Christmas Joke of the Day!

Question: What's red and white and red and white and red and white? 

Answer: Santa rolling down a hill! Author Ameilia LaRoche has fun with corny, funny and silly jokes in Ho-Ho-Ho Christmas Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone! from our new Funnier Bone Joke series.

Emily Dickinson poem on her birthday

Born on this day in 1830, Emily Dickinson would leave a legacy of almost 1,800 poems and many letters. Her grandfather, Samuel Fowler Dickinson, founded Amherst College in Massachusetts. Emily was born in a house in Amherst, called the Homestead. Emily spent much of her adult life in that house.

Considered one of the most important poets in American literature, Dickinson expressed a dark pessimism, which reflected the alienation of many American intellectuals after the Civil War. She was also known for being very private, which only made the public more fascinated with her personal life.

Below is one of her poems, written about nature:

Nature is what we see,
The Hill, the Afternoon—
Squirrel, Eclipse, the Bumble-bee
Nay—Nature is Heaven.

Nature is what we hear,
The Bobolink, the Sea—
Thunder, the Cricket—
Nay—Nature is Harmony.

Nature is what we know
But have no art to say,
So impotent our wisdom is
To Her simplicity.

The Cost of Making eBooks (Part 1)

Navigating the eBook Highway 

The Cost of Making eBooks (Part 1)

 

Hi. I’m the Digital Production Developer at Enslow Publishers. My name is Kurt Weber and I’ve been asked to write up a series of blog entries about the more technical side of eBooks. I'll do my best to not bore you, but I have that affect when I try to talk technical. Or talk anything, really. My position didn't exist before the company’s decision to make eBooks some time ago and it's been an evolutionary process. Prior to this, I spent 10 years as a graphic designer on the Production Department staff.  Using desktop software, I was responsible for creating the page and cover layouts of our printed books. Now I am responsible for taking those same layouts and getting them converted into a friendly, eBook format that can be read anywhere in the world.

Since I began this journey well over a year ago, eBooks have broken into the mainstream. As eReader devices become more common, more people are discovering the merits of reading an electronic book. Those same people are just venturing out into the eBook marketplace and many are suffering sticker shock. In that time, I’ve been hearing the same question over and over again, “Why do eBooks cost so much?” Or, more to the point, “Why isn’t every single eBook dirt cheap? There’s no paper, no printing, no warehouse, no trucking, no physical costs at all, so why would an eBook ever be more expensive than a printed book? It’s just an electronic file, like an e-mail, right?”

It is true that there is no physical inventory to deal with, but there are physical expenses. After all, an eBook is still a physical object, albeit a digital one. I’ll go into those physical expenses more a bit later, but just because an eBook can’t be put in a store window or gift wrapped, doesn’t mean that it didn’t take time, effort, and money to create and deliver it to you, the reader.  Just because an eBook is an electronic file that CAN be e-mailed around the world in a flash, doesn’t mean that is how we get it to you. Not to get off topic too much, but your email has costs, too. Maybe not to you, but Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft, or more accurately, their advertisers, are paying for your ‘free-mail.’ 

One idea that my decade of print experience has reinforced, is that it takes a lot of people to make a book. Any book. (Before you jump up and say, “Self-Publish!” please replace the word ‘people’ with the word ‘time’ in the previous statement and any further reference to ‘people’ and ‘staff’ mentioned below.) That reality check will answer the first question:



Since an eBook is always hidden in your reading device,
it's easy to forget about the hidden costs to make it!



Q: Why do eBooks cost so much? (I won’t go into actual dollar figures, but for some relative perspective, see this detailed two-part article.)

A: It takes a lot of people to make an eBook! Many of the same people who spend time making a printed book and getting it to market are now spending time making the eBook and getting it to market.

Before I dissect the issue, let’s assume that the book has already been written and even printed, but is now just being converted into a digital version. That will exclude the normal costs of author advances, editing, fact-checking, proof reading, photo research, securing photos and/or artwork, etc. So my example is really just addressing the argument, “If the printed book is already done and paid for, the only thing left to do is click SEND!” If only.

Let’s take the producers of the actual eBook file:

1. There is processing staff that track down and prepare the existing layout files for conversion.
2. There is production staff who take the existing layout file and translate it into HTML, XHTML, or XML code, and generate an EPUB file. There are automated programs that do this, but they have often been described as ‘meat-grinders.’ Get the idea?
3. There is proofing staff that check for errors, line by line. Yes, we do proofread our eBooks because things do get lost or mixed up in the conversion! They also proof the code.
4. Revise, revise, revise.

Already, you can see that a good number of people are involved in making the ‘physical’ eBook. All of this staffing and processing cost time. And as the old adage claims, Time=Money. (Yes, you self-publishers know what I'm talking about now!) I haven’t even gone into the hardware needs for processing and storing all of this digital information. I’ll save that for my next entry.

"The United States at War" Titles Now Available as eBooks!

We are excited to announce that our series "The United States at War" has now been added to our growing list of eBooks. They can be purchased from all of your favorite eBook retailers including:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple

Kobo

Library editions of "The United States at War" series are available from Enslow Publishers or your preferred vendor.

This series provides an interesting look at American wars through well-researched text, vivid color and black-and-white photographs, and detailed maps. Young readers will not only learn about the important battles and military leaders, but what life was like on the home front for women and children, and the legacy these wars have today.

To learn more about "The United States at War" series click.here.

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.

Congratulations to our November 2012 raffle winner!

Enslow would like to congratulate the library at Mountain Sky Junior High School for winning our November raffle!

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.

Interview With Author, Sara Latta

What do these books all have in common? Yes, they are all Enslow books. But besides that, they were all written by author, Sara Latta. We thought it would fun to share our interview with Sara, a girl who was raised on a dairy farm in Kansas and grew up to become an author. Enjoy!

Enslow: Has anything in your upbringing influenced your interest in writing nonfiction?

Sara: I'm a science writer, so my interest in nonfiction grows out of my love of science. I was raised on a farm, and I was captivated by the world around me. I studied the behavior of red ants and discovered that they will bite when provoked. That was a painful lesson! My mother was understanding of dead birds in the freezer and the experiments with baby teeth and sugar. I thought I'd be a scientist when I was in college; I had a double major in Microbiology and English. It was only when I was in grad school that I realized that I'd rather write about science than DO science. 

Sara Latta at a school visit.

Enslow: If you could give a beginning writer advice, what would it be?

Sara:  Read, read, read, especially in the genre that interests you. And I mean read with a really critical eye. How does the author use everyday language to express complex issues? What is the role of narrative--everyone likes a good story! Familiarize yourself with your subject. Since I am a science writer, this often requires reading a lot of technical articles, but when you interview a scientist about his or her work, you want to show that you've done your homework in advance.

Enslow: Can you recall a specific challenge you had writing any of these books?

Sara:  You know, the three forensic science books (Bones: Dead People DO Tell Tales; Cybercrime: Data Trails DO Tell Tales; and DNA & Blood: Dead People DO Tell Tales) posed a real psychological challenge to me. I spent a good amount of time immersed in and writing about really horrible people and their horrific deeds. I wanted to tell the stories of how investigators used forensic science to solve real crimes, but I had to make sure the stories were appropriate for middle grade readers. It wasn't always easy.

Enslow: How did you overcome it?

Sara:  I finished the books.

Enslow: What is your main concern when writing nonfiction for children or young adults?

Sara: Well, good writing is good writing, so that's the main thing. But writing for children and young adults also requires putting yourself into the mind of the reader. I try to think about the metaphors that they would understand, and which concepts can they handle, especially those that might be disturbing or too abstract. But I think the key is to not underestimate the intelligence and curiosity of kids, and I don't talk down to them. I assume that they haven't bought into the idea that physics or chemistry or biology is hard. I'm hoping that my readers are the kind of kids who found out the hard way that red ants bite when provoked.

Enslow: Do you write only nonfiction?

Sara: I wrote a picture book about dark matter (Stella Brite and the Dark Matter Mystery, Charlesbridge, 2006), which is fiction but about science--something my friend Jacqueline Houtman calls sciencey fiction. And I have a couple of unfinished young adult fiction manuscripts that I hope will someday appear on bookshelves.

Enslow: Where is your favorite writing space?

Sara: My office. I'm fortunate that I have a room of my own, as Virginia Woolf put it. My husband bought me a comfortable writing chair, and I also have a sofa for reading and/or napping as the need arises. 

Sara's writing space.

Enslow: What types of books do you enjoy reading?

Sara: I classify my books into two categories. I am a huge fan of audio books; I listen to them while walking, exercising, driving, doing dishes and laundry, etc. I tend to listen to mysteries, thrillers, and science fiction. I listened to all of the books in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The books I sit down and actually read are all over the map--fiction and nonfiction. I write a YA book review column for our local newspaper, so I read a lot of books for young adults. One of my favorites this year was Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity.

Enslow: Who would you trade places with for a day?

Sara: I'd love to be an explorer, to go where no one has gone before. The last great unexplored frontier today is the deep ocean, so I guess I'd like to trade places with an oceanographer and explorer like Sylvia Earle. I'm afraid she would find my life a bit dull, however. 

"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.

Enslow's "Kwanzaa: Revised and Updated" Among Perma-Bound's "Common Core Recommended" Titles

The November edition of "Perma-Gram," an e-mail newsletter from Perma-Bound, offers book suggestions for building or adding to holiday book collections. The lists, curated by Perma-Bound's collection development pros, include a number of Enslow products. We were especially satisfied that Perma-Bound designated our Kwanzaa: Revised and Updated as a "Common Core Recommended" title.

Co-authored by Dorothy Rhodes Freeman and Dianne M. MacMillan, this 48-page, AR 3.5-level book introduces elementary readers to this year-end holiday. The writers explore Kwanzaa's origin, show how the holiday is celebrated, and provide the backmatter, illustrations, and photographs to enable young readers to find multiple approaches to grasp and utilize the age-appropriate, informational text.

Kwanzaa: Revised and Updated (978-0-7660-3042-8) is available from Perma-Bound or directly from Enslow Publishers.

It's Cyber Monday!

Because it is Cyber Monday, Internet access may be slow for all of us today.

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-3870-7
Paper ISBN 978-1-59845-286-0

Looking for titles for your teens and tweens for the holidays? How about some biographies on Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift? Enslow's paperback editions are great for middle school readers.

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-3873-8
Paper ISBN 978-1-59845-287-7

The fifteen titles in the Hot Celebrity Biographies series are all available in either library or paperback editions. Other Hot Celebrity Biographies include: America Ferrera, Daniel Radcliffe, Hilary Duff, Johnny Depp, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Michael Phelps, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Robert Pattinson, Selena Gomez, Shaun White, and Taylor Lautner.

These titles are available directly from Enslow, your preferred vendor, and are available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ENSLOW PUBLISHERS!

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.

Brodart's November "Children's and Teen Picks" Include New Enslow Title

Brodart's "Children's and Teen Picks" for November 2012 includes one of our Spring 2013 titles. The book -- Choosing a Hamster, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, Ferret, Mouse, or Rat: How to Choose and Care for a Small Mammal (978-0-7660-4082-3) -- is among the titles in Enslow's "The American Humane Association Pet Care Series." Each library-bound, 48-page book in the series is intended for age levels 8-9 and was written by Laura S. Jeffrey.

Brodart's November list features books that, according to Brodart, provide "popular, fun nonfiction topics for kids and teens; it is not curriculum support." For more information and a link to the complete November 2012 "Children's and Teen Picks," click here to go to Brodart's blog "BrodartVibe".

Can You Guess Our New Title for Spring 2013 Release?

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Opens Today

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 opens in theaters today. Did you know that author, Stephenie Meyer was simply writing for her own entertainment when she expanded what started out as a dream into the full-length story of Bella and Edward? Being an author had never even crossed her mind. Fans can read more about Stephenie Meyer in our biography, Stephenie Meyer: Author of the Twilight Saga from our Authors Teens Love series. Read a review of the book here.

Makes a great gift for Twilight fans!

Available from Enslow Publishers, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Everything Old Is New Again. It's America Recycles Day!

Today is America Recycles Day. The America Recycles Day web site has great resources including finding out what can be recycled, and how to join an event or host an event in your area. You can even take the pledge to recycle more.

Here's what we're doing: Enslow Publishers, Inc., is committed to printing our books on recycled paper. The paper in every book contains 10% to 30% post-consumer waste (PCW)). The cover board on the outside of each of our books contains 100% PCW. Our goal is to do our part to help young people and the environment too! 

We also publish books that will help students understand why recycling and a clean environment is important. 

In our book, 
Recycle: Green Science Projects for a Sustainable Planet, students will learn about recycling and how it can save energy as well as valuable resources that are growing ever more scarce. By doing experiments, students can gain a better understanding of why recycling is important and why it plays a role in creating a greener world. For more information on this book and other books in the Team Green Science Projects series, visit our web site. 

Young Readers Get Satisfaction from Enslow's Rolling Stones, Madonna Biographies

Who says young readers "can't get no satisfaction" from reading? The release of Grrr! -- the Rolling Stones fresh collection of greatest hits -- has under-18 patrons demanding exciting material about this iconic band. To satisfy that need, you can offer them Enslow Publishers' biography of the Rolling Stones. Author Heather Miller explores the Stones' hardscrabble roots, initial leap to the big time, and development into a globally iconic band. The book's Guided Reading Level "X" text, full-color photographs, and pull-out quotes provide readers with exciting "ways in" to successfully start and finish this 112-page work.

The book would make a perfect companion for those libraries (and fans, let's face it) intending to purchase Grrr!, the Stones' fresh collection of greatest hits. The Rolling Stones, part of Enslow's "Rebels of Rock" series, is available in a library-bound edition directly from Enslow for $23.95; that represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price. A paperback edition of The Rolling Stones is also available for $9.95 from Enslow, major wholesalers, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Not to be outdone, Madonna is also conducting a breathless world tour, with tonight's performance in New York's Madison Square Garden among its highlights. Taking music library circulation data as a useful guide, we find the Material Girl remains a subject of curiosity to a new generation of music fans. That's why your young readers would enjoy checking out Enslow's biography of the branded pop star. Author Carol Gjonewski's age-appropriate, 160-page work delivers the essence of Madonna's rise to fame and continued aura. An exciting writing style and vivid photographs add value to fact-based work.

Library-bound editions of Madonna: "Express Yourself," included in our "American Rebels" series, are available directly from Enslow Publishers for $25.95; that price includes a 25% school/library discount.

The Coolest Job in the Universe

Library ISBN: 978-0-7660-4074-8

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work aboard the International Space Station?

Designed to provide living and working space for a crew of up to seven, it was built with parts supplied by or astronauts from 16 different countries. These parts were transported via space shuttles and contains three main sections.

Every shuttle that arrives with fresh supplies also turns into a trash shuttle when it returns to earth. There is no way to throw away food packages, human waste, and solid waste. There are no clothes washing machines or dryers, so all clothes are disposable.

Makes you appreciate the comforts of home, doesn't it?

Remember Our Veterans on Sunday

This Sunday, November 11, we celebrate Veterans Day as a way to remember and thank our veterans, the people who have helped to keep our nation free. Thank you!

November 11, 2012

Blue Wave Classroom Exhibits at NAEYC

Check out our new Blue Wave Classroom booth # 2152 at the NAEYC Conference in Atlanta. Stop by our booth to receive your free tote and see how you can you use informational text from our classroom books to fill your Common Core State Standards needs. Just look for the big red and white apple balloon!

First Snowfall Comes with Relief

While pictures of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy fill our televisions and newspapers daily, we thought we would post this beautiful picture of the snow-filled trees outside our office windows. This is just one way we're offering relief today. 

We are also offering relief to schools and libraries in our area with book donations. If you know a school or public library whose book collection was lost or damaged by Hurricane Sandy, please email us at customerservice@enslow.com with "Hurricane Relief" in the subject line and we will see how we can help them.

Each day, on our Facebook page, we're posting ways everyone can help the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Please share any additional efforts with us in the comments below and we will be glad to add them to our Facebook page. 

Here are some we've already listed:

Urban Librarians Unite

First Book

Amazon Wish Lists

New Jersey Library Association

American Library Association

Monster: KISS Album #20

With the release of their 20th album, Monster, KISS has proven that they're masters of rock, more now than ever:  Despite the band's polished, over-the-top stage act, they recorded Monster on tape.  Unlike most new albums, recorded digitally and processed to perfection, Monster has that edgy, slightly imperfect sound reminiscent of the golden age of rock.

If you're a long time KISS fan and want to share KISS with the new generation, or if you ran into the new album and just discovered KISS, check out KISS: I Want To Rock and Roll All Night by the award-winning children's author, Aileen Weintraub.

This book is also available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Spielberg's New "Lincoln" Movie Opens Door for Reading Opportunities

The new blockbuster movie, Lincoln, opens three days after Election Day. Director Steven Spielberg's film explores the final months of the 16th president's life and actions. The chances are strong that many young patrons and students will attend the film, and want to know more about the events and personalities depicted.

This provides a wonderful opportunity for librarians, teachers, and parents to encourage young viewers to become young readers. Enslow Publishers has a number of age-appropriate titles that focus on Lincoln, slavery, and states' rebellion against the federal government.

200 Years with Abraham Lincoln: One Man's Life and Legacy explores the Great Emancipator's compelling story. Author Helen Koutras Bozonelis's efficiently presented, well-written 64-page book is enhanced with useful illustrations and photographs. The title also include additional source materials and other reference information. The book is available from Enslow in a library-bound edition for $20.95; that price includes a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price. It is also available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Meanwhile, young readers curious about Steven Spielberg can consult Enslow's biography of him. Author Laura B. Edge's 128-page book, part of Enslow's "People to Know Today" series, offers a page-turning account of Spielberg's life and professional accomplishments. Steven Spielberg: Director of Blockbuster Films is available from Enslow  in a library-bound edition for $23.95; that price represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price for the title. This book is also available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Pick-A-Page Winner!

Due to hurricane Sandy, our offices were closed for several days last week. Everyone is back in the office, though not everyone has power at home. Between all of the downed trees and power lines, it is taking quite a bit of time to get everyone's power back.

We want to congratulate Dawn Stokes Keenan-Banks for winning our Pick-A-Page contest!

For everyone who participated, please email the book you are interested in receiving and your shipping address to customerservice@enslow.com.