Jaime Escalante, "Stand and Deliver" teacher loses battle to cancer

After teaching math and science in Bolivia for ten years, Jaime Escalante arrived in California speaking little English. Through much hard work, he earned a degree in mathematics and made it back into the classroom. There, he inspired his inner-city students to pass the A.P. calculus exam. His efforts prompted Hollywood to make the movie Stand and Deliver about his life and dedication as an educator.

Escalante died Tuesday after a battle with cancer at age 79. He was surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren when he died at his home in Roseville, California. To read more information please visit cnn.com.

Enslow has a great book on Escalante's life entitled, Jaime Escalante Inspirational Math Teacher

Birthday of Angus Young of AC/DC

AC/DC's lead guitarist celebrates a birthday today!

Birthday of Cesar Chavez

Read About Cesar Chavez
Author: Stephen Feinstein
State Affiliation of Author: WA
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2296-6

ISBN-10: 0-7660-2296-X
Publication Year: 2004
Interest Level: Grades 1-3
Page Count: 24

This biography has simple text aimed at early independent readers; as well as full-color illustrations. It tells the story of the labor leader Cesar Chavez from his impoverished boyhood to his leadership in the farm worker’s union, which made life better for migrant farm workers.

Rutgers University reviews Enslow's "Ferris Wheel! George Ferris and His Amazing Invention"

Rutgers University's School of Arts and Science, Economics and Children's EconKids department reviewed Enslow's Ferris Wheel! George Ferris and His Amazing Invention"

An excerpt from the review:

"This straightforward, factual book gives children a brief biographical sketch of George Ferris and then goes into detail of his famous invention, which is all written in a way that is easy to digest for young readers. "

To see the entire review, click here.

You can find more information about the title at enslow.com

Review of Sandra Cisneros: Inspiring Latina Author

Nana Herron, reviewer on MiniBookBytes.com reviewed Enslow's Sandra Cisneros: Inspiring Latina Author. You can check out the great review here. You can find more information here as well.

An excerpt from the review:

"As part of the Latino Biography Library series, Sandra Cisneros: Inspiring Latina Author will appeal to readers of all ages, but especially to young adults and aspiring writers....The text is clearly written and a pleasure to read. Highly recommended as an excellent biography for kids in grades 6 and up."

Birthday of Sam Walton

Sam Walton Business Genius of Wal-Mart
Author: Sally Lee
State Affiliation of Author: TX
State Affiliation of Title: AR, MO, OK
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2692-6

ISBN-10: 0-7660-2692-2
Publication Year: 2007
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 112

Sam Walton was the founder of the tremendously successful retail chain, Wal-Mart. In addition to his business accomplishments, Walton supported various charitable causes, including those of his church, the Presbyterian Church. The Sam and Helen R. Walton Award was created in 1991 when the Waltons made a gift of six million dollars which included an endowment in the amount of three million dollars to provide annual awards to new church developments that are working in creative ways to share the Christian faith in local communities.

Birthday of Robert Frost

Today would have been Robert Frost's birthday.

You can also learn more about him here.

Birthday of Tennessee Williams

A Student's Guide to Tennessee Williams
Author: Spring Hermann
State Affiliation of Author: CT
State Affiliation of Title: LA
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2706-0

ISBN-10: 0-7660-2706-6

Publication Year: 2007
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 160

Tennessee Williams is one of the most popular and important American playwrights of the twentieth century. He is best known for his "Southern Gothic" style, which often portrayed the struggles of old-world Southerners trying to adjust to modern society. In A Student's Guide to Tennessee Williams, the life and work of Williams are examined, offering accessible insight for young readers. Each work is placed in historical and biographical context, with special emphasis placed on curriculum-related works The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, in addition to many other lesser-known works.

On this day in 1911 . . .

A fire in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company killed 146 workers, most of them young immigrant women. To read more about this, Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire explains how this horrific fire impacted the national labor reform movement.

To read an historically accurate, fictional account of this tragedy, The Locket follows the working experiences of two Russian-Jewish sisters who were working in this factory on the day of the fire.

   

Linda Sue Park's birthday is today

Linda Sue Park An Author Kids Love
Author: Michelle Parker-Rock
State Affiliation of Author: AZ
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3158-6

ISBN-10: 0-7660-3158-6-->
Publication Year: 2009
Interest Level: Grades 3-4
Page Count: 48
Description: Linda Sue Park wrote poems and stories from the time she was a very young girl. Today she is the award-winning author of such children's books as A Single Shard and The Kite Fighters, many of which draw upon her Korean heritage. In an interview with author Michelle Parker-Rock, Park tells her story, including what inspired her to be a writer and how she works. Park also offers advice for kids who want to be writers themselves. Filled with childhood photographs and personal quotes.

Danica Patrick's birthday is today

Danica Patrick Racing to History
Author: J Chris Roselius
State Affiliation of Author: MN
State Affiliation of Title: WI
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3302-3

ISBN-10: 0-7660-3302-3-->
Publication Year: 2009
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
Page Count: 128
Description: Millions of sports fans know the name Danica Patrick—even if they've never watched an indy car race before. As a female driver, Patrick has broken ground for her consistent performances behind the wheel. In 2008, she won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first woman to win in an Indy Car race.

On this day in 2002

Halle Berry became the first African-American performer to win a best actress Oscar for her performance in "Monster's Ball."

On this day in 1973

Pink Floyd released their album "Dark Side of the Moon."

Peyton Manning's birthday is today

Peyton Manning Leader On and Off the Field
Author: Tim Polzer
State Affiliation of Author: TX
State Affiliation of Title: IN, LA, TN
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2822-7ISBN-10: 0-7660-2822-4-->
Publication Year: 2006
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

After a legendary college career at Tennessee, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has gone on to shatter nearly every passing record in the NFL in his young career. Off the field, Manning’s "PeyBack" Foundation, established in 1999, assists programs that provide opportunities for children at risk.

Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Visit Enslow at PLA! Booth 1050

Mark Enslow, president of Enslow Publishers, will be at PLA this week in Portland, Oregon. Come to booth #1050 to see what's new with Enslow!

We are giving away $100 in free books from Enslow to people who have their badge scanned or fill out a ballot at PLA this week. The winner will be chosen on Friday March 26th, and you have to visit our booth to enter!

For more information on PLA, visit http://www.pla.org/.

Happy Birthday Jason Kidd!

Jason Kidd Leader on the Court
Author: Ken Rappoport
State Affiliation of Author: NJ
State Affiliation of Title: NJ
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2214-0

ISBN-10: 0-7660-2214-5--
Publication Year: 2004
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 104

Widely recognized as the best pure point guard in the league today, Jason Kidd is one of the NBA’s most recognizable stars. After a stellar high school and college career, Kidd made an impact as a pro, earning Rookie of the Year honors, followed by a starting spot in the All-Star Game in just his second professional season. After being traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2001, Kidd immediately turned the franchise around, leading the team to the NBA Finals in his first two seasons there. With Kidd leading the way, the Nets are sure to remain playoff contenders for many seasons to come.

Japanese-American internment during World War II

In 1942, during World War II, the U.S. government moved Japanese-Americans from their West Coast homes to detention centers.

The Lucky Baseball is a fictionalized account of that time.

The Tragic History of the Japanese-American Internment Camps written by Deborah Kent also details the sad history of these camps, the reasons behind their creation, and how the internees made the best of their deplorable situation, and finally received an official apology from the U.S. Government.

Enslow's Animal Books, Perfect Follow-up to Discovery Channel's "Life"

If anyone caught the Discovery Channel ongoing documentary "Life" last night, you were probably fascinated by all of the animals!

Enslow Publishers as a huge selection of animal books for all grades. Just click the link to see all of the series.

Some new animal series for spring 2010 include, I Like Reading About Animals! and Top 50 Reasons to Care About Endangered Animals.

Also, if you want to learn more about "Life" and when you can catch an episode visit, http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/life/

Today is Lois Lowry's birthday

Lois Lowry celebrates her special day today!

Review in Booklist of Contemporary American Poetry "Not the End, but the Beginning"

Authors Sheila Griffin Llanas and Michelle M. Houle have received a nice review in Booklist (3/15/10) issue of Contemporary American Poetry "Not the End, but the Beginning" (author Sheila Griffin Llanas) and Modern British Poetry "The World Is Never the Same" (author Michelle M. Houle). The review by Carolyn Phelan says:

"...the books' organization and presentation are clear, though the titles' terms of "contemporary"and "modern" are rather broadly applied."

To read the online reviews, you will need a subscription to visit: http://www.booklistonline.com/

Enslow's web site has these description for Contemporary American Poetry: Poet William Stafford wrote, "A poem is not the end, but the beginning, of an excursion." This collection, highlighting American poets born after the beginning of the twentieth century, helps young readers get started on their excursion into understanding poetry. The book includes brief biographies of eleven poets, ranging from Theodore Roethke to Allen Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, and Billy Collins, along with several poems for each writer. It also introduces the techniques of analysis to deepen readers’ appreciation of poetry.

And for Modern British Poetry: This collection introduces readers to eleven British poets born between 1806 and 1914, including Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Lord Alfred Tennyson, W. B. Yeats, W. H. Auden, and Dylan Thomas. Includes biographical information, historical background, poetry analysis, and several poems by each writer. Helps readers understand poetry and appreciate the statement by Dylan Thomas: "The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it."