Who invented windshield wipers?

With all of the rain and snow affecting the United States, does anyone think about something as simple as

who invented the windshield wipers that allow drivers to see in those bad conditions?

Before the invention of the windshield, drivers had to wear goggles to keep rain, snow, and bugs out of their eyes while driving. The first windshield, invented in 1904, could be folded down in case it became so dirty that drivers could not see through it. The other option was to pull over and try to clean the glass with your hand. Some drivers even tried rubbing an onion or carrot on the windshield, thinking that the oil from these vegetables would leave a film on the windshield, and repel the rain. That did not work either.

This 48 page book, written for the upper elementary reader, describes how Mary Anderson came up with her idea, what steps she took to try to patent the idea, and what happened after she allowed the patent to expire. Available in library, paperback, and eBook formats, this title is part of the Inventors at Work! series. This series is correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards. Other inventors in this series include Ruth Wakefield, Willis Haviland Carrier, Percy Spencer, and Jacques Cousteau. These titles are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Get to Know DOG BREEDS: The 200 Most Popular Breeds

Get to Know DOG BREEDS: The 200 Most Popular Breeds, by author Eva-Maria Kramer

Written at a middle-school level, this book series introduces different breed of dog. Each detailed portrait includes appearance, origin, and temperament of each breed.

Available in Library Edition, paperback and eBook from Enslow Publishers, Inc.  ISBN: 978-0-7660-4258-2.

National Poetry Month

Pure Poetry, geared toward the upper middle and high school student, is a series of four titles, with each book focusing on one particular poetry theme. Each chapter looks at one poem accompanied by detailed analysis discussing the style and technique, poetic devices, and the cultural significance. Every chapter ends with questions and prompts for student discussion and assessment.

These titles are correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards, and are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. They are available from your preferred vendor, enslow.com, local independent bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

It's National Tooth Fairy Day

Here are some fun facts about teeth. Did you know that when a baby's first teeth come in, they are called milk teeth (also known as "baby teeth") and there are 20 of them? When a child is about five or six, those teeth start falling out (hence the need for the Tooth Fairy) and are replaced by 32 permanent teeth. Cats and dogs also have two sets of teeth, but some reptiles and fish may have many sets of teeth during their lives. Crocodiles and sharks, for example, keep replacing their teeth their entire life.

Handy Health Guide to Your Teeth, one of twelve different titles in Enslow's Handy Health Guides series, is written for the middle school student, describing what role teeth play in our overall health, and how to take care of the teeth you have.

Other titles in the series cover topics such as ADHD, asthma, colds and flu, dyslexia, burns and blisters, and more. All of these titles are available in library and paperback editions, as well as eBooks. They are correlated to the Common Core and are available through your preferred vendor, local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Looking for eBooks? Enslow has over 700 available!

Enslow has added over 700 eBooks to its collection, with more to come soon. Most of our spring 2014 list has been made into eBooks, all of which are available now.

Go to enslow.com and see what is available. Our titles can be purchased through our website as PDFs, and are also available as EPUBs through Amazon, Apple, and Barnes and Noble, among other vendors.

Congratulations to Dale Earnhardt, Jr., on his Daytona 500 win!

After an extended rain delay, the Daytona 500 was run yesterday. Enslow's latest Dale Earnhardt, Jr., biography for the older elementary reader, published in 2011, also describes his foundation, the Dale Jr. Foundation, which helps kids in need reach their goals.

For the slightly older student, Smokin' Race Cars explores the world of stock car racing, giving fans insight into the races.

Both of these titles are available in either hardcover or library binding, as well as in eBook versions. The Dale Earnhardt, Jr., title is available in paperback, and the Smokin' Race Cars title will be available in paperback in the next several weeks. Either title is available from your preferred vendor, your local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Paint Me a Monster, title from new Enslow imprint, reviewed in 2 publications

Paint Me a Monster, one of several new titles in Scarlet Voyage, Enslow's newest imprint, was reviewed by both Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal.

Here is an excerpt from the November 1, 2013 issue of Kirkus Reviews:

"Readers will fall in love with Rinnie; Baskin has crafted a beautiful story about the complexities of family, self-respect and human connection."

Here is an excerpt from the February 2014 issue of School Library Journal:

"Baskin takes readers through a tug of war of emotion, punctuated by short, lyrical chapters that include poems, letters, and lists. Teens will follow the protagonist's tumultuous journey from innocent little girl to heartbroken teen and eventually a brave young adult. By helping others, Rinnie discovers a kindness only she knows how to give."

Available in both a hardcover edition and as an eBook, this title will also be available as a paperback in several months. This title can be purchased through your preferred vendor, enslow.com, your local bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Anniversary of '55-'56 Montgomery Bus Boycott Mass Arrests

Rosa Parks' stand against racial segregation spawned a protest that sparked the Civil Rights Movement. Saturday, February 22nd, represents a milestone in Parks' action and the subsequent Montgomery Bus Boycott. On that day, arrest warrants were issued for the boycott's leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy. Learning about the ensuing court cases, the city's rigid racial division, and the success of the boycott's nonviolent campaign represent a critical window into the Civil Rights struggle. Enslow Publishers' new title -- Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Photographs -- leverages text and pictures to deliver an historical narrative accessible and interesting for young readers. Author David Aretha's 48-page work combines age-appropriate text with strong photographs that bring this key moment in the American story to light. School librarians and teachers will especially find this Lexile 880 book useful for developing visual literacy as well as other key academic skills.

Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Photographs, included in Enslow's "The Story of the Civil Rights Movement in Photographs," is available directly from Enslow Publishers in a variety of formats, including library-bound book, paperback, and e-book. The series is also available from your preferred vendor, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.

Zoom in on Grasshoppers, by Melissa Stewart

Author Melissa Stewart lets readers take a close look at grasshoppers in this title in the Zoom In on Insects! series. Use the 'Zoom In' bubbles to get an up close look at a grasshopper’s eyes, wings, antennae, and more!

Available in Library binding, paperback, and eBook from Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Therapy Horses: Horses that Heal

Therapy Horses: Horses that Heal by author Loren Spiotta-DiMare explains how incredibly helpful a therapy horse can be to a teenager with special needs. Read about the history of therapy horses and how these amazing animals help people with physical and emotional challenges.

Available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook from Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Ready for Math: New Series

Get Ready, Get Set, Divide!  Are you having trouble with the properties of division? Whether you are learning this information for the first time, or would like to review your math skills, Ready for Division is a great choice!

Author Rebecca Wingard-Nelson develops and writes math assessment text, textbooks and workbooks.  Available in hardcover, paperback, or ebook from Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Learning About the Human Body Systems review in Library Media Connections

Nice review of Learning About the Human Body Systems series review in Library Media Connections.  "Readers will enjoy 'amazing but true' facts. Full-color anatomically accurate labeled diagrams complement the text."

Available from Enslow Publishers, Inc. Appropriate for Common Core nonfiction reading. Available in Library Edition, paperback and eBook.

What are the Seven Wonders of the World? series review in Library Media Connections

Nice Library Media Connections series review of What Are the 7 Wonders of the World?     "With vivid photography and illustration...each book describe(s) what each wonder is, where it is in the world, and why it's significant."

Included in the series are: What are the...
7 Wonders of the United States?; 7 Wonders of the Ancient World?; 7 Wonders of the Modern World?; and 7 Wonders of the Natural World?

Available from Enslow Publishers in Library Edition, Paperback, and eBook.

Our Earth's Oceans Book Review in Library Media Connection

Library Media Connection recommended review of Our Earth's Oceans, written by Doreen Gonzales.  "Attractive and informative...The text reveals unique ocean vocabulary...Readers will find ample support for understanding as they read."

Published by Enslow Publishers and available in Library Edition, paperback, and ebook.

Jay-Z, New YA Biography

Jay-Z: A Biography of a Hip-Hop Icon written for YAs. Author Jeff Burlingame explores the remarkably interesting life of the undisputed champion of Hip-Hop! Published by Enslow Publishers, Inc.  ISBN 978-0-7660-4232-2.

Congratulations to our latest raffle winner!

We would like to congratulate the library of H.D. Berkey Elementary School in Pennsylvania for winning our monthly raffle of free books!

New series on insects for the elementary reader

Zoom In on Insects! is a six-title series written for the elementary reader. Want to know what a butterfly eats? Want to see what these insects look like close-up? Written by award-winning author Melissa Stewart, these books look at insects encountered in everyday life.

Other insects covered are bees, dragonflies, fireflies, grasshoppers, and ladybugs. These books will be correlated to the Common Core. That information will be posted on our website as soon as it is available.

These titles are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. They are available through your preferred vendor, enslow.com, your local bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

New Civil Rights series now available in time for Black History month

Enslow has just published a new series on the Civil Rights movement called The Story of the Civil Rights Movement in Photographs. This six book series is written for the middle school reader using primary source photographs, with text boxes and captions supplementing the images.

Author David Aretha examines this critical time in American history. Each title covers a different topic: freedom rides, the Montgomery bus boycott, voting rights, the civil rights movement in Birmingham, the Little Rock Nine and school desegregation, and the march on Washington, D.C. for jobs and freedom.

All of these titles are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. They are available from your preferred vendor, local independent bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Congratulations to Patricia and the late Fredrick McKissack!

Patricia McKissack, and her late husband Fredrick, were awarded the Coretta Scott King Virginia Hamilton

Award for Lifetime Achievement. Presented to an African American author, illustrator, or author/illustrator, this award represents the winner's body of published works for children and/or young adults. The recipients of this award have also made a significant and lasting literary contribution.This award is named in memory of beloved children's author Virginia Hamilton, and is presented to the winner during the Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast at the ALA Annual Conference.

Patricia and Fredrick McKissack have written many books for Enslow Publishers, Inc., with their last series of titles, Famous African Americans, published in the spring of 2013. This series of twelve books feature short biographies on Booker T. Washington, Carter G. Woodson, Frederick Douglass, George Washington Carver, Ida B. Wells Barnett, Jesse Owens, Louis Armstrong, Madam C.J. Walker, Marian Anderson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, and Paul Robeson.

These titles are available from your preferred vendor, local independent bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

African--American Icons titles

Two subjects from our African-American Icons series performed the opening number on the Grammy awards last night.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z are two of the titles in this series. Written for the middle school reader, these 100+ page titles are great for those who want to learn more about these current actors, singers/musicians, authors, and comedians. Other spring 2014 titles in this series include biographies about Chris Rock, Jennifer Hudson, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Tyler Perry. There are also six titles published in spring 2013.

All of these titles are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. These titles have been correlated to the Common Core, and are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats.