Spring Invites Students to Enjoy Hands-On Learning About Plants

With spring officially here, the season offers many opportunities for elementary students to learn about the plant kingdom. Teachers can dovetail hands-on activities and field trips with strong, age-appropriate books from Enslow Publishers. Author Mary Dodson Wade's "I Like Plants!" series introduces young readers to life cycles, trees, flowers, seeds, and other aspects of the world of plants. The six-title collection offers Guided Reading Levels "L" or "M" content reinforced by attractive design and attractive, full-color photographs. Each 24-page book includes an experiment to promote inquiry skills, a further reading list, and a focused list of useful "words to know."

"I Like Plants" is available in paperback from Enslow Classroom. Individual paperback titles in this series are $6.95; a complete six-title series is $41.70. The series is also available in a library-bound version.

Belated Happy Birthday Lois Lowry

Her birthday was yesterday, so a belated Happy Birthday to her!

Having written challenging topics such as racism, murder, terminal illness, and the Holocaust, her work has been both praised and criticized by schools in America.

Lisa Rondinelli Albert has written an in-depth biography of Lois Lowry for the middle school student.

A Knock, Knock Joke to Keep You Smiling

Knock, Knock!
Who's there?
Shirley.
Shirley who?
Shirley you know the sound of my voice by now.

Grades 3–4

For more jokes, riddles, limericks and tongue twisters, check out our
Gross Body Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone book from our Funny Bone Jokes series.

Holocaust Remembrance Week May 1 through May 8, 2011

Days of Remembrance is the nation's annual commemoration of the Holocaust as established by Congress. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was also created as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. This year's Holocaust Remembrance Week is celebrated May 1st thru May 8th.

Here are some Enslow titles that can be used for Holocaust related lessons:



Grades 3–6

Simon's Escape is fiction but the story is historically accurate. We've included nonfiction backmatter with photos. Available with library binding or in paperback.

Grades 9–12

True Stories of Teens in the Holocaust series



 This is a six-book series that uses primary source accounts to capture tragic and courageous experiences of young people in the Holocaust.



 



Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. March 17 is believed to be the day Patrick died, around the year A.D. 460.

Did you know that the Irish flag has three vertical stripes? The green stripe is for the people of southern Island, the orange stripe is for the people of northern Ireland, and the white stripe in the middle is a hope for peace so that the two sections of Ireland will get along.

These two facts (and more) can be found in St. Patrick's Day, Revised and Updated by Dorothy Rhodes Freeman, an elementary title published by Enslow.

Are your students interested in making St. Patrick's Day crafts? How about some celtic jewelry, celtic designs, a bodhran (an Irish drum), a pencil topper, or a game? These crafts (and more) can be found in St. Patrick's Day Crafts by Carol Gnojewski.

Earth Day Crafts

For Grades 3–4

Earth Day is celebrated around the world on April 22nd. Inspire awareness and appreciation for the environment by sharing a craft from our Earth Day Crafts book with your students. Using

easy-to-follow directions, author Carol Gnojewski shows readers how to create Bounce Back Ball from recycled material and do fun projects such as the Extinction Game and Dinner Dot-to-Dot.

For more fun holiday crafts for kids from Enslow click here.

Get Ready for Poetry Month

April is Poetry Month, so inspire a sense of excitement about poetry with your  readers with our Poetry Rocks! series. This six-book series introduces readers to a number of poets in each volume, giving them the background they need to understand and appreciate the material. Analyses of selected poems are also included. Vist our web site for our "Look Inside" feature where you can read one chapter for free. These titles will also be available in paperback this fall.

March is American Red Cross month

This organization, which helps a lot of people in the United States and around the world, was founded by Clara Barton in 1881.

Clara Barton saved many lives during the Civil War, and was known for her heroism at the battle of Antietam Creek. There, during the height of the American Civil War, she risked her life to save hundreds of wounded soldiers. One of the many memorials honoring her achievements is on the battlefield of Antietam.

Are your students asking questions about the earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan?

For those students who are asking questions about earthquakes and tsunamis, two titles will help them understand.

Earthquakes, written for the reluctant reader, examines what causes an earthquake, how scientists measure them, and provides tips to stay safe during this natural disaster. The well-respected authors also explore the dangerous aftermaths of earthquakes including landslides, fires, and tsunamis.

Tsunami, also written for the reluctant reader, discusses one particular tsunami that occurred in Hawaii on April 1, 1946, and took the lives of 150 people. That particular tsunami was one of the worst in the state's history. Author Mary Dodson Wade also explains the geophysics of tsunamis and how scientists predict future tsunami events.

10th Anniversary of September 11th Attacks

It's exactly six months until the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Enslow's new title, Remembering September 11, 2001: What We Know Now includes solid fact-based information perfect for reports and debates. For grades 6–up.

Johnny Appleseed Day

 Did you know that Johnny Appleseed was a real man, named John Chapman? Learn more about Johnny Appleseed and the seeds in planted in our

Johnny Appleseed: "Select Good Seeds and Plant Them in the Ground" title.
For grades 5–up.

Friday Joke



What do you get if
you cross a centipede
and a parrot?

A walkie talkie!

 Our Weird Science Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone is part of a six-book series Funny Bone Jokes that include jokes, riddles, knock-knock jokes, tongue twister, limericks and lots of fun and interesting facts. These titles are perfect for comedians of all ages but they are written with 3rd and 4th graders in mind.

Another woman who should be remembered during Women's History Month

This is taken from the back cover of Elizabeth Cady Stanton:

In 1848, on a sweltering July day in the small town of Seneca Falls, New York, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her fellow supporters would make history. They staged the first ever women's rights convention. The convention passed Resolution 9, which said women should have the right to vote. Although this right would not be recognized in the United States until many years later, Cady Stanton had ignited a revolution. Throughout her life, Cady Stanton worked tirelessly for women's suffrage.

Written for the middle school market, author Deborah Kent explores Cady Stanton's passionate pursuit of equal rights and her lasting impact on a revolutionary movement.

Women's History Month

For Women's History Month, today we're featuring our title,
Harriet Tubman: "On My Underground Railroad I Never Ran My Train Off the Track"



On a dark, cold night, Harriet Tubman was leading a group of runaway slaves through the Maryland woods when they came across an unexpected river. With no path or boat to cross it, Tubman ordered her followers to wade the river on foot. Despite her group’s reservations, Tubman trudged across, leading the way. Harriet Tubman took many risks like this in leading runaway slaves to freedom. As a former slave, Tubman made it her life's work to fight slavery and, through her work on the Underground Railroad, she became an American hero. For Grades 5–up.

Today is Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday) refers to the practice of indulging, or overindulging, on richer, fatty foods on the night before Lent begins.

What started out as a one-day event, is now a multi-day celebration in New Orleans as well as many other places across the country and around the world.

Enslow Author Recipient of Award

Congratulations to Enslow author, Lisa Yount, who is the recipient of the 2012 Leo Politi Golden Author Award by the California Readers.

This award is given yearly to the author who has had the most books on their California Collections lists of recommended reading for young people. Lisa had 11 titles, for a total of 38 listings since 1997. Two of those titles are Antoine Lavoiser and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek published by Enslow.

Joke Day Friday

American Optometric celebrates Save Your Vision Month during the month of March. So, for Joke Friday we're sharing a joke from our Gross Body Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone title from our

Funny Bone Jokes series.


Why did the computer
go to the doctor?

To improve its web site!



In addition to jokes, these titles also include riddles, tongue twisters, knock-knock jokes, limericks, and fun facts about the body that are tied to curriculum. For grades 3–4.

"Rango" with Johnny Depp Opens in Theatres Today

The new movie, Rango opens today in theatres starring Johnny Depp as the voice of Rango. Shortly after, Johnny Depp fans can look forward to the opening of his Pirates of the Caribbean 4 movie to be released on May 20th.

Students will enjoy learning more about megastar Johnny Depp with Enslow's book, Johnny Depp: Movie Megastar from our Hot Celebrities Biographies series for grades 5–9. The titles in this series are also available in paperback and include FREE educator guides.

Today would have been Alexander Graham Bell's birthday

Best remembered for inventing the telephone in 1876, did you know Alexander Graham Bell also invented the first metal detector? His metal detector was used to find bullets still lodged in the bodies of Civil War veterans. He also invented what he called a vacuum jacket (a very early respirator-type device,) which became the predecessor to the iron lung.

Did you know he introduced Helen Keller and her father to the woman who would become Helen's teacher, Anne Sullivan? Written for the middle school student, this book is great for reports.

Enslow also has an elementary title on Alexander Graham Bell. This title gives the reader an understanding of what Bell did to help deaf children, and how he helped them learn to speak.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Here is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes, I think because I love to read so much.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book or quote?