Idol Janis Joplin

Since the Season Finale of American Idol airs tonight, we thought we would highlight our title, Janis Joplin: "Take Another Little Piece of My Heart"  from our American Rebels series. For grades 9–12, author Edward Willett gives a comprehensive biography of legendary singer Janis Joplin, from her childhood singing in the church choir to her adolescent rebellions with the local beatniks through her drug and alcohol use and her amazing musical success. With a powerful and soulful voice, Janis blazed a trail for other female rockers during her short and eventful life.

Books for Memorial Day Activities

Memorial Day, which will be observed this Monday, May 30th, offers timely teaching and learning opportunities to connect our country's history with current events. Where will young readers get the most reliable information about the holiday's background and significance? The most efficiently presented material is found in Enslow Publishers' age-appropriate books on America's military clashes.
Enslow's "The United States at War" series explores the history, personalities, and consequences of our nation's principal conflicts. Each 128-page book offers an attractive design, on-target photographs and illustrations, and useful chapter notes for further research. The six-title series also supports the National Social Studies Standards.

"The United States at War" is available in library-bound editions for school/library 25% discount price of $23.95 per title, and $143.70 for the entire six-book series. Call Enslow Publishers now for additional money-saving offers on this and other reliable nonfiction titles!

Let's do some more limericks!

Here are some more limericks from the Funny Bone Jokes series!

From Sports Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone:

Harriet was hunting all day

hoping to find some big prey.

She was not pleased

when someone sneezed

and scared all the animals away.

From Ha-Ha Holiday Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone:

Independence Day brings celebration,
Hopefully you'll get the invitation.
Fireworks galore
Now guess what's in store?
Cheering throughout the whole nation!

From Animal Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone:

When I went out to my garden on Monday,
I caught a big snake that was gray.
I tried and I tried,
To keep him inside,
Yet he escaped and slithered away.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens on Friday

Would you like to make some crafts to get into the spirit before watching the new movie? Then check out Pirate Ship Adventure Crafts, written for the elementary reader.

Make a pirate crew, treasure chest, pirate ship,and more! You can then use those crafts to create your own story with your students or children.

These books are available in both library and paperback editions.

Congratulations to our newest raffle winner!

Congratulations to Ellen from Holland Public Schools in Michigan for winning Enslow's drawing for free books!

New LeBron James Biography

With basketball great LeBron James currently in the NBA playoffs, Enslow Publishers is receiving many requests for its new biography of the Miami Heat's superstar. Author Kimberly Gatto's lively, 48-page book offers a unique look at "King James'" life and career. It also explores James' philanthropic endeavors, providing readers with additional perspective into this "high character" athlete. Reluctant readers will especially enjoy this Guided Reading Level "O" title.

LeBron James: A Basketball Star Who Cares, part of the six-book "Sports Stars Who Care" series, is available now in a library-bound version. Educational institutions, libraries, and teachers may purchase it directly from Enslow Publishers for the school/library price of $17.95 (a 25% discount from Enslow's list price). A paperback version of the book will be avaiable in Fall 2011.

It's National Police Week

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 Peace Officers Memeorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week.

Part of the Amazing Working Dogs with American Humane, Enslow's Police Dog Heroes explains what types of jobs these dogs do, their training, and what happens when the dog retires. Written for the elementary reader, author Linda Bozzo has also written five other titles (fire dog, guide dog, search and rescue dog, service dog, and therapy dog) in this series.

It's Limerick Day at Enslow!

Thought we would forward some limericks from Enslow's Funny Bone Jokes series.

From Gross Body Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone:

If you're pointing at me I suppose
it should only be done with your toes.
But pointing is rude
except at your food.
It's a rule that everyone knows.

From Weird Science Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone:

Here's a riddle for students you teach:
"What is soft to the touch, like a peach,
Colored beige, covers land,
Mostly made out of sand?"
All the kids will respond, "it's a beach!"

From Food Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone:

A mouse once said to a cat,
"It's chocolate that's making me fat."
So the cat fed him more
Until he was sure
The mouse looked more like a rat.


There are an additional 3 titles in this series.Written for elementary readers, these titles will keep your students laughing!

Don't forget to Use it or Lose it!

Did you get the Enslow email reminding you about the Use It or Lose It offer? You can choose the offer that works best for you and make the most of any money you have before it's gone.

Enslow has 3 different offers: one is for a free flip video camera, one is for a free Kindle, and one is for a free NOOKcolor. Interested in learning more? Click here.

Tomorrow is Clean Your Room Day

Do you think you could have lived in a medieval castle? Did you know that moats were sometimes used for dumping raw sewage? Since these moats might contain sewage, it deterred enemy soldiers from trying to swim across them.

Did you know that most candles were made from hardened animal fat? Oil lamps burned liquid animal fat. Only the very wealthy and churches used beeswax candles because of the expense.

Floors were made of dirt, and were never swept. To clean the floors, layers of straw were added to them. It didn't matter if there was food, sewage, feces, or anything else on the dirt floor. It was covered with straw, and that's how the floors were cleaned!

If you've ever wondered what it was like to live in a medieval castle, then you'll want to read Ye Castle Stinketh. Available this fall from Enslow Publishers, and available in both library and paperback versions, this title, and the rest of the titles in the Ye Yucky Middle Ages series, will keep your reluctant reader students interested. These titles also have a huge gross-out factor!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo is in remembrance of a battle between the Mexican and French armies, a battle fought and won by the Mexicans to gain their independence. Today, people celebrate this day to remember the courage and spirit of the Mexican people.

Cinco de Mayo—Count and Celebrate!, written for elementary readers by Frederick L. McKissack, Jr. and Lisa Beringer McKissack, helps readers learn to count to ten in Spanish, while also helping them explore this holiday through symbols, people, and more.

National Teacher Appreciation Week Book Giveaway

To show our appreciation of teachers, this week we are giving away a free classroom book from our Enslow Classroom website to each of the first ten teachers who email us at customerservice@enslow.com using "Teacher Appreciation Week" in the subject line.

Enslow Classroom offers curriculum-aligned, leveled, non-fiction paperback books.

Interest Levels:

Pre-K series address early education needs of young readers

Elementary series cover content areas in science, language arts, math, health/physical education, and the arts

Middle/High School series focus on language arts topics of high interest, especially for struggling learners

Reading Levels:

Guided Reading Levels

Series Lexile Levels

Accelerated Reading Levels

Curriculum correlations for all fifty states and the District of Columbia

Free downloadable teacher’s guides for each of the titles

Enslow at IRA/Orlando

The 56th annual IRA convention, one of the year's premier occasions for the promotion of reading, will begin on Sunday, May 8th. Enslow will be showcasing its classroom paperbacks at the four-day Orlando event. Participants are welcome to visit Booth 833 for a free Enslow paperback and more information about Enslow's leveled, curriculum correlated paperbacks!

Today is National Arbor Day

National Arbor Day is celebrated the last Friday in April, but did you know that different states celebrate Arbor Day on different days depending on their best tree-planting time? Whatever day your state celebrates Arbor Day it's a great opportunity to connect children with nature using books in your classroom and library.

Our title,  Trees, Weeds, and Vegetables–So Many Kinds of Plants! from our I Like Plants! series includes an activity perfect for Arbor Day celebrations and comes with a free educator's guide available through our website. For grades K–3, this easy-to-read science book fills a need for nonfiction science readers while entertaining students with stunning color photos and fascinating facts. Budding scientists will love discovering the plants in their neighborhood.

Science titles again!

The series Bizarre Science brings an entertaining look at bizarre science topics for reluctant readers. All of these titles are available in both library and paperback bindings.
Bloodsucking Creatures discusses mosquitos, head lice, fleas, and other bloodthirsty creatures. Bugged-Out Insects explores the weird behavior, habits, and characteristics of insects. Doomsday Rocks from Space talks about the scientific evidence that killed off the dinosaurs and the chances of a doomsday rock striking Earth today. Mummy Secrets Uncovered unlocks the secrets of mummies, explores how they were preserved, and what we can learn about their ancient cultures. Weird Meat-Eating Plants describes some of these plants, from how they trap their prey to what they like for dinner!

More Science Titles!

We're continuing to feature our science titles this week with our Score! Sports Science Projects series.

These middle school science project books each contain fifteen science experiments using soccer balls, baseballs, softballs, basketballs, bicycles, skateboards, or skates. Mixing sports and science is a great way to get students involved with science projects. All of the experiments use items commonly found in the home, school or neighborhood. A section of "Ideas for Science Projects" is included at the end of many of the experiments so that the books can be used for science fairs.





ISBN 978-0-7660-3106-7








ISBN 978-0-7660-3365-8



ISBN 978-0-7660-3107-4

ISBN 978-0-7660-3366-5

Launch Career, College Planning with Enslow's "Wild Science Careers" Series

What's "wild" about science careers? Quite a lot, as readers discover in Enslow Publishers' intriguing "Wild Science Careers" series. Students fascinated by rain, wind, and the sea gravitate toward the meteorological careers discussed in Storm Scientist: Careers Chasing Severe Weather. Those who wonder what's inside the planet could consider becoming volcanists, as Lava Scientist: Careers on the Edge of Volcanoes details. For those who enjoy exploring the edgy boundaries of the life sciences, Disease-Hunting Scientist: Careers Hunting Deadly Diseases examines what it takes to be a scientific player in this field.

Each title in the full-color, library-bound "Wild Science Careers" series includes a glossary, useful chapter notes, a further reading list, and an index. Each book in this six-book ensemble is available to schools and libraries directly from Enslow Publishers for $23.95. This price includes the 25% school/library discount off Enslow's list price for each title.

On this day in 1874

Radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi was born in Bologna, Italy.

Interested in reading more? Enslow's Inventor's Who Changed the World series includes Marconi and Tesla. Written for the middle school student, this biography of these two radio pioneers, written by Stephen Feinstein, will be of interest to readers.

Celebrate Earth Day

Check out our new Team Green Science Projects series for Earth Day.

Today especially, it's in the news and on people's minds: How do we use fewer resources to help our planet? Each book in this series covers topics about the environment and green technology. Using the scientific method, readers will engage in experiments from life, physical, and earth science while learning what they can do to go green. With a lifetime achievement award for his science writing, Robert Gardner presents great ideas for winning science fair projects for grades 5–up.



ISBN  978-0-7660-3648-2












ISBN 978-0-7660-3645-1



ISBN 978-0-7660-3647-5



ISBN 978-0-7660-3646-8



ISBN 978-0-7660-3644-4



ISBN 978-0-7660-3643-7

Ready for Astronomy Day on May 7?

Astronomy Day is a grassroots movement designed to share astronomy with the general public. It is scheduled to occur on a Saturday between mid-April and mid-May at or just before the first quarter Moon.

Enslow's new series, Far-Out Guide to the Solar System, is a great match for Astronomy Day. Geared toward upper elementary and middle school readers, and available in both library and paperback bindings, these 12 titles cover the different planets, as well as asteroids and comets, and the icy dwarf planets.

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!

Books for Upcoming Kindergarten Day

On Thursday, April 21st, Kindergarten Day will be celebrated. The day corresponds with the birthday of the 19th German pedagogue Friedrich Frobel, who was principally responsible for the "kindergarten" concept and its practical realization. His followers opened the first kindergartens in the United States in the years prior to the Civil War.

Since that time, kindergartens have become a staple of American education, especially through its importance in enhancing a child's reading skills. Five Enslow Publishers' series target this critical need. The quintet consists of the following series:

• All About My Body
• All About Shapes
• All About Baby Animals
• All About Colors
• All About Holidays

Each series includes six, 24-page full-color books offering an enriching blend of fun reading and useful content. The Guided Reading Level "B" titles are ideal for emerging readers or those who require a scaffolded approach to reading interest and success. A teacher's guide is available for each title in all five series.

Paperback editions of each book cost $6.95; "six-packs" of each paperback title are available for the 10% discount price of $41.70. Library-bound editions are available to schools and libraries for $15.95.

On this day in 1775

Paul Revere (and William Dawes) rode from Boston towards Lexington, warning everyone along the way that the British were coming.

Enslow's new series, The United States at War, includes The American Revolution: From Bunker Hill to Yorktown. In this book, middle school students will learn about this famous ride. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized Paul Revere in a poem. Because the name Revere rhymes more easily then the name Dawes, one man became a legend, while the other was nearly forgotten.

April is STD Awareness Month

Here is some information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Are you looking for books for your high school students? Enslow's Investigating Diseases series includes a title on STDs. Written by Marylou Ambrose and Veronica Deisler, real-life examples of how teens deal with these issues are mixed with data from scientific studies, tips on how to live with and treat STDs, and the history of STDs.

Other topics in the series include depression and bipolar disorder; diabetes; eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating); influenza and bird flu; and tuberculosis and superbugs.

Tina Fey

Tina Fey, comedic star who as won awards for her work as both a writer and performer, has recently appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show." With the recent release of her new book, Bossypants, she's in the news now more than ever. But what young people may not know is that in addition to entertaining millions, Fey has made a difference in people's personal lives.

ISBN 978-0-7660-3557-7

For grades 6–up our biography, Tina Fey: TV Comedy Superstar is a great way for students to learn more about this fascinating star.

Enslow Celebrates "Drop Everything And Read" Day

"Drop Everything And Read Day," an annual event that occurs on April 12th, encourages families to spend at least thirty minutes in a reading activity. The day's organizers envision the day as an opportunity for children, in particular, to read something of their own choosing, rather than "required" academic reading. For kids looking for a way into exploring a blended world of the imagination and fact-based context, we suggest a title from Enslow Publishers' Historical Fiction Series. These 160-page books, such as Hannah Pritchard: Pirate of the Revolution, offer compelling narratives and vivid characters woven together with author Bonnie Pryor's accessible, age-appropriate writing style. Accelerated Reading scores for these books range from 4.7 to 7.0.

Library-bound versions of all nine books in Enslow's "Historical Fiction Adventures" are available directly from Enslow Publishers for the discounted school/library price of $20.95. Selected titles are available in paperback for $14.95.

National Robotics Week

Grades 5-up
ISBN 978-0-7660-3303-0

April 9th through April 17th calls for the celebration of the second annual National Robotics Week. Whether there's a robotic club in your school, or you want to raise awareness of robotic technology, or just because students think robots are cool, Enslow's title, Robot Experiments teaches readers what makes a robot work. Hands-on experiments and steps on how to design, build, and program their very own robots are broken down into simple ideas that students can grasp.

Today's holiday is

No housework day, as per the calendar of Bizarre and Unique holidays.

In Houses of the Past, Present, and Future, author Linda Bozzo gives elementary readers the opportunity to imagine what houses will be like in the future.

Other titles in this series include: at play, schools, getting around, community helpers, and staying in touch.

April is National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month so why not celebrate with our Poetry Rocks! series? Each title in this series introduces readers to a number of poets in each volume, giving them the background they need to understand and appreciate poetry. They even include analyses on selected poems. This series fulfills IRA/NCTE Standards for English/Language Arts.

Grades 9–12, 160 pages

Titles in the series cover contemporary American poetry, early American poetry, early British poetry, modern American poetry, modern British poetry, and world poetry.

School and library price: $25.95 per title
Series of 6 : $155.70

Authentic Civil War Music CD Enriches Study of Conflict's 150th Anniversary

Tuesday, April 12th will mark the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War's first shots fired in anger. The day will include many commemorative events and ongoing exhibits, with the Library of Congress' show of Civil War photographs being among the best.

Teachers and librarians looking to offer added enrichment to print and digital learning opportunities should consider using Enslow Publishers' CD of music of the Civil War. Entitled When Johnny Comes Marching Home, the compact disc includes 18 songs associated with the conflict. The CD offers a high level of musicianship, and features performers such as pianist Jacqueline Schwab (who played the piano on Ken Burns' acclaimed Civil War series). Liner notes include sources of the music, lyrics, explanations of historical references, and comments about what the songs teach us about that era.

Johnny Comes Marching Home is available to schools, teachers, and libraries for the discounted price of $17.95, plus shipping and handling.

Yesterday was Tell a Lie Day

Teaching kids to be honest is not an easy task. Who didn't lie when they were young? Enslow's series Character Education with Super Ben and Molly the Great tackles this subject, along with tardiness, sharing, citizenship, responsibility, caring, courage, and healthy habits.

Molly the Great Tells the Truth, available in both library and paperback editions, starts with Molly (the rabbit) and Ben (the bear) jumping on the couch. After being told my Molly's father to stop jumping, they continue and Molly falls off of the couch, landing on her crown and breaking it. She then has to explain to her father how the crown broke, and gets caught being dishonest.

These early elementary readers combine character education with early literacy skills.

African-American Soldiers in the Civil War

African-American Soldiers in the Civil War: Fighting for Freedom, by Carin T. Ford.

School Library Journal (SLJ), March 2011 Review:

"This clear overview examines both the triumphs and hardships of black soliders..."

Publisher Description: The role of blacks in the Civil War has been largely overlooked in history books. Many students are unaware that thousands upon thousands of black soldiers risked their lives for the chance to live as free Americans. After a concise introduction to slavery and the Civil War, author Carin T. Ford paints a vivid picture of black soldiers on and off the battlefield—the obstacles they faced, the determination with which they fought, and their status in the aftermath of the war. This well-researched narrative is chock-full of riveting, heartbreaking, and inspiring facts and true stories of sacrifice and bravery.

48 pages, full color photographs,
Elementary level reading level
ISBN-13:  978-0-7660-2254-6

The Cobra Has Been Found!

We can all be at ease (me especially) knowing that the cobra that escaped from the Bronx Zoo Reptile House has been found. Whew! To celebrate we're spotlighting our Biggest vs. Smallest Slimy, Scaly Creatures title. Students can read about and compare the biggest and smallest lizards, frogs, and snakes in this 24-page book for grades K–3.

ISBN 978-0-7660-3579-9

Booklist's Top 10 Series Nonfiction

In it's April 1, 2011 issue, Booklist has included True Stories of Teens in the Holocaust as part of its Top 10 Series Nonfiction.

These gripping primary-source accounts capture the youth experience during the Holocaust. Written for the high school student, the true-life accounts are great for reports.

Don't forget that today is March 31!

This is the last day in March, so if you want to enter Enslow's raffle to win free books, do it now!

Baseball Season Begins March 31st

Believe it or not, the major league baseball season is upon us. Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, March 31st. For young readers who follow the sport, Enslow offers a number of 100-plus page titles focusing on popular baseball stars. Among the fun, well-written books are Albert Pujols: MVP On and Off the Field, Derek Jeter: Captain On and Off the Field, and Andruw Jones: All-Star On and Off the Field. These Guided Reading Level "V" titles are among those included in the nine-book "Sports Stars with Heart" series. Paperback versions of each title are $9.95 via Enslow's teacher-focused Enslow Classroom website. A free, downloadable teacher's guide for each title in the series is also available on the Enslow Classroom site.

In addition, all books in the "Sports Stars with Heart" series are available in library-bound editions.

Texas Library Association Annual Conference 2011

If you're attending the Texas Library Association Conference April 12th–15th at the Austin Convention Center, be sure to stop by and visit us at booth # 2846!

Joke Friday

For March Madness we thought everyone might enjoy a basketball joke from our Funny Bone Jokes series.

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Sara.

Sara who?

Sara player I can count on to make a basket?

For Grades 3–4

Tomorrow is the 100th Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

One of the most horrific events in the history of New York City, until September 11, 2001, was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which claimed the lives of 146 garment workers, most of whom were recent immigrant Jewish women. This factory occupied the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the Asch Building, which was in Greenwich Village, close to Washington Square Park. The doors to the stairwells and exits had been locked, which meant that for some of these women, their only means of escape was jumping out of windows.

As a result of this fire, many cities and states passed anti-sweatshop laws and improved fire codes.

Suzanne Lieurance, who wrote The Locket, a historical fiction title about the fire, also wrote The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and Sweatshop Reform in American History, geared toward the middle school reader.

The Locket, also geared toward the middle school reader, discusses the life of Galena, an eleven-year-old Russian Jewish immigrant who works with her older sister Anya at the Triangle Shirtwaist company, and is a witness to the fire.

Suzanne also created a book trailer on The Locket:

It's Snowing!

Yesterday we blogged about spring and today I thought I just saw a polar bear walk past our front door. I'm just kidding, but really folks it's snowing again in New Jersey! So, despite the fact that it's officially spring, today I thought it would be appropriate to highlight our new series Animals of the Snow and Ice. Readers will discover how these animals survive extreme habitats of snow and ice. For grades 3–4 these books are 32 pages packed with full-color illustrations that highlight the white environment of these animals. This series supports the National Science Education Standards for Life Science.