The Enslow Blog! | Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Jousting is Back!

2012-02-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

This recent New York Times article about a new series, "Full Metal Jousting" on the History Channel caught our attention this week. Jousting? For real? The premise of the show is to take 16 men who have never jousted competitively before and teach them the sport. Viewers can then watch to see who survives the elimination bouts until just one champion is crowned. The series will premiere this Sunday, February 12 at 10/9c. It might be fun to watch just to find out what it takes to be a great jouster.

The reason the article caught our eye is because we recently published Sweaty Suits of Armor written by Chana Stiefel and illustrated by Gerald Kelley from our Ye Yucky Middle Ages series.

ISBN: 978-0-7660-3784-7
Grades 5–9
48 pages
$17.95 School/Library Price

With swords, seiges, and heavy armor suits, life was risky business for a knight. In a joust, two mounted knights dueled against each other with lances. They tried to knock each other off their saddles and would receive points for shattering their lance against their opponent's shields. When their lances were broken, knights battled each other with swords, axes, or maces.

You can watch a preview of the "Full Metal Jousting" series here.

Find a jousting competition near you here.

What Is Braille?

2012-02-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

Library Bound ISBN: 978-0-7660-3770-0
$23.93

One of Enslow's new titles for spring, What Is Braille? gives readers in grades three through four a greater understanding into the lives of people dealing with challenges. This title is part of the Overcoming Barriers series which includes: What Is It Like to Be Blind?, What Is It Like to Be Deaf?, What Is Sign Language? as well as What Is Braille? All four titles in the series are authored by Deborah Kent and feature color and black-and-white photographs and illustrations as well as words to know regarding the title's topic.

What Is Braille? contains great chapters such as "Creating the Code", "Braille at Work", and "What Is the Future of Braille?". This title allows young readers to learn more about this valuable means of communication for the blind as it demonstrates how people use Braille to live active and meaningful lives.

New Enslow Series Explores "Unusual" Pets, Their Care, and Science

2012-02-07T12:36:00.000-05:00

Pets come in all shapes, sizes, and species. Enslow's new series "Far-Out and Unusual Pets" offers a fun, informative look at some decidedly unique animals that people adopt as pets.

Each title focuses on exotic creatures, their natural habitat, and their suitability for domestic life. The animals considered in this six-book series form are certain to catch a young reader's attention. The subjects range from tropical snakes to charming miniature horses. One popular title -- Hairless Dogs -- discusses the history of these canines and explains the special care they require.

The series' authors -- Alvin and Virginia Silverstein and Laura Silverstein Nunn -- bring decades of sound, appealing science writing experience. Each title also comes with plenty of color photographs, adding another "way in" for young readers to enjoy their book. For further reference, each book includes a further reading section and selected Internet links.

These 48-page, library-bound books are available directly from Enslow Publishers to schools and libraries for $17.95 per book -- a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for these titles!

Looking forward to spring

2012-02-06T14:40:00.002-05:00

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-3978-0
Grades PreK–1

Granted, it's been a mild winter (so far) here in the Northeast, and we have to be grateful for that. Read through some of our lastest Enslow Elementary books and you will probably learn new things. Did you know that coquinas are those seashells that look like butterflies when they are open? I've seen coquinas over the years, but never knew what they were called. Also, I really like the lightening whelk. They are beautiful. Having gone to the Jersey shore, as well as parts of Cape Cod as a child, I can remember walking the beaches looking for seashells and sand dollars with my family. We would have contests to see who could find the prettiest and most intact shells.

Enslow Elementary's All About Nature series contains seven titles that are great for early readers. Each title starts with Can You Find and discusses a different subject. Birds, bugs, butterflies, flowers, rocks, seashells, and trees are all available as separate library-bound titles, and were written by Carmen Bredeson and Lindsey Cousins.

Congratulations to our newest raffle winner!

2012-02-03T12:56:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Vickie from Dutton Elementary School in Dutton, Alabama for winning our monthly raffle for $100 in free books!

Giants or Patriots?

2012-02-03T11:09:00.000-05:00

Who will you be rooting for on Super Bowl Sunday?

ISBN: 978-0-7660-3832-5
School and Library Price $15.95
Paperback Price $6.95
Grades K–3
24 pages

ISBN: 978-0-7660-3773-1
School and Library Price $17.95
Paperback Price $7.95
978-1-59845-233-4 $7.95
Grades 3–4
48 pages

Happy Groundhog Day!

2012-02-02T17:17:00.000-05:00

Today is Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow which means six more weeks of winter! Had he not seen his shadow it would have meant an early spring. This year is Phil's 126th prediction made from his burrow in Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

The groundhog legend goes back to the early Christians in Europe. The Romans brought the tradition to the Germans who used a hedgehog to predict the upcoming weather. Since Pennsylvania's earliest settlers were Germans they applied the ancient custom to groundhogs since there were so many in the state and they were similar to hedgehogs.

The Groundhog Club is the Inner Circle who cares for and feeds Phil. The club's President is the one that Phil speaks his prediction to. The President is the only one who understands "Groundhogese" (which is the language Phil speaks), and he translates Phil's proclamation to the world!

You can learn more about the Groundhog Day celebration in Pennsylvania, it's history, and much more by going to groundhog.org.

Valentine's Day for Pre-School and Elementary Readers

2012-02-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it's a great time for children to learn about the holiday and build their literacy skills at the same time. We have a great collection of Valentine's Day books for different ages and reading levels.

Valentine's Day by Dorothy Goeller is an engaging and humorous book where new PreK-1 readers can find out just how many hearts are enough. Young readers will learn words like "Heart", and "Hearts" and simple constructions like "too many". Beautiful, full-color photographs and clear, easy-t0-read text make this book great for new readers.

What is Valentine's Day by Elaine Landau guides K-3 readers through the images and traditions of Valentine's Day. Full-color photographs, a glossary, and an activity section make this book perfect for leisure reading or book reports.

Finally, for readers in grades 3-4, or anyone else interested in crafts, Paper Crafts for Valentine's Day by Randel McGee delivers a unique and creative array of paper craft projects, all just for Valentine's day. With easy-to-use templates for each craft and an in-depth descripton of the holiday, this book is a wonderful as a supplement to Valentine's Day activities or as an introduction to paper crafting!

Shaun White -- Enslow Biography Subject -- Makes History at Winter X Games

2012-01-31T13:27:00.001-05:00

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-7660-3627-7
Library ISBN: 978-0-7660-3212-5

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White added to his remarkable career achievements with a stunning, perfect score at the recent Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. In doing so, he bested his closest competitor in the Men's Snowboard SuperPipe finals, Swiss rider Iouri Podladtchikov.

The triumph was something of a character test for White, who had sprained his ankle in the days prior to snowboard competition. The ailment forced White to skip a competitive event in which he had strongly desired to compete and win. White's perfect score more than soothed his disappointment.

"I've been wanting that 100 forever," White said after overcoming Podladtchikov's strong challenge.

Young readers who have an affinity or attraction to White's competitive spirit and athletic excellence will enjoy Enslow's biography, part of the "Hot Celebrity Biography" series, on the snowboard wizard. Author Marty Gitlin's engaging, 48-page work explores White's career and his driven personality. Filled with action photos and useful sidebars, the biography is fun for independent readers and a "way in" to books for reluctant readers.

Shaun White: Snow and Skateboard Champion is available in paperback for $7.95; a teacher's guide for this Guided Reading Level "S" book is available with purchase. A library-bound edition is also available for the school/library price of $17.95, which represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for the title.

Discover Dogs series

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-3845-5
Grades K-3

Having grown up with lots of dogs over the years, most of which were of a mixed breed, I thought it would be fun to talk about I Like Mixed-Breed Dogs. All of our mixed-breed dogs have come from the local animal shelter.

This new elementary title and the others in the series, written for grades K-3, are great for teaching children what goes into the caring, feeding, training, and other aspects of puppy/dog ownership. Each title contains lots of great photos, along with Web sites and a list of other books to read.

Other titles in this series include books on Labrador Retrievers, Collies, Beagles, Poodles, and German Shepherds.

Enslow Author Receives NAACP Nomination Second Year In a Row!

2012-01-27T13:25:00.000-05:00

We are proud to announce that our title, Jesse Owens: "I Always Loved Running" by Jeff Burlingame has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Youth Teens. We're not surprised though as this is the second year in a row that Mr. Burlingame has been nominated for this award. Last year, he was nominated for our title, Malcolm X: "I Believe in the Brotherhood of Man, All Men".

ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-3497-6
Grades 6-up
$23.93 School and Library Price

What did Jeff have to say about being nominated for the second year in a row? "I am again honored, and rather amazed, at having been nominated for this prestigious award two years in a row. The shock I felt last year when I received word of my first nomination was almost inexpressible. This year, in which the Image Awards committee received a record number of submissions, I'm even more stunned. But definitely appreciative!"

When asked about his experience attending the awards in Los Angeles last year, Mr. Burlingame described it as a career and life highlight. "I met many wonderful people. My family and I walked the red carpet right behind U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin and a few steps in front of the show's co-host, Holly Robinson Peete." Once inside, Burlingame and his family were seated amongst stars who included Halle Berry and LL Cool J, just to name a few. You can read the original story here.

Author Jeff Burlingame at last year's NAACP Image Awards

Jeff Burlingame, is a journalist and author of many biographies and nonfiction books for young readers. When we asked him about his experience writing the biography of Olympic track star, Jesse Owens, Burlingame said, "I've long been a fan of the sport of track and field and have known Jesse Owens' story for as long as I can remember. The book explores themes of poverty, racism, and heroism. Jesse's story also is inspirational, controversial, educational, and somewhat heartbreaking. As an author, I just tried to get out of the way and let the story tell itself."

The 43rd NAACP Image Awards will broadcast from The Shrine Auditorium on Friday, February 17, 2012 live 8/7C on NBC.

Animal Bodies Up Close

2012-01-26T15:39:00.000-05:00

Library Bound ISBN 978-0-7660-3889-9
$21.26

Panther chameleons can move their eyes two ways at once. One eye can look up as the other looks down. Sea stars have hundreds of feet on the bottom of each arm. These tiny feet help them hold onto rocks. Hippopotamuses have ears on top of their heads instead of on the sides of their heads. This helps them keep cool by staying underwater while still being able to hear. Polar bears have the best sense of smell on Earth. Their noses can sniff a dead seal from twenty miles away. The blue-tailed skink lizard uses its tail for protection. When being attacked they make their vibrant tail fall off so they can run away. A penguin’s tongue is covered with spikes. These spikes keep fish from sliding out of their mouths.

These are just some of the interesting facts packed into Enslow’s Animal Bodies Up Close series authored by Melissa Stewart. Each title in the series focuses on one particular animal body part and shows how different animals use that part in unique ways. Titles in this series include: Amazing Eyes Up Close, Fantastic Feet Up Close, Incredible Ears Up Close, Nifty Noses Up Close, Talented Tails Up Close, and Terrific Tongues Up Close. The color illustrations and simple text is great for young readers from Kindergarten through grade 3 and will surely engage them in learning more about these astonishing animal body parts!

Celebrate Chinese New Year!

2012-01-24T17:03:00.000-05:00

ISBN#: 978-0-7660-4031-1
$23.93 Library Bound

Yesterday was the first day of the Chinese New Year. This holiday began more than 4,000 years ago in China as was a way to celebrate the end of one planting season and the beginning of another. It is usually celebrated somewhere between the middle of January to the middle of February. Lanterns are a part of this celebration and are used to chase away the old year. Firecrackers are used to frighten away evil. Every year in the Chinese calendar is named after an animal; 2012 is the year of the dragon which means that those born during this year are strong, energetic, and impressive!

Celebrating Chinese New Year, part of Enslow’s Celebrating Holidays series, is a colorful title that engages grades three through four in this fascinating holiday. Young readers can learn more about the different animals each year is named after as well as the characteristics of those born during that year. Celebrating Chinese New Year, by Fay Robinson, also describes the decorations, traditions, and food associated with this thrilling holiday and is a wonderful way to join in the celebration.

Today is National Pie Day

2012-01-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-3766-3
Paper ISBN 978-1-59845-273-0
Grades 3-4

In celebration of this day, the recipe for Shepherd's Pie is going to be included in this post. This particular recipe is in our Easy Main Dishes From Around the World title. These books are available in both library and paperback bindings.

Shepherd's Pie is a crustless pie, containing meat and some vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes. This recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large onion, minced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 pound ground beef or ground lamb
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Salt

1. Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water on the stove for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
2. While potatoes cook, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan. Sauté onion for about 10 minutes and then add carrot. Add ground beef and cook until meat is no longer pink.
3. Add garlic, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and beef broth.
4. Ask an adult to help you remove the potatoes from the stove. Drain in a colander and then place in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, sour cream, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mash potatoes until creamy.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread beef mixture in a buttered baking dish. Evenly spread mashed potatoes on top of the beef. Use a fork to make small peaks in the potatoes. Bake in oven for 25 minutes and place under broiler for 5 minutes, or until top is lightly browned.
6. Remove from oven. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Are you aware that it's Penguin Awareness Day?

2012-01-20T21:37:00.000-05:00

That's right! Today is Penguin Awareness Day. Celebrate with all of your penguin friends. It's easy. You can dress in your tuxedo, send your penguin friends a penguin e-card, tell a penguin joke. Or you can share this fun Penguin video and some of our penguin titles from our web site.

Visit Enslow at National Title I Conference/Seattle

2012-01-19T10:40:00.000-05:00

Visit Enslow Publishers
at Booth 401

Enslow Publishers will have a booth at the upcoming 2012 National Title I Conference in Seattle. (The conference exhibits will be open starting on Saturday morning, January 21st.

You'll find us at Booth #401.

We look forward to meeting Title I Conference participants and learning how our books, including classroom paperbacks, can help your students succeed in school and in life.

Spring 2012 Catalogs Now Available!

2012-01-18T11:48:00.008-05:00

Enslow's Spring 2012 catalogs are now available in both print and digital versions. If you usually receive a catalog from Enslow Publishers, you should be receiving your Spring 2012 catalog shortly. If you would like to receive a Spring 2012 catalog or if you would like to be added to our catalog mailing list, you can sign up here or you can send a message to customerservice@enslow.com.

All of our catalogs are available online here: Enslow Publishers 2012 Catalogs

Happy Birthday Michelle Obama

2012-01-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

ISBN: 978-0-7660-3652-9

Today is Michelle Obama's 48th birthday. For young readers unfamiliar with the her life, Enslow Publishers' "The Obama Family Photo Album" provides highly readable, visually compelling books in which the First Lady plays a central role.

Among the titles in the four-book series is Celebrating Michelle Obama in Pictures. Author Jane Katirgis' AR 5.2-level text neatly dovetails with carefully chosen color photos that illuminate aspects of her character and life experience. The 32-page book inlcudes a further reading list, useful Internet addresses, and an index.

Celebrating Michelle Obama in Pictures is available in a library-bound version for $16.95. The price, representing a 25% discount from Enslow's list price, is available to institutional buyers from schools and libraries.

Join Enslow in wishing First Lady Michelle Obama a happy birthday!

Congratulations to Enslow's Pick-A-Page Winner!

2012-01-16T11:21:00.000-05:00

Great Minds of Science series

We want to congratulate Penniless Teacher for winning our Pick-A-Page contest!

For everyone who participated, please email your shipping address to customerservice@enslow.com.

Last Day of Pick-A-Page Giveaway

2012-01-13T12:24:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, so don't forget to share this special offer with your friends. Everyone who enters receives a free book just for participating! Our grand-prize winner, who will win an entire page of books of their choice, will be chosen at random and announced on Monday. See details below.

Today we're featuring our new spring elementary titles about animals:

Animal Bodies Up Close series for Grades K–3, $15.95 each for schools and libraries.

All About a Rainbow of Animals series for Grades PreK–1, $15.95 each for schools and libraries.

Discover Cats with The Cat Fanciers' Association series for Grades K–3, $15.95 each for schools and libraries.

Discover Dogs with the American Canine Association series for Grades K–3, $15.95 each for schools and libraries.

Far-Out and Unusual Pets series for Grades 3–4, six new books in this popular series. $17.95 each for schools and libraries.

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For our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, go to one of our e-catalogs and pick a page of titles you would like to receive for free. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment on Facebook, letting us know which page you would like to receive. For everyone who enters, and shares this offer with their friends, they will receive one book from the page they requested. One winner will be chosen by random at the end of the week, and that person will receive a copy of every book on that page. The winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday!

Craft Books for Day Four of Our Pick-A-Page Giveaway!

2012-01-12T16:48:00.000-05:00

ISBN #: 978-0-7660-3726-7
$23.93

     Today is day four of our Pick-A-Page Giveaway and we have some engaging craft books to win! Randel McGee is the author of Enslow’s Paper Craft Fun for Holidays series, and these 12 titles are sure to interest children in grades three through four. Two upcoming holidays that would be fun to celebrate with paper crafts are Chinese New Year and Presidents’ Day. Chinese New Year is Monday, January 23rd and Randel McGee has an interesting You Tube video of him putting together the Dancing Dragon Puppet from our Paper Crafts for Chinese New Year title. Presidents’ Day is Monday, February 20th and making crafts in Enslow’s new title in this series, Paper Crafts for Presidents’ Day would be a festive way to observe this national holiday!

    For our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, go to one of our e-catalogs and pick a page of titles you would like to receive for free. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment on Facebook, letting us know which page you would like to receive. For everyone who enters, they will receive one book from the page they requested. One winner will be chosen by random at the end of the week, and that person will receive a copy of every book on that page. The winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday!

Rounding Third, Heading Home and The Third Day of Enslow's Pick-A-Page Giveaway!

2012-01-11T04:45:00.000-05:00

It's the third day of our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, and we've got some great books that you can win!

One of our authors, David Aretha, just got some great feedback about his new book Rounding Third, Heading Home! from the legendary Dan Gutman:

"If you like Matt Christopher, you’ll love David Aretha. This is a classic underdog story that Little Leaguers are bound to enjoy."
—Dan Gutman, author of Honus & Me, Babe & Me, and eight other baseball card adventures

Rounding Third, Heading Home! and the rest of the "A Champion Sports Story" series is out now. If you like a good underdog story, or if you can't read enough about sports, check out our Pick-A-Page Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the series!

For our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, go to one of our e-catalogs and pick a page of titles you would like to receive for free. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment on Facebook, letting us know which page you would like to receive. For everyone who enters, they will receive one book from the page they requested. One winner will be chosen by random at the end of the week, and that person will receive a copy of every book on that page. The winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday!

New Enslow Series Takes Fresh Look at American History

2012-01-10T13:47:00.000-05:00

This season, Enslow Publishers' new series, "Stories in American History," has risen to the challenge of offering fresh, authoritative books about our nation's development. The six-title series, intended for Grades 5 and up, focuses on curriculum-critical topics essential for young readers to understand and master. Each 128-page book is written in an age-appropriate style, and includes informative chapter notes, a timeline, a further reading list, and useful Internet addresses for additional research.

Library-bound editions fo these 2012 copyright books are available now from Enslow Publishers for $23.95 per title. The price, available for school and library clients, reflects a 25% discount from Enslow's list prices for its library-bound books. A paperback version of each title is also available for $9.95 per book.

For our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, go to one of our e-catalogs and pick a page of titles you would like to receive for free. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment on Facebook, letting us know which page you would like to receive. For everyone who enters, they will receive one book from the page they requested. One winner will be chosen by random at the end of the week, and that person will receive a copy of every book on that page. The winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday!

Today begins our Pick-A-Page Giveaway week!

2012-01-09T13:00:00.000-05:00

Looking for remedial math books for your middle or high school students? Enslow's new six title series, Ace Your Math Test, helps your students master the skills needed for their math tests. The books simply and clearly provide step-by-step guides to the basics of math. Everything from addition and subtraction to pre-algebra and algebra are included in this series. Great for reviewing math skills, these titles can be used in the classroom, library, and home, and are available in both library and paperback bindings.

For our Pick-A-Page Giveaway, go to one of our e-catalogs and pick a page of titles you would like to receive for free. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment on Facebook, letting us know which page you would like to receive. For everyone who enters, they will receive one book from the page they requested. One winner will be chosen by random at the end of the week, and that person will receive a copy of every book on that page. The winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday!

Congratulations to Enslow's December 2011 raffle winner!

2012-01-09T08:11:00.001-05:00

The library of KWS Bear Road Elementary in North Syracuse, NY will be receiving $100 in free books from Enslow!