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.

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.