August is Art Appreciation Month

Thinking about Art Appreciation Month brought back memories of how when my children were young
they spent one week each August with their grandparents on the lake. During this time their grandmother, whose hobby is painting, always included painting projects in their daily activities. They painted rocks and slates that are still displayed in my flower gardens today. They also created many watercolor paintings throughout the week. On the day we would go to pick them up there would be an art show waiting for us. Their masterpieces were carefully propped up around the living room for us to view. Then all of us shopped and purchased the paintings from them for small change.

Tomorrow my youngest daughter leaves for college. We went to the bookstore last night to pick up a few books and magazines she wanted to take with her. She also picked up a new sketchbook and spent some time sketching late into the night. I couldn't help but wonder how much her love for creating art has been influenced by those summer art sessions with grandma.


So, whether it's a sharing a drawing book, purchasing a new box of crayons, pulling out an easel, or a sketchbook, don't forget to celebrate Art Appreciation Month. You never know who you might inspire!

A new series on Community Helpers

Enslow has just published an eight book series on community helpers, geared toward the preschool and beginning reader. The role of the community helper gives the reader the opportunity to ask "who, what, when, where, and why" questions.

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-4045-8

Teachers and Nurses are two titles helpful for those first-time students, explaining what the people in those positions do, and how they interact with the student.

Other titles in the series include: Dentists, EMTs, Firefighers, Nurses, Police Officers, Sanitation Workers, and Veterinarians.

Years ago, my sister worked as a nanny for a family with three children. The youngest child loved going to the firehouse. It literally became an almost-daily visit. The firemen quickly learned both of their names and would greet them as they approached the building. Is this child a fireman today? No, but his fascination with the trucks, the building, and the firemen themselves kept him wanting to go back. Do you know of a child like him?

Posted by Pam

Enslow's New "Constitution and US Government" Series -- Just In Time for the Elections!

In the coming weeks, the presidential campaigns will be running full tilt. It's a wonderful opportunity for librarians, teachers, and family members to provide useful information about the presidency, the branches of the federal government, and the United States Constitution.

Enslow Publishers' new "The Constitution and the United States Government" series provides a compact, useful resource to address these needs. This five-title series offers age-appropriate, reliable background on the various governmental branches, the principal national security agencies, and the Constitution itself. Each book is 104 pages long, features well-chosen illustrations, and includes excellent citations for further reference.

All titles in "The Constitution and the United States Government" are available now from Enslow Publishers. Library-bound editions are available for $23.95; the price represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price for these items.

I Love Our Water

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-4042-7

With the ongoing drought in the nation, explaining to elementary students exactly why water is needed, and what happens when there is not enough of it, can be a challenge.

Written for elementary students by Carol Greene, this 24-page title introduces students to water, explains why it is important, explains what can happen to water, and gives tips on how to protect and use less of it.

Other titles in this series include: I Love Our Air; I Love Our Animals; I Love Our Forests; I Love Our Land; and I Love Our People.

Back-to-School Book Giveaway Starts Today!

Welcome to our Back-to-School Book Giveaway. Our new fall titles are now available and we're celebrating! Win a FREE Enslow book of  your choice from our new Fall 2012 Common Core E-Catalog. Enter today!



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Happy Book Lovers Day! Find Out Where Enslow Employees Love to Read.

Today and is Book Lovers Day so we took a survey in our office as to where everyone loves to read books. Here are the results:

• Both Kristen and Karen love to read books on the beach. 
• Nicole loves to read books in bed before she falls asleep. 
• Dave loves to read books in his daughter's room with both little girls curled up on the bed. 
• Pam loves to read books on the dock at the lake or on her patio. 
• Stacey loves to read books in her bedroom or living room. 
• Linda loves to read books in her lounge chair on the deck. 
• Derick loves to read books anywhere and everywhere.
• Kurt loves to read books in the bathroom.
• John loves to read books in bed, while he's eating, and when he's flying.
• Tim loves to read books on public transportation.
• David loves to read books floating on a tube in the pool.

So don't forget to take some time today to read a book even if you can't get to your favorite place.

August 8th is the U.S. Dollar's Birthday!

The U.S. Dollar became the official currency of the United States on August 8, 1785.  The U.S. Dollar took its name from the Spanish dollar, which had been widely circulated in colonial America, especially after the start of the Revolutionary War.  At Enslow, we're commemorating this bit of financial history with a look at a  few of our best books on financial literacy:

Money Math with Sebastian Pig and Friends At the Farmer's Market, for Grades 1-3, is a brightly illustrated adventure in which the reader gets to help Sebastian Pig and his friends solve simple money problems at the farmer's market.

Our "I Like Money Math!" series, for Grades K-3, gets young learners used to solving every-day money math problems.  All books in the "I Like Money Math!" series have free supplemental materials, including teacher's guides and worksheets, which makes this series great for tutors and classroom use!

Look for these books at your local library, www.enslow.com, or your favorite online bookseller!

Enslow's Olympic Men's Hoops Player Bios Available Now

The United States Olympic men's basketball team reached the knockout phase of the medal rounds yesterday. The road to the medal rounds has not been entirely smooth, with the Lithuanian and Argentine team offering the American squad strong competition.

The American squad includes a number of well-known NBA stars. The spotlight of the London 2012 Games presents librarians and parents with an opportunity to offer biographies of prominent US basketball players that are on TV now.

Enslow Publishers offers an excellent selection of high-interest biographies of these sports celebrities. Read About Carmelo Anthony and Read About Kobe Bryant offer 24-page biographies of these Olympians. Author David Torsiello's Guided Reading Level "I" titles include excellent photos and a reader-friendly design. The books, included in Enslow's "I Like Sports Stars" series, are available in paperback for $6.95; a library-bound edition of each book is available for $15.95. The library-bound price represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price for those items.

Enslow's LeBron James: A Basketball Star Who Cares offers a more challenging text suitable for readers in grades 3-4. Author Kimberly Gatto's 48-page work draws particular attention to "King James'" philanthropic work and his strong character. The Guided Reading Level "O" book includes game action photos, career statistics, and an address to write the Miami Heat star. A paperback version of this book, part of the "Sports Stars Who Care" series, is available for $7.95. A library-bound edition is also available for $17.95; the price represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price.

It's International (and National) Assistance Dog Week

ISBN 978-0-7660-3199-9

Created to recognize all of those hardworking assistance dogs around the world, the goal of International Assistance Dog Week, as well as National Assistance Dog Week, is to educate the public about the roles in society these amazing dogs perform, as well as recognize and honor the dogs themselves. Could you raise a puppy in your home and then give that puppy back to the organization so that a disabled person would have the ability to be helped by that dog? Lots of credit is to be given to those that raise and train these animals.

Do you have students interested in learning more? Service Dog Heroes, written for the elementary level reader, provides the basics about these incredible dogs. Starting with a story about the assistance a golden retriever gives her handler, the book describes the history of the service dog, which breeds are the most popular service dogs, the training involved, what happens to these dogs when they retire, and more.

The Coast Guard Celebrates Anniversary

August 4th marks the 222nd anniversary of the U.S. Coast Guard. On this date in 1790 President George Washington signed the Tariff Act. This allowed for the construction of 10 vessels known as "cutters." The history of the Coast Guard has often reflected the growth of maritime interests at home and overseas. Many of their original duties are an essential piece of homeland and port-security duties today. As the oldest continuous maritime service, the Coast Guard once served as our country's Navy. Today, the Coast Guard provides crews and ships in support of the U.S. Navy during times of war.

ISBN: 978-0-7660-2493-9

The U.S. Coast Guard and Military Careers is part of our U.S. Armed Forces and Military Careers series

Algebra...Should it Stay or Should it Go?

A recent article, "Is Algebra Necessary?" printed in the The New York Times caught our attention.

ISBN: 978-0-7660-3941-4

978-0-7660-3938-4

Should we spare students from this difficult subject? Will they use what they've learned in Algebra class on their jobs? We'd love to hear your opinion.

For now, Algebra in the classroom is here to stay. The basics begin in elementary school, and continue through middle school, high school, and college.

If you know someone that struggles in Algebra, we recommend our Algebra I and Algebra II Smarts! and Pre-Algebra and Algebra Smarts! from our Math Smarts! series. These books include step-by-step instructions as well as examples and are ideal for students as well as tutors and parents. Free educator guides are available for all the titles in this 10-book series.

Congratulations to our newest raffle winner!

Arthur Jacobsen Elementary school in Auburn, WA has won our raffle of $100 in free books!

Michael Phelps' 19 Medals + 1

Earlier this week at the London 2012 Games, Michael Phelps became the leading medal winner in Olympic history. The American swimmer won his 19th medal over his illustrious athletic career, breaking a record formerly held by legendary Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina. It's an astonishing feat, and a tribute to the 27-year-old Phelps' ambition, discipline, and talent. Wisely, Phelps understands his remarkable achivement exists to be broken. According to a BBC report, Phelps said "'Nothing's untouchable'" in relation to his record.

Phelps' life story and Olympic feats are terrific material for a timely, fascinating book, especially for young readers. Enslow Publishers' 48-page biography of the record-breaking swimmer delivers on this promise. Author David Torsiello's well-crafted narrative, exciting photos, and engaging sidebars form a gold-medal winning reading experience suitable for ages 9-12.

This Guided Reading Level "S" title, part of Enslow's "Hot Celebrity Biographies" series, is available in paperback for $7.95. A library-bound edition of Michael Phelps: Swimming for Olympic Gold, is also available for $17.95; that price represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price.

Fantasy Fiction Options for Young Readers and Writers

The fantasy fiction genre is fun for young readers. They can immerse themselves in its vivid worlds, where magic takes center stage, animals and plants assume human qualities, and wizards and witches possess power for good or for evil.

This season, Enslow Publishers offers ways for tweens and young adults to enjoy reading and writing in this genre. Our new fantasy fiction trilogy -- a first for Enslow -- provides a rich tapestry of episodes, characters, and atmosphere which readers can imaginatively explore at their leisure. The Brightworking Saga: Book I of The Brightstone Saga, the lead title in author Paul B. Thompson's trilogy, introduces the series's age-peer heroes, their encounters with magic, and their adventures in new, colorful worlds. The 160-page book is available in a hardcover trade edition for $17.95.

Meanwhile, Enslow's new Write Fantasy Fiction in 5 Steps offers young patrons who love to write, or for library outreach programs focusing on writing, another way to explore the fantasy genre. Author Laura Lee McKay's accessible 48-page work shows aspiring writers how to craft an exciting fantasy. The book, part of Enslow's "Creative Writing in 5 Simple Steps" series, is available in library editions for $17.95. That price represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for this book.

Anniversary of modern paperback revolution

On this date in 1935, in the United Kingdom, paperback editions of ten reprinted titles were printed by Penguin Books. Having taken the innovations of Albatross Books, a company which actually produced the first paperback in 1931, but because of World War II, Albatross was not able to fully carry out its ideas.

Today, even with the emergence of e-books, paperback books are still popular. Which bindings do you buy to read?

Enslow's  latest fiction series, A Champion Sports Story, is available in paperback. This 5-book series is great for those students interested in sports who want a fictional twist. And with the Olympics taking place this week, the soccer books are timely!

The Summer Olympics are finally here!

Looking forward to watching the opening ceremonies? Don't forget to view the Summer Olympic schedule ahead of time so you don't miss any of your favorite events or athletes.

Let the games begin!

Jesse Owens won four gold medals for track and field during the Summer Olympics in 1936 in Berlin, Germany 

New Jimi Hendrix Biopic

Work on a new Jimi Hendrix biopic, or biographical movie, "All Is By My Side" is apparently under way. Although a release date has not been scheduled, there is already a lot of buzz surrounding the film.

ISBN: 978-0-7660-2449-6

Jimi Hendrix fans might enjoy reading our biography, "Jimi Hendrix: 'Kiss the Sky'" from our American Rebels series while they wait for the movie to hit theaters.

Enslow Sports Fiction Offers Young Readers Engaging Summertime Reading

Now that we're into the dog days of summer, librarians face the challenge of providing young readers with fun, engaging books. Options that fit the season include Enslow Publishers' sports fiction titles. These new, 100+-page works provide page-turning reasons for young patrons to feel excited about reading. Each fast-paced book delivers a story about peer-appropriate characters in dramatic situations centered on popular sports, such as baseball, soccer, and football. The high-interest narrative approach also embraces how the characters interact with important values, including sportsmanship, fair play, and teamwork. The books, written by David Aretha, Kris Rutherford, Stuart A.P. Murray, and Benjamin Jarman, are excellent choices for reluctant readers, as well as those with a strong interest in sports.


Enslow currently offers five sports fiction titles suitable for readers in Grades 3 through 6. Each title is available in paperback for $9.95. A library-bound edition is also available for $19.95 -- a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price!

Happy Birthday Daniel Radcliffe!

978-0-7660-3209-5 Library
978-0-7660-3624-6 Paperback

Daniel is currently working on several projects for 2013. In one of those projects, a movie called Kill Your Darlings, is about a murder in 1944 that brings together the great poets of the beat generation.Daniel's character is Allen Ginsberg. William Burroughs' character will be played by Ben Foster, and Jack Huston will portray Jack Kerouac.

Happy Birthday Selena Gomez

Happy Birthday to Latina TV and movie star, Selena Gomez who turns 20 today! If you were Selena what would you wish for?