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.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The video below shows how to create a paper shamrock chain from the Paper Crafts for St. Patrick's Day book.

Create paper crafts for Easter!

This was one of our more popular posts from last year, so we thought we would post again for Easter! Have fun!

Looking for an easy craft to do with your elementary students? How about creating Easter place mats?

What You Will Need:
pencil
tracing paper
construction paper—12 x 18 inches in various colors
scissors
white glue
markers or crayons

1. Use a pencil and tracing paper to transfer the designs (found below) to a 12 x 18-inch sheet of purple construction paper. Note: You may use any three colors you wish, but in this example, we are using purple, white, and green.

2. Cut along the solid lines of the patterns.

3. Cut two 1 1/2 x 18-inch strips of white construction paper and two 1 1/2 x 18-inch strips of green construction paper.

4. Carefully weave the green paper strips through the designs you cut along the long sides of the purple construction paper.

5. Carefully weave the white paper strips through the designs you cut in the shorts sides of the purple construction paper. Trim and decorate the white ends that stick out as you wish.

6. Use a drop of white glue to secure the strips in place at the corners.

7. Decorate the place mats with markers or crayons as you wish.

It's Mardi Gras!

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-3724-3
Paper ISBN 978-1-59845-334-8

Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday") is being celebrated in New Orleans today, as well as in other cities around the world. It is also the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent. Since Lent is a forty-day period of fasting and penitence observed by many Christian churches, Mardi Gras is seen as the day to have parties, parades, and feasts of food.

Want to make some crafts for Mardi Gras? Randel McGee has written a great book for elementary students, with instructions and patterns for making seven different crafts (2 different masks, 2 different necklaces, a rhythm maker, a cap, and a crown,) as well as a Mardi Gras mask card.

Kwanzaa Craft

Kwanzaa is a family holiday that lasts from December 26 to January 1. Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor, and his friends created Kwanzaa in 1966. They wanted African Americans to have a special holiday to celebrate family and community.

Mkeka Craft 

The mkeka (m-KAY-kah) is the woven mat that decorates the Kwanzaa table. It is usually woven from straw or other natural fibers. Kwanzaa symbols such as the kinara, the seven candles, the unity cup, the ears of corn, and the basket of fruits and vegetables are placed on a mkeka.

What You Will Need

ruler
pencil
scissors
yellow construction paper
light-brown construction paper

What to Do

1. Use a ruler and pencil to draw lines that are 2 inches apart and 18 inches long on yellow construction
    paper. Use a ruler and pencil to draw lines that are 2 inches apart and 18 inches long on the light-brown
    construction paper.

2. Cut along the lines on both sheets of paper.

3. Weave all the strips of light-brown paper and all the strips of yellow paper together.

4. Glue all loose ends. Let dry.

Looking for Easy Christmas Crafts?

Randel McGee specializes in paper crafts. 

Watch Randel McGee's how-to video to create an easy Christmas craft from our Paper Crafts for Christmas book. This book is written in simple language with step-by-step instructions and photos illustrating each step. Patterns for the crafts are also included.

Available in library binding and paperback.

Halloween Book Offers Tips For Safe, Fun Crafts

With Halloween less than thirty days away, librarians, teachers, and parents are eager to find ways to tap into childrens' enthusiasm about the holiday. Hands-on activities are a case in point. They offer kids a safe, fun entree to Halloween, while providing a useful, spirited path for their creative imaginations. Author Randel McGee delivers both "ways in" to Halloween enjoyment via his Enslow book Paper Crafts for Halloween.

This wonderful title, part of Enslow's "Paper Craft Fun for Holidays" series, features step-by-step instructions and photos illustrating each step. McGee's 48-page book also includes a brief introduction to the holiday. And the work's 5.2 Accelerated Reader level makes it a solid choice for readers in fifth and sixth grades.

To get a sense of McGee's engaging personal style and craft designing skill, visit this link for a YouTube video of him in action. Meanwhile, Paper Craft Fun for Halloween is available in a library-bound edition for $17.95; that represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price for McGee's book. 

"Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!" with Enslow's "Paper Crafts for Mardi Gras"

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-59845-334-8
Library-bound ISBN: 978-0-7660-3724-3

Mardi Gras offers an excellent opportunity for young readers to explore the holiday's excitement and meaning. The day's vibrant, colorful masks, costumes, and floats provide an imaginative treasure for children to enjoy. Tapping into that reservoir of images and culture is Enslow Publishers' Paper Crafts for Mardi Gras book.

Author and storyteller Randel McGee's book is written in simple language, with step-by-step instructions and photos illustrating each craft project. These easy-to-follow activities allow readers to enjoy a "hands-on" activity that builds understanding and fun associations with New Orleans' famous holiday. As the saying goes, "Laissez les bon temps rouler" when you use this wonderful 48-page, full-color book.

This title, part of Enslow's "Paper Craft Fun for Holidays" series, is available in paperback for $7.95 from Enslow Classroom. A library-bound version is also available to school and library institutional buyers for $17.95 when buying directly from Enslow. The library-bound price represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for this item.

Reviewers Needed!

We are looking for a few great people to review our Paper Craft Fun for Holiday series. Just in time for Presidents' Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, and Easter, these paper craft books bring fun to the holidays! They are written by internationally known storyteller, Randel McGee who creates amazing crafts out of paper. Written in simple language, each book contains a short introduction to the holiday and step-by-step instructions with photos illustrating each step. They are recommended for grades 3–4 and support the Social Studies, History, and Art curricula.

If you think you might be interested in writing a review for any of these titles, please email us today at customerservice@enslow.com for details!

ISBN: 978-1-59845-333-1
Paperback $7.95

ISBN: 978-1-59845-334-8
Paperback $7.95

 

ISBN: 978-1-59845-337-9
Paperback $7.95



ISBN: 978-1-59845-335-5
Paperback $7.95

Craft Books for Day Four of Our Pick-A-Page Giveaway!



ISBN #:  978-0-7660-3726-7
$23.93

   
     Today is day four of our Pick-A-Page Giveaway and we have some engaging craft books to win! Randel McGee is the author of Enslow’s Paper Craft Fun for Holidays series, and these 12 titles are sure to interest children in grades three through four. Two upcoming holidays that would be fun to celebrate with paper crafts are Chinese New Year and Presidents’ Day. Chinese New Year is Monday, January 23rd and Randel McGee has an interesting You Tube video of him putting together the Dancing Dragon Puppet from our Paper Crafts for Chinese New Year title. Presidents’ Day is Monday, February 20th and making crafts in Enslow’s new title in this series, Paper Crafts for Presidents’ Day would be a festive way to observe this national holiday!

    For our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, go to one of our e-catalogs and pick a page of titles you would like to receive for free. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment on Facebook, letting us know which page you would like to receive. For everyone who enters, they will receive one book from the page they requested. One winner will be chosen by random at the end of the week, and that person will receive a copy of every book on that page. The winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday!

Yesterday was Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day!

ISBN: 978-0-7660-2952-1
Grades 3–4

This activity is great for this time of year, especially with kids being out of school. Granted, here on the East Coast we haven't had snow since Halloween, but the thought of creating paper snowflakes is appealing!

Paper Crafts for Christmas contains instructions for making eight different paper crafts, including snowflakes. If making snowflakes doesn't appeal to you, you can also make a wreath, a Christmas tree, a pop-up chimney card, an ornament, and more!

Randel McGee wrote and created all of the crafts.

Looking for books on Mardi Gras?

978-0-7660-3724-3
Grades 3-4
Paperback: 978-1-59845-334-8

Tuesday, February 21 is Mardi Gras, which is French for "Fat Tuesday." Mardi Gras takes place the day before Ash Wednesday, which is traditionally the first day of Lent.

Enslow's Paper Crafts for Mardi Gras, written by Randel McGee, contains eight paper craft projects readers can make to symbolize the holiday. Making masks, necklaces, a rhythm maker, a cap, a crown, or a card is fun and easy to do with the simple instructions included with each craft. A list of needed items is also included.

Enslow's "Paper Crafts for Christmas" Offers Hands-On Holiday Craft Fun

Children are already in mid-season form for Christmas excitement. Channeling this good feeling and energy into spirited, fun activities requires suitable materials and a little bit of planning. Books featuring hands-on activities, such as craft creation, offer useful ways to go that are suitable for classrooms and for the home.

Enslow's excellent Paper Crafts for Christmas provides the activities and step-by-step instructions needed for successful holiday activities. Author and storyteller Randel McGee's book is written in simple language, with photos illustrating each step in the preparation and execution of each craft. The book contains patterns and projects appropriate for the holiday. McGee's 48-page work also contains a short introduction to the holiday, so that young readers better understand the craft activities' connection to this special time of year.

McGee's book is part of Enslow's twelve-title "Paper Craft Fun for Holidays" series. Each title is available in library-bound editions for $17.95 (price represents a 25% institutional discount for schools and libraries).

Prepare for Holiday Activities with Enslow Holiday Craft Books

Library ISBN: 978-0-7660-3722-9
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-59845-336-2

The secret to school and library holiday activity success is advance preparation. For year-end celebrations, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, that means now is the time to purchase the books your young readers need.

Among the most practical additions you can make to your holiday book collection is Enslow Publishers' "Paper Craft Fun for Holidays" series. This outstanding ensemble features books filled with fun, manageable hands-on activities suitable for young children. Written by popular author and storyteller Randel McGee, each title provides step-by-step instructions and useful "how-to" photos. The text, embracing AR ranges from 4.8-5.5, also includes a short introduction to the holiday, so that young readers connect the activity to an enriched context.

The series includes books on year-end holidays, such as Halloween, Day of the Dead, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Libary-bound editions of each title in the 12-book series is available to schools and libraries for $17.95 (a 25% discount from Enslow's list prices). Paperback editions of selected titles, including Paper Crafts for Thanksgiving, are available for $7.95.

Free Valentine's Day craft

Fun Valentine's Day fact: Did you know that nearly one billion valentine cards are exchanged every year in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia?

Want to make a lacy heart card for your valentine?

What you will need:
white office paper
red office paper or construction paper
scissors
hole punch (optional)
white glue
markers or crayons

1. Put a sheet of white paper and a sheet of red paper together. Fold the papers in half. Cut a half-heart shape. Unfold. You now have two paper hearts.
2. Fold the white heart in half lengthwise. Cut designs along the edge. Cut small hearts, flowers, or other shapes in the paper. Use a hole punch to create designs if you wish.
3. Glue the white heart to the red heart. Let dry.
4. Use markers or crayons to write your special valentine message.

That's it! This craft can be found in Paper Crafts for Valentine's Day, part of Enslow's Paper Craft Fun for Holidays series, written by Randel McGee. This title is available in both a library binding and paperback.

VIDEO: Enslow author Randel McGee demonstrates a fun craft!

Just in time for Halloween, Enslow's author Randel McGee demonstrates how to make "Goofy Googles" out of paper, straight from his Paper Crafts for Halloween book by Enslow Publishers. Click here to see the video!

Randel is an expert of paper crafts and has written an entire series for Enslow, Paper Craft Fun for Holidays.