Happy Birthday Sasha Obama

Celebrating the Obama Family in Pictures captures the many exciting moments of the family, before and after they moved into the White House.

On this day in 2008

Ken Griffey Jr. of the Cincinnati Reds became the sixth player in baseball history to hit 600 home runs.

Today would have been Les Paul's birthday

Electric Guitar Man The Genius of Les Paul
Author: Edwin Brit Wyckoff
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2847-0

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 3-4
Page Count: 32

Without the electronic guitar invented by Les Paul, music would never have been the same. In this biography of Paul's life and career, Edwin Brit Wyckoff shares how the rambunctious boy from Waukesha, Wisconsin, was propelled to stardom by his unrivaled playing ability and technological prowess. Revered by generations of musicians and fans, Paul and his inventions have forever changed the way music is produced, recorded, and enjoyed.

Happy Birthday Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp Movie Megastar
Author: Jill Menkes Kushner
State Affiliation of Author: NJ
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3567-6

Publication Year: 2009
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
Page Count: 48

Did you know that Johnny Depp once worked as a telemarketer trying to sell ballpoint pens? This lively biography summarizes Depp's life from his childhood, to his love of music, and his acting career. This fun-to-read book offers quotes, personal stories, and accessible features such as a timeline and glossary.

Today is Kanye West's birthday

Kanye West Hip-Hop Star
Author: Gretchen Weicker
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3214-9

Publication Year: 2009
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
Page Count: 48

Kanye West has never been the typical rapper or hip-hop artist. While other rappers are known for their baggy clothes and graphic lyrics, West uses his music to pay tribute to his mother, fight injustice in the world, and spread a positive message. With preppy clothes, honest lyrics, and a trademark teddy bear, West has built his success by breaking the mold.

Today is Allen Iverson's birthday

Allen Iverson Never Give Up
Author: John Albert Torres
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2174-7

Publication Year: 2004
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 104

Chronicling the life and career of basketball star Allen Iverson, whose will and determination helped him overcome a background of poverty and violence to become one of the greatest basketball players in the world today. With his lightning-fast speed and acrobatic ball-handling skills, Iverson has helped transform the Philadelphia 76ers into championship contenders. He has led the NBA in scoring twice in the last six years and won both the All-Star Game and regular season MVP awards in 2001.

Possible tornado in Dundee, MI

While driving home from visiting family yesterday, I drove past the Cabela's in Dundee, MI. I had seen on the news (earlier in the morning) that a possible tornado had damaged Cabela's. Seeing the damage was eerie (to be honest, I did not see any damage to Cabela's, but I did see damage to the building next door). Granted, I was driving, and there was a lot of traffic trying to get off the highway at that exit, so I could not get a really good look, but what I saw made me think it might have been a tornado. The roof of the water park next to Cabela's was damaged (and missing in some places). Made me want to get into the office and start looking through Enslow's Tornadoes book and learn more.

Today would have been the birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks

Gwendolyn Brooks ''Poetry Is Life Distilled''
Author: Christine M. Hill
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2292-8

Publication Year: 2005
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 128

For Gwendolyn Brooks, writing was vital to life—"like breathing or eating," she said. Brooks cast her poets’ eye on the daily struggles of ordinary African-Americans and told the truth about racism and urban poverty. In 1950, Brooks became the first black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize. As the civil rights movement evolved, so did Brooks’s own views. Her work grew sharper with black pride and solidarity. Brooks’s career spanned more than fifty years, and her poetry appeals to people from all walks of life. This vividly drawn life story will fascinate Brooks’s fans and entice other readers to discover her poetry.

New Orleans- Katrina and the Oil Spill

Over the long weekend I was fortunate enough to visit New Orleans. I had never been there before and really enjoyed the city and all of its culture! From Bourbon St. and the French Quarter, to eating po boys uptown, it was a great experience.

It is hard to believe Hurricane Katrina hit the area 5 years ago. I thought I would blog about our book, Hurricane Katrina Strikes the Gulf Coast. You can find more information about it here: http://www.enslow.com/displayitem.asp?type=1&item=1931

But today there is a different enviromental tragedy going on in the Gulf. Enslow is actually coming out with a book this fall about oil spills, so keep an eye out for it this fall! It is called Smog, Oil Spills, Sewage, and More.

Today is Ron Wood's Birthday

Coming this fall, Enslow will publish a book on The Rolling Stones. Keep an eye out for it!

Today would have been Jim Thorpe's birthday

Jim Thorpe "There's No Such Thing as 'Can't'"
Author: Michael A. Schuman
State Affiliation of Author: NH
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3021-3

Publication Year: 2009
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

American Indian Jim Thorpe made great feats a routine during his athletic career, winning gold medals in the Olympics and playing professional baseball and football. Although he faced bitter racism during his life, Thorpe continued to excel. When he received his gold medal for the decathlon in the 1912 Olympics, the King of Sweden proclaimed him the "greatest athlete in the world." Author Michael A. Schuman relates this American's exciting story, including the revocation and ultimate return of his gold medals, using interviews with Jim Thorpe's son and daughter as part of his research.

Today would have been Wild Bill Hickok's birthday

Wild Bill Hickok, Revised Edition
Author: Carl R. Green, William R. Sanford
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3177-7

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
Page Count: 48

A Civil War hero, Army scout, lawman, showman and guide—Wild Bill Hickok's life seems too exciting to be true. However, his shootouts with rowdy cowboys and his life-or-death fight with a grizzly bear were real! This Wild West hero is truly legendary.

Today would have been Dorothea Lange's birthday

Dorothea Lange A Life in Pictures
Author: Laura Baskes Litwin
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2697-1

Publication Year: 2007
Interest Level: Grades 6-up
Page Count: 128

Dorothea Lange was an influential American photographer and photojournalist. Lange is best known for her Depression-era work, which gave a face to the widespread human suffering that was taking place across the country at that time. Lange's work during this period, in addition to her later work, would profoundly influence the development of documentary photography.

Today would have been Igor Sikorsky's birthday

Coming in the fall, Enslow will add a biography of Igor Sikorsky to it's list. This biography, part of our Genius at Work! Great Inventor Biographies series, is geared toward grades 3–4.

On this day in history

Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.

Known as "the Angel of the Battlefield" during the American Civil War, author Mary Dodson Wade explores the life of Clara Barton in this biography for beginning readers. Read about Barton's early jobs as a teacher and in a government office, and how she created the American Red Cross.

For middle school readers, Don Nardo explores the life of Clara Barton, from her days as a ground-breaking teacher to her creation of the American Red Cross.

Today is Tony Stewart's birthday

Tony Stewart Rocket on the Racetrack
Author: Ryan Basen
State Affiliation of Author: NC
State Affiliation of Title: IN
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2998-9

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
Page Count: 128

Tony Stewart has won championships in sprint cars, indy cars, and stock cars. He currently races in NASCAR for Joe Gibbs Racing and captured the Nextel Cup championship in 2005. Today he is recognized as one of the biggest names in NASCAR and should continue to compile championships in the seasons to come.

Today would have been Dolley Madison's birthday

Dolley Madison: "The Enemy Cannot Frighten a Free People"
Author: Zachary Kent
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3356-6
Publication Year: 2010
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

As British soldiers marched toward Washington, D.C. on August 24, 1814, Dolley Madison bravely stayed at the White House waiting for her husband, President James Madison. Most residents had fled the city, but Dolley had to save important documents and valuables from the White House, including the famous painting of George Washington. Dolley left the city only hours before the British arrived. Dolley Madison had been a leading social and political figure in Washington for many years and helped to rebuild the American capital. Author Zachary Kent explores the life of this First Lady from her humble childhood to her legacy as a national hero.

Today would have been Lorraine Hansberry's birthday

A Reader's Guide to Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun
Author: Pamela Loos
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2830-2

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 9-12
Page Count: 128

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun was a landmark play. In addition to being the first play by an African-American woman to appear on Broadway, it was also directed by an African-American man, Lloyd Richards, and all but one of the actors in the production were African-American. The play became the first African-American play to gain national acclaim and broke Broadway records.

Today is Kevin Garnett's birthday

Kevin Garnett All-Star On and Off the Court
Author: J Chris Roselius
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2863-0

Publication Year: 2007
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

Kevin Garnett is the star forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 1995, he became the first NBA player drafted out of high school in twenty years. In 2004, he was awarded the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Off the court, Garnett has helped many charities, including a $1.2 million donation to Oprah's Angel Network to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in 2005.

Today would have been Mathew Brady's birthday

Mathew Brady "The Camera Is the Eye of History"
Author: Don Nardo
ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3023-7

Publication Year: 2008
Interest Level: Grades 5-up
Page Count: 128

Often considered the father of American photography, Brady developed new techniques and photographed many famous Americans like President Abraham Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant. He and his assistants also braved the battlefields and took many important photos during the Civil War. Some of the notable battlefields his operation recorded include Gettysburg and Antietam. Author Don Nardo explores Brady's life from the height of his success to the sad end of his life.