Birthday of Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Who was she? Ida B. Wells-Barnett was an important and influential journalist at a time when few women

had careers. She wrote articles about unfair laws and how African Americans were being hurt. She brought violence against African Americans to the attention of the American people through newspaper articles.

Written by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack, this elementary-level title is perfect for the beginning reader. This title, and the rest of the titles in the Famous African Americans series, are correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards, and are available from your preferred vendor, bluewaveclassroom.com, local bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Earth Day

Written for the elementary reader, I Love Our Earth is a series that consists of six titles, with each title covering a different environmental issue. These easy-to-read titles include color photographs that bring the text to life.

Correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards, these titles are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. They can be found through your preferred vendor, bluewaveclassroom.com, local bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

A Poem for National Poetry Month

The following poem was taken from Beauty Poetry, a new title in Enslow's Pure Poetry series, and was written by William Shakespeare. The four books in this series each cover a different 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 students to discuss and assess the featured poems.

Sonnet 18

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May;

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;

Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

This entire series is correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards, and can be obtained from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. They are available in paperback, library, and eBook formats.

April is also Financial Literacy month

To help students develop the skills and strategies related to financial planning, saving, and investing, look at

Enslow's new series, Be Smart About Money and Financial Literacy. Written for the middle school reader, each of these six books cover one topic related to money and financial literacy.

Be Smart About Credit, the first title in the series, defines the two ways of looking at debt; the kinds of credit and debt; the costs of credit and debt; what are credit ratings and reports;  knowing rights and responsibilities; and troubleshooting tools. The end of each chapter features a math or word problem.

All six titles in the series are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. There is also a library/eBook bundle. These titles are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

This series is also correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards.

Happy Birthday Maya Angelou

Written for the middle school reader, this biography of the award-winning poet and Civil Rights activist describes her early life raised by her grandmother in Arkansas. Rising from poverty, she achieved success as a dancer, an actress, a teacher, and an award-winning author. This compelling profile will make readers understand and appreciate why Maya Angelou is one of the best-loved and most fascinating American writers.

Available in library, paperback, and eBook formats, this title is available from your preferred vendor, local bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Titles in the African-American Icons series are also correlated to the Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards.

New series for 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, bluewaveclassroom.com, local independent bookstores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Two new math series for Spring 2014

Blue Wave Classroom has just published two new math series, one geared toward the elementary reader and the other toward the middle school reader.

Ready for Math, a series for the upper elementary reader, contains six titles, each of which focuses on a different math topic. The clear and inviting design includes many practice problems to aid the student when reviewing math skills.

Easy Genius Math, written for the middle school student, also focuses on one title per math topic, with six books in the series. They are an excellent review or refresher of math skills, and can be used by parents or tutors trying to help the struggling math student.

Both series are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats. They can be ordered from your preferred vendor, local bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Books about insects for Spring

For the lower elementary student looking for books on insects, one of Enslow's latest series, Zoom In on Insects!, is appropriate for that student. These six books are  24 pages, correlated to the Common Core Standards, and contain color photographs.

Written by award-winning author Melissa Stewart, each book focuses on a different insect, describing the different parts of their bodies, their life cycle, and where they live. Each title also includes a words to know section, a list of further resources, and an index.

Available in library, paperback, and eBook formats, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, grasshoppers, and ladybugs are covered in the Zoom In on Insects! series. These titles are available from your preferred vendor, local bookstores, bluewaveclassroom.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Who invented the windshield wiper?

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, bluewaveclassroom.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

What Are the 7 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 Blue Wave Classroom in Paperback.

New elementary series on insects now available!

Zoom In on Insects! is a six-title series written for the elementary reader. Want to know what  a ladybug 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, butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, grasshoppers. 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, bluewaveclassroom.com, your local bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

African-American Icons

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.

Looking for Lexile levels for books correlated to the Common Core?

Enslow has had a majority of their new titles correlated not only to the Common Core, but also correlated to Lexile. These scores can be found on both www.enslow.com and www.bluewaveclassroom.com.

For Lexile levels, go to the book page, and the Lexile will be displayed. Common Core Correlations can also be found on the book page.

Happy Birthday Taylor Swift

978-0-7660-3870-7 Library
978-1-59845-286-0 Paperback

Enslow's biography, written for the middle school student, offers personal stories, quotes, as well as a timeline of Taylor Swift's life and success. Written by award-winning author Jeff Burlingame, this title gives insight into Taylor's life for her fans.

The Hot Celebrity Biographies series is also correlated to the Common Core. These titles are available in library, paperback, and eBook formats, and is available from your preferred vendor, local independent bookstore, enslow.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Animal Bodies Up Close

Did you know that honeybees have more than two eyes? Or that squirrels use their tails for balance? Or that hippos have their ears on top of their heads? Or that polar bears have the best sense of smell of any animal on Earth? Or that a cow uses its tongue to clean its nose? Or that one sea star has hundreds of feet?

Discover the answers to these and other questions in the Animal Bodies Up Close series, written for the elementary reader. Each title in this series has a words to know section, a learn more section, and index, as well as a guessing game.

All six titles in this series fit Reading and Language Common Core standards, and are available in library, paperback, eBook, and book/eBook combos. They are available from your preferred vendor, enslow.com, your local independent bookstore, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

Math Biographies for the Common Core

The Common Core embraces the notion that reading literacy is a goal in all subject areas. That direction includes mathematics. To address this idea, Enslow Publishers offers a number of age-appropriate biographies that incorporate information-rich texts on mathematicians and their contributions to the field.

For example, Enslow's "Great Minds of Ancient Science and Math" includes a biography of the Greek mathematician Euclid. Author Paul Hightower's well-written, 128-page work delivers a lively look at Euclid's life and profound contributions to understanding geometry and the reasoning underlying its axioms. The book provides an excellent text for math teachers to use for Common Core literacy development.

Hightower's The Father of Geometry: Euclid and His 3-D World is available in a library-bound format directly from Enslow Publishers for $23.95. That price represents a 25% school/library discount from Enslow's list price for the title. The book is also available from your preferred vendor, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

Animal Stories + Math = Enslow Common Core Success

Enslow's "Math Fun with Sebastian Pig and Friends" embraces fun reading with solid math skill development for young readers. Author Jill Anderson's and illustrator Amy Huntington's winsome six-book series features 32-page books that students can use in class, share in read-along sessions, or read at home. Each of these AR 1.8-2.0 illustrated books address a key mathematical operation, such as addition, subtraction, measurement, geometry, or counting. One title focuses on money math. The books make a strong contribution to a library, media center, or classroom's collection, and are appropriate for Common Core supplemental materials needs.

Titles in the "Math Fun with Sebastian Pig and Friends" series are available in library-bound, paperback, and e-book formats. The library-bound book may be purchased directly from Enslow Publishers for $16.95 per title; that price represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for each book. Paperbacks are available for $6.95. The multi-user e-book is available directly from Enslow for $21.95; that price represents a 25% discount from Enslow's list price for these items.

Melissa Stewart Recaps 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference

Enslow author, Melissa Stewart recently attended the 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference on the campus of the State University of New York in New Paltz. Writers, illustrators, designers, educators, and editors held workshops for those interested in learning more about opportunities in publishing nonfiction for children. 

Melissa spoke as part of the faculty panel discussing "21st Century Publishing: A Time of Transition." We asked Melissa to recap her experience at the conference. Here is what she had to say:

Recently, I had the great privilege and pleasure of being a guest lecturer for an online course taught by renowned children’s book author and editor Marc Aronson for Rutgers University. The class, Nonfiction and Common Core, is intended for students working toward their master’s degree in library information science.

In preparation, I decided to review the rest of the curriculum and I ran across something that blew my mind—a lesson called “Nonfiction Taxonomy.”

What’s that, you ask?

It turns out that Marc and his Uncommon Corps colleagues have developed a brand new, totally amazing system for classifying children’s nonfiction. I was so excited by the system that I asked if I could discuss it at last weekend's conference, and Marc gave me permission.

The classification system consists of seven broad categories:

Data: In more friendly terms, you might call this category Fasts Facts. It includes Eyewitness Books, The Guinness Book of World Records, and my own book Animal Grossapedia. These are the concise, fact-filled books that groups of boys read together and discuss.

Expository: You might call this category Facts Plus. The facts are interwoven into a content-area explanation. This is could be considered “traditional” nonfiction, except that there’s nothing traditional about today’s expository titles. Their engaging text and rich, dynamic art and design are sure to delight as well as inform young readers.

Narrative:This is a category we’ve heard a lot (I mean A LOT) about in the last few years. It’s the current darling of awards committees. Narrative titles present facts in the form of a true story with a narrative arc.

But here’s the thing. As you learn about the next few categories, I think you’ll see that some books have been lumped into the narrative category when there are actually better ways to describe them.

Disciplinary Thinking:These books reveal how scientists and historians go about their work, how they evaluate evidence and form theories. This category might also be called something like Experts at Work. Scientists in the Field books are the perfect example, but if you think about it, it won’t take long to think of single titles that do the same thing.   

Inquiry:This category could also be called Ask & Answer. In these books, the author raises a question or a group of related questions and then seeks the answer. Sally Walker’s Written in Bone is a great example, but these are the kinds of books Peter Lourie has been writing for years. And one of my favorites is What Bluebirds Do by Pamela F. Kirby.

Interpretation: For these books, authors research a topic widely, find their own meaning in the information, and present the content from that point of view. Charles & Emma by Deborah Heiligman is the first title that leaps to mind, but I’d also put books like Those Rebels, Tom and John by Barbara Kerley and Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone in that category. I think we’ll see more of these books in the future because this type of presentation directly supports Common Core.

Action:This is the trickiest category. It offers a separate spot for titles that invite young readers to take action. The most obvious example is Citizen Scientists by Loree Griffin Burns, but I think it’s the kind of book we’ll see more of in the future.

My presentation was just one small bit of a fantastic 3-day conference that focused exclusively on nonfiction. Woo-hoo. Talented authors, editors, and other publishing industry gurus came together to discuss the future of nonfiction, from craft and Common Core to transmedia and book promotion. Anyone interested in nonfiction—authors, illustrators, editors, educators, designers, digital developers—should mark the next year’s conference dates on their calendars. It will be June 20-22, 2014 on the campus of SUNY New Paltz.

Author Note: Melissa Stewart is the award-winning author of more than 150 science books for children. She has always been fascinated by the natural world and is passionate about sharing its beauty and  wonder with readers of all ages. For information about Melissa and her books you can visit her web site.

What if you were Paul Revere? What would you do?

General Thomas Gage was in charge of Massachusetts. On April 14, 1775, he received some special orders from Britain. He and his soldiers were to arrest John Hancock and Sam Adams. The pair was hiding out in Lexington.
     The British soldiers then were to go on to Concord.. The colonists had hidden weapons there. General Gage wanted those weapons destroyed.
     The raid would take place on April 18. The British hoped to surprise the colonists. If successful, they could hurt the rebel's cause.

What Would You Do?

What if you were Margaret Kemble Gage? She was General Gage's wife, who was born in the colonies. You overheard your husband discussing the attack. You do not want to betray him. Yet you do not want the king to crush the colonists. Would you alert the rebels? What do you think Margaret Kemble Gage did?

     On the evening of April 18, Warren asked Paul Revere to ride to Lexington. He was asked to warn Hancock and Adams that the British were coming. After that, he was to ride on to Concord to warn the colonists there.
     Colonists had formed their very own fighting groups called militias. In Massachusetts, these men were known as minutemen. They were proud that they could be ready to fight in a minute's notice. Now they would be put to the test.
     Revere had been a messenger for the patriots before. Tonight he would have to ride as fast as he could to get to Lexington and Concord before the British.

What Would You Do?

What if you were Paul Revere? Would you agree to do this? The British will be on the lookout for rebels tonight. If you are caught you could be arrested or even hanged! Would you be willing to take the risk?

The Revolutionary War Begins: Would You Join the Fight? is part our What Would You Do? series. It is available in library binding and in paperback from Enslow, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and your favorite Indie store or preferred vendor. A free educator guide is also available.
  

Enter to Win!

What Are the 7 Wonders of the Modern World? from our What Are the Seven Wonders of the World? series serves as an introduction and overview of the seven wonders of the modern world. Each of these structures began as a dream to move faster, go higher, or live better. Discover the wonders of these structures and their fascinating facts.

The picture below is of one of those natural wonders of the modern world. Can you guess the name of this modern wonder? Leave your answer in a comment and we will pick one random winner from all of the correct answers to win a free copy of the book. Repin the book cover image from Pinterest using #WondersNaturalWorld and we'll throw your name in the hat twice. Maximum of two entries per person. U.S. residents only. Contest ends March 24th.

ISBN: 978-0-7660-4152-3
For grades 4–5