not hear them.

Louis thought he could change night writing to make a code for blind people. At fifteen years old, after many tries, Louis created a dot code. He called his system Braille. In 1829, when Louis was twenty years old, he published the first Braille book.

Today, blind people all over the world use Braille to read. Thanks to Braille, words, numbers, and musical notes are no longer just something people see. They are also things people can feel.

View a sample chapter here of What is Braille? from our Overcoming Barriers series which is available from Enslow, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or your preferred vendor.

Happy Birthday J.R.R. Tolkien

Born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, on this day in 1892, he is best known for his original worlds and creatures, many of whom appear in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings stories. Through a thorough exploration of his life and work, Edward Willett brings to life the inner workings of the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien who made fantasy writing what it is today. 

This book includes an "In Your Own Words" section. which draws on several interviews with Tolkien, a timeline, a major works and a selected additional works list, as well as "Words to Know" and a "Further Reading" list. You can preview this book on google books.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Imaginary Worlds from our Authors Teens Love series is available from Enslow, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your preferred vendor.

Meet Annie Biotica!

Look what's new in 2013!

Presented with real-life scenerios of infections, secondary-level readers will experience the scientific method that medical teams and scientists use to decipher symptoms and lab test results in our new Body System Disease Investigations series written by Michelle Faulk, PhD.

Using this mystery diagnosis format, each book contains five chapters, in which each chapter covers a different disease/ailment set up as a "case." 

Helped by the super-sleuth character, "Annie Biotica," this engaging and fun series makes the health and life science content more relevant to the student's own life. 

This series covers life science, body systems, and health in a fun way by formatting each case study in a CSI-like presentation.

Readers will enjoy the graphic-style illustrations and easy-to-read text in these 48-page books. 

This series is available from direct from Enslow as well as from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or your preferred vendor.

Two Enslow Titles Make the 2012 SB&F Best List!

We're jumping for joy! The 2012 SB&F Best List contains a collection of all the highly recommended books and media resources reviewed by SB&F (Science Books & Films) this year and we're excited to have not one, but TWO books make the list this year.

The first book is Recycle: Green Science Projects for a Sustainable Planet from our Team Green Science Projects series. Author, Robert Gardner guides young readers through experiments that show how waste harms the environment and how to limit their impact. Projects that employ the scientific method are sure to engage and excite young minds.

Perfect for science fair projects!

The second book is Don't Let the Barber Pull Your Teeth: Could You Survive Medieval Medicine? by Carmen Bredeson from our Ye Yucky Middle Ages series illustrated by Gerald Kelley. This book also received a two-starred review! For a free educator's guide for this book, click here.

An easy read with vibrant illustrations! Great for reluctant readers.

Congratulations to everyone!

Historical Fiction Adventures: eBooks Available!

Every book in Enslow's award winning "Historical Fiction Adventures" series is now available as an eBook!  "Historical Fiction Adventures" are high-interest, factually accurate short novels about important or infamous events in history.  With engaging writing and an extensive section of non-fiction backmatter, each book in "Historical Fiction Adventures" is great for personal or supplemental reading.

You can find "Historical Fiction Adventures" at all of your favorite eBook retailers:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Apple
Kobo

Library and Paperback editions of all "Historical Fiction Adventures" are available from Enslow Publishers or your preferred vendor.

Enslow's "A Champion Sports Stories" Titles Available as E-books

Enslow Publishers' exciting new fiction titles for young readers are now available as e-books! The new offerings include five works in "A Champion Sports Story" grouping. Each book offer fast-paced, action-packed sports stories suitable for Grade 4 reading levels. These high-interest stories embrace uplifting themes such as teamwork, fair play, and sportsmanship. Each book's length, ranging from 104 to 112 pages,  makes these engaging stories particularly accessible for reluctant readers.

Purchase these Enslow e-books now from Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

Library-bound and paperback editions of "A Champion Sports Story" are also available directly from Enslow Publishers or from your preferred vendor.

E-books available for purchase

Over the next few days we hope to introduce you to some of our new e-books. We will be adding more to the retailers sites as they are ready.

The Holocaust Through Primary Sources series, targeted toward the middle school reader, captures a variety of major events of the Holocaust, using first-person accounts. Through the words of the victims, bystanders, and perpetrators, individual experiences are told in detail. Unknown as well as well-known Holocaust figures are also looked at.

All six titles in this series (Auschwitz, Kristallnacht, Liberation, Rescuing the Danish Jews, Saving Children from the Holocaust, and The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising) are available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and Kobo.

The library and paperback versions of these titles are also available on enslow.com or through your preferred vendor.

Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day

This Saturday, Dec 1 is Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day. I was fortunate that when I was a child my parents frequently took me to bookstores. I wasn't always allowed to buy something but more times than not they bought me a book, magazine, or even a comic book or two.

Today, I still frequently visit bookstores and especially love browsing in used bookstores. This year's surprise Christmas present for my daughter is coming from a used bookstore near her college. She spotted a set of books in the window that caught her eye but the store was closed at the time. Not long after, I visited the store and bought the set of books (which actually turned out to be new and still in the wrapper) and I've hidden them away. (If you're concerned that she might read this ruin the surprise, don't be. This is one thing she doesn't read!)

More recently, we went to another store to browse. My daughter is probably the only person that can browse longer than me in a bookstore. She picked out books. She bought two. I bought her another one. She pointed out several more she wanted for Christmas. More importantly, we enjoyed some special time together before she had to head back to college.

So, take some time this Saturday to take your child to a bookstore. Start a tradition. Create memories. Read together with younger children. Browse displays with older ones. Maybe go back later and buy that special book and surprise someone with it during the holidays.

Learn more about a bookstore near you.that's participating in this year's Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day event.

"Dealing With Stress: A How-to Guide" An Award-Winning Finalist!

CONGRATULATIONS to our author, Lisa Wroble!

Available with library binding, in  paperback, and as an e-book!

We are pleased to announce that, Dealing with Stress: A How-to Guide is an Award-Winning Finalist in the "Young Adult: Non-Fiction" category of The 2012 USA Best Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

This book is available from Enslow, major book distributors, retail bookstores, and online retailers including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Did You Guess Maya Angelou from Our Word Cloud Clue?

Maya Angelou: A Biography of an Award-Winning Poet and Civil Rights Activist is just one of the six titles from our new series African-American Icons that will be published January 1, 2013, just in time for Black History Month. Although not yet released, this series has already received lots of attention and requests for Advanced Reader Copies from reviewers. Other titles in the series include:

Halle Berry: A Biography of an Oscar-Winning Actress

Oprah Winfrey: A Biography of a Billionaire Talk Show Host

Toni Morrison: A Biography of a Nobel Prize-Winning Writer

Walter Dean Myers: A Biography of an Award-Winning Urban Fiction Author

Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star

Click here to reserve your copies today. Pre-Orders also available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.