London Olympics Will Be Swan Song for Michael Phelps' Swim Career

Michael Phelps, arguably the greatest swimmer in American sports history, has announced that the 2012 London Olympics will be his final competitive venue. The story, as reported by CNN, notes that Phelps has re-committed himself to the arduous training typically required of medal-level Olympic athletes. For American aspirations for Olympic gold, Phelps' entry is a promising omen. He has won 16 Olympic medals over the years, fourteen of which were gold medals.

Young readers can learn more about Phelps' interesting life story in Enslow Publishers' biography of the swimmer. Author David Torsiello's Guided Reading Level "S" work explores highlights of Phelps' career as well as his background growing up in suburban Baltimore, Maryland. This 48-page book, part of Enslow's "Hot Celebrity Biographies" series, is available in paperback for $7.95 (a free dowloadable teacher's guide is also available for this book.) The book may also be purchased in a library-bound edition for $17.95. That price, available to schools and public libraries, represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for the library-bound edition.

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has declared May to be Better Hearing and Speech Month. This site explains the specifics of how we hear, as well as screening and testing, implants and hearing aids, and more. Speech and language development, as well as disorders affecting them are also discussed. This website also has a section dedicated to students considering a career in these fields.

978-0-7660-3771-7 library binding
978-1-4644-0156-5 paperback

Overcoming Barriers is Enslow's series geared toward different methods of communication for the elementary student. Two of the titles in this series are helpful for the hard of hearing student. Written for grades 3-4, these 48 page books discuss being deaf and sign language. In What Is Sign Language?, learn how a fourth-grade student uses sign language to communicate.

Titles in the Overcoming Barriers series are available in library editions. The paperback editions will be available this fall.

Bieber met with Kanye! See where they met in print!

Paperback ISBN: 1-59845-287-7
$7.95

You heard it: Kanye West met up with Justin Bieber at the studio where Bieber was working on his upcoming album. Find out how Justin first met Kanye in our book, Justin Bieber: Teen Music Superstar from our Hot Celebrity Biographies series. "Like" us on Facebook and take advantage of our limited time free shipping offer.

"Dark Shadows" starring Johnny Depp opens soon!

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-7660-3631-4
$7.95

Johnny Depp will be starring in the new movie "Dark Shadows" opening in theaters on May 11th. You can view the Dark Shadows movie trailer here.

Did you know that Johnny Depp started his career in the early 1980s performing in a band call the Flame? To earn money he also worked in construction, as a mechanic, and as a telemarketer selling clocks. He even sold ballpoint pens to people over the phone before his wife introduced him to actor, Nicholas Cage. It was 1984 when Depp landed a small part in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street. 

You can read more about Johnny Depp and his career in our book, Johnny Depp: Movie Megastar from our Hot Celebrity Biographies series for grades 5–9. "Like" us on Facebook and receive our limited time free shipping offer.

Congratulations to our April raffle winner!

Congratulations to the Media Center at Heritage Trails Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma for winning our monthly raffle of $100 in free books!

Are you on Team Jacob?

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-59845-288-4
$7.95

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Parts 2 arrives in theaters on November 16, 2012. You can view the teaser trailer here. If you're on Team Jacob you might want to check out who Taylor Lautner had dinner with last night here.

If you'd like to learn more about Taylor Lautner and his career you can check out our Taylor Lautner: Film Superstar title from our Hot Celebrity Biographies series in paperback. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook to take advantage of our Free Shipping Offer for a limited time only.

Taylor Swift receives 3 CMT Music award nominations

Paperback ISBN 978-1-59845-286-0

The CMT Music Awards will be held on June 6, live from Nashville. She has been nominated for: Video of the Year for "Safe & Sound" featuring The Civil Wars; Female Video of the Year for "Ours"; Collaborative Video of the Year for "Safe & Sound" featuring The Civil Wars.

She is currently working on her fourth album, scheduled for release in the fall of 2012, with producer Nathan Chapman. She plays the voice of Audrey in The Lorax movie, which has been released. She is also in talks to star as Joni Mitchell in the film adaptation of Sheila Weller's Girls Like Us, which follows the careers of Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, and Carole King.

Enslow's biography of Taylor Swift, written for reluctant readers, is a great way to learn more about her. This 48-page book offers personal stories, quotes, as well as a timeline.

Visit the Enslow Booth (1440) at IRA/Chicago!

Enslow Publishers is proud to be among the exhibitors at the upcoming IRA 2012 Convention in Chicago. We'll be at Booth #1440 on Monday, April 30th through Wednesday, May 2nd. Visit to see our new Common Core-aligned books! And we'll have raffles for books and for "Teddy" too! And don't forget to watch our Facebook page and Twitter handle for more information about Enslow Common Core at IRA!

Did You Bring Your Child to Work Today?

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation is celebrating their program's 20th anniversary today. Visit their web site for great ideas on how you can celebrate.

You can also check out these career titles from Enslow:

Pro Basketball Playoffs Stimulate Young Readers to Explore Enslow's NBA Player Biographies

The NBA playoffs, pro basketball's annual crown jewel event, are about to begin. These series of attention-getting games often encourage young readers to seek biographies of star players. Enslow Publishers fills this timely need with engaging, age-appropriate biographies of NBA stars performing in this year's playoffs.

For elementary students, Enslow's "I Like Sports Stars!" series includes 24-page biographies of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony. Written by David Torsiello, each Guided Reading Level "I" title includes exciting combinations of color photos, reader-friendly text, and interesting sidebars. Each book is available in paperback directly from Enslow Classroom for $6.95. Library-bound versions are also available for $15.95; that price, available to schools and public libraries, represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price.

Moving up in reading level, Enslow's "Sports Stars Who Care" series includes books on marquee NBA players LeBron James and Kevin Garnett. Author Kimberly Gatto's 48-page titles include a discussion of each athlete's philanthropic ventures, along with compelling text discussing their careers and pro highlights. Each book is available in paperback from Enslow Classroom for $7.95. A library-bound edition of each title is available for $17.95 -- that price is a 25% discount from Enslow's list price to school and library clients.

For what purpose do you use ereaders?

During our weekly meeting this morning, someone mentioned while attending TLA he heard that a librarian in a school used an ereader as a prize for teachers. This particular librarian was trying to get teachers to schedule library time for their classes, and not just last-minute library time, but schedule future library time. Every time a teacher scheduled library time, they earned a "ticket" for a chance to win an ereader. With library budgets becoming tighter, are ereaders becoming more popular?

In this online article from School Library Journal published last year, libraries are trying to find different ways to get students reading. This particular article mentions using ereaders, enabling reluctant readers to read a book (without being judged by peers because the cover can't be seen.)

If you have ereaders in your libraries, how are you using them to encourage students to read?

Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing

On this day in 1995 a car bomb exploded outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building at Oklahoma City, OK, at 9:02 a.m, killing 168 people, 29 of them children at a day-care center. The blast ripped off the north face of the nine story building.

The question is, are we any safer today? Watch an update from Bob Orr, A Look Back.

Enslow's title, Home Grown Terror: The Oklahoma City Bombing, for Grades 5–9, to be published this fall, will be a great way for reluctant readers to learn about this historic event.

Pre-Algebra and Algebra Smarts!

For anyone out there looking for a step-by-step guide on solving pre-algebra and algebra problems, look no further! Pre-Algebra and Algebra Smarts! by Lucille Caron and Philip M. St. Jacques breaks down every imaginable kind of pre-algebra and algebra problem into easy to understand steps.

Pre-Algebra and Algebra Smarts! is from Enslow Publishers' "Math Smarts!" series. Each book in the series can help you or your student with using the fastest, most efficient ways of solving almost any kind of math problem. Since the series covers everything from Addition and Subtraction to Trigonometry, "Math Smarts!" books are great for students of many different ages and ability levels.

Bat Appreciation Day

Library ISBN: 978-0-7660-3698-7
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4644-0018-6

Today is "Bat Appreciation Day." These animals, long associated with superstitious beliefs, deserve some positive recognition. Enslow Publishers' new book Vampire Bats, Giant Insects, and Other Mysterious Animals of the Darkest Caves gives bats their due, as the book includes details about how these curious creatures survive and co-exist.

Author Ana Maria Rodriguez' 48-page book notes these intriguing "bat facts":

• Bats live on all continents except Antarctica.
• Bats are the only flying mammals.
• Only rodent species are more numerous than bat species.
• Some bats are solitary, while others live in enormous colonies.
• Three vampire species live exclusively on blood.

  Rodriguez' work, excellent for reluctant readers and part of Enslow's four-book "Extreme Animals in Extreme Environments" series, is available from Enslow Publishers to school and library buyers for $17.95. That's a 25% discount from Enslow's list price! Each book in the series is also available in paperback for $7.95 per copy.

If you're attending the Texas Library Association conference today, Ms. Rodriguez will be signing copies of her  "Extreme Animals in Extreme Environments" titles. Visit Booth #2514, from 7:00 - 8:00 pm tonight, and meet the author!

Interesting historical tidbit

On this day, in 1900, the first book of postage stamps was issued. They were available in books of 12, 24, and 48, and each stamp cost two cents!

If comparing the price of a stamp with the price of everything else, stamps have really not gone up a lot in 112 years!

Attending TLA? Enslow's having a free book signing!

We will be at Booth #2514. On Tuesday, April 17, from 7-8 pm, author Ana Maria Rodriguez will be signing books she wrote for Enslow's Extreme Animals in Extreme Environments series.

Ana Maria's website is http://www.anamariarodriguez.com/

Stop by, say hello, and get a free book Tuesday night! Go to our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.

Today is National D.E.A.R. Day! What will you be reading today?

Celebrated on author Beverly Cleary's birthday, April 12, National Drop Everything and Read Day is a special day to remind people to take time out of their daily routine to read. Here are some great resources to use with your young readers and a even a suggested reading list for families.

We're celebrating by sharing a small list of what we'll be reading today. What will you be reading?

Interesting Facts About F. Scott Fitzgerald On the 87th Anniversary of "The Great Gatsby's" Publication

Eighty-seven years ago today, Charles Scribner's Sons published F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. The book, and Fitzgerald himself, achieved something akin to legendary status. Distinguishing fact from legend with Fitzgerald and his work isn't always easy. Here are some facts that caught our attention:

• The author finished the book's first draft while living on the French Riviera
• The first draft was returned to Fitzgerald for substantial revision
• One of Fitzgerald's suggested titles for the book that eventually became Gatsby was Trimalchio in West Egg (don't ask)
• Fitzgerald lent Ernest Hemingway a copy of Gatsby.

More facts about F. Scott Fitzgerald were noted in a previous Enslow Publishers blog post. Do you know some notable facts about Fitzgerald? You're welcome to post it here. Meanwhile, you're invited to visit Enslow's website today to order our biographies of American authors!

Free book giveaway

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-3785-4
Paper ISBN 978-1-59845-375-1

One of our history series, Ye Yucky Middle Ages, was written because librarians told us that they were looking for books that would teach students about life in the middle ages, but yet had some fun illustrations. This series is great for reluctant readers and is available in both library binding and paperback.

What is the most requested topic you get from students? For our free book giveaway, like us on Facebook and leave a comment on Facebook, letting us know what topic is most requested. One winner will be chosen by random at the end of the week, and that person will receive a free copy of an Enslow book of their choice. The winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday!

Hunger Games Celebrities

We're currently busy working on biographies for our new series, Sizzling Celebrities, due out in the fall of 2013. We're excited to include biographies for film star, Jennifer Lawrence who plays Katniss in the Hunger Games movie and leading man, Josh Hutcherson who plays Peeta. Other biographies will include singing sensation, Adele, Demi Lovato, Drake, Logan Lerman, and actress, Emma Stone. Which celebrities would like to see new biographies about? We'd love to hear from you.