Today would have been the birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks

Gwendolyn Brooks ''Poetry Is Life Distilled''
Author: Christine M. Hill
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2292-8

Publication Year: 2005
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 128

For Gwendolyn Brooks, writing was vital to life—"like breathing or eating," she said. Brooks cast her poets’ eye on the daily struggles of ordinary African-Americans and told the truth about racism and urban poverty. In 1950, Brooks became the first black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize. As the civil rights movement evolved, so did Brooks’s own views. Her work grew sharper with black pride and solidarity. Brooks’s career spanned more than fifty years, and her poetry appeals to people from all walks of life. This vividly drawn life story will fascinate Brooks’s fans and entice other readers to discover her poetry.

New Orleans- Katrina and the Oil Spill

Over the long weekend I was fortunate enough to visit New Orleans. I had never been there before and really enjoyed the city and all of its culture! From Bourbon St. and the French Quarter, to eating po boys uptown, it was a great experience.

It is hard to believe Hurricane Katrina hit the area 5 years ago. I thought I would blog about our book, Hurricane Katrina Strikes the Gulf Coast. You can find more information about it here: http://www.enslow.com/displayitem.asp?type=1&item=1931

But today there is a different enviromental tragedy going on in the Gulf. Enslow is actually coming out with a book this fall about oil spills, so keep an eye out for it this fall! It is called Smog, Oil Spills, Sewage, and More.

Today is Ron Wood's Birthday

Coming this fall, Enslow will publish a book on The Rolling Stones. Keep an eye out for it!

Today would have been Jim Thorpe's birthday

Jim Thorpe "There's No Such Thing as 'Can't'"
Author: Michael A. Schuman
State Affiliation of Author: NH
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3021-3

Publication Year: 2009
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

American Indian Jim Thorpe made great feats a routine during his athletic career, winning gold medals in the Olympics and playing professional baseball and football. Although he faced bitter racism during his life, Thorpe continued to excel. When he received his gold medal for the decathlon in the 1912 Olympics, the King of Sweden proclaimed him the "greatest athlete in the world." Author Michael A. Schuman relates this American's exciting story, including the revocation and ultimate return of his gold medals, using interviews with Jim Thorpe's son and daughter as part of his research.

Today would have been Wild Bill Hickok's birthday

Wild Bill Hickok, Revised Edition
Author: Carl R. Green, William R. Sanford
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3177-7

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
Page Count: 48

A Civil War hero, Army scout, lawman, showman and guide—Wild Bill Hickok's life seems too exciting to be true. However, his shootouts with rowdy cowboys and his life-or-death fight with a grizzly bear were real! This Wild West hero is truly legendary.

Today would have been Dorothea Lange's birthday

Dorothea Lange A Life in Pictures
Author: Laura Baskes Litwin
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2697-1

Publication Year: 2007
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 128

Dorothea Lange was an influential American photographer and photojournalist. Lange is best known for her Depression-era work, which gave a face to the widespread human suffering that was taking place across the country at that time. Lange's work during this period, in addition to her later work, would profoundly influence the development of documentary photography.

Today would have been Igor Sikorsky's birthday

Coming in the fall, Enslow will add a biography of Igor Sikorsky to it's list. This biography, part of our Genius at Work! Great Inventor Biographies series, is geared toward grades 3–4.

On this day in history

Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.

Known as "the Angel of the Battlefield" during the American Civil War, author Mary Dodson Wade explores the life of Clara Barton in this biography for beginning readers. Read about Barton's early jobs as a teacher and in a government office, and how she created the American Red Cross.

For middle school readers, Don Nardo explores the life of Clara Barton, from her days as a ground-breaking teacher to her creation of the American Red Cross.

Today is Tony Stewart's birthday

Tony Stewart Rocket on the Racetrack
Author: Ryan Basen
State Affiliation of Author: NC
State Affiliation of Title: IN
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2998-9

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
Page Count: 128

Tony Stewart has won championships in sprint cars, indy cars, and stock cars. He currently races in NASCAR for Joe Gibbs Racing and captured the Nextel Cup championship in 2005. Today he is recognized as one of the biggest names in NASCAR and should continue to compile championships in the seasons to come.

Today would have been Dolley Madison's birthday

Dolley Madison: "The Enemy Cannot Frighten a Free People"
Author: Zachary Kent
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3356-6
Publication Year: 2010
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

As British soldiers marched toward Washington, D.C. on August 24, 1814, Dolley Madison bravely stayed at the White House waiting for her husband, President James Madison. Most residents had fled the city, but Dolley had to save important documents and valuables from the White House, including the famous painting of George Washington. Dolley left the city only hours before the British arrived. Dolley Madison had been a leading social and political figure in Washington for many years and helped to rebuild the American capital. Author Zachary Kent explores the life of this First Lady from her humble childhood to her legacy as a national hero.

Today would have been Lorraine Hansberry's birthday

A Reader's Guide to Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun
Author: Pamela Loos
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2830-2

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 9-12
Page Count: 128

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun was a landmark play. In addition to being the first play by an African-American woman to appear on Broadway, it was also directed by an African-American man, Lloyd Richards, and all but one of the actors in the production were African-American. The play became the first African-American play to gain national acclaim and broke Broadway records.

Today is Kevin Garnett's birthday

Kevin Garnett All-Star On and Off the Court
Author: J Chris Roselius
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2863-0

Publication Year: 2007
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

Kevin Garnett is the star forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 1995, he became the first NBA player drafted out of high school in twenty years. In 2004, he was awarded the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Off the court, Garnett has helped many charities, including a $1.2 million donation to Oprah's Angel Network to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in 2005.

Today would have been Mathew Brady's birthday

Mathew Brady "The Camera Is the Eye of History"
Author: Don Nardo
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3023-7

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

Often considered the father of American photography, Brady developed new techniques and photographed many famous Americans like President Abraham Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant. He and his assistants also braved the battlefields and took many important photos during the Civil War. Some of the notable battlefields his operation recorded include Gettysburg and Antietam. Author Don Nardo explores Brady's life from the height of his success to the sad end of his life.

Today is Gary Paulsen's birthday

Gary Paulsen Voice of Adventure and Survival
Author: JoAnn Early Macken
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2721-3

Publication Year: 2007
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 104

In his long and prolific career, Gary Paulsen has authored hundreds of books, short stories, and magazine articles, as well as several plays. Drawing upon his own real-life experiences as an outdoorsman and traveler has helped Paulsen captivate countless readers, both young and old, with his stories. These readers find hope in his tales of adventure and survival.

Today would have been Edward Jenner's birthday

Edward Jenner Conqueror of Smallpox
Author: Ana María Rodríguez
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2504-2

Publication Year: 2006
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

In the eighteenth century, when Edward Jenner lived, people all over the world lived in fear of a disease called smallpox. Thanks to Jenner’s pioneering use of vaccination, the disease would eventually be eradicated. The last known case of smallpox was finally isolated in 1977. By 1980, the disease was declared completely eliminated. Edward Jenner’s work with smallpox opened a new era in medicine, providing hope for humanity by showing that diseases could be fought and eventually defeated.

On this day in 1804

The Lewis and Clark expedition left St. Louis to explore the Louisiana Territory.

On this day in 1796

English physician Edward Jenner administered the first vaccination against smallpox.

Think you're having a bad day?

One of our library customers just called in asking about the replacement cost of a book that had been chewed on by a dog. Sounds like the dog's teeth went completely through the book.

She also mentioned that another book that was just returned to her library had been used as a litter box by a cat.

100 years ago today

Glacier National Park in Montana was established as our tenth national park on May 11, 1910 by President Taft.

Bono celebrates his birthday today

Bono Rock Star Activist
Author: Martha P. Trachtenberg
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2695-7
Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 128

Bono is lead singer of the internationally acclaimed rock band, U2. In addition to his fame as a rock superstar, Bono has also became widely known for his activism in recent years and has even been a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. Today Bono stands as a shining example of a superstar who gives back in the hopes of making our world a better place.