Mt. Pleasant, SC (February 28, 2014) - Effective March 1st, Sylvan Dell Publishing changes its name to Arbordale Publishing (www.ArbordalePublishing.com). In business since the fall of 2004, the publisher will continue to produce the same quality fun-to-read picture books with a science or math theme. The name change takes place in order to avoid a time-consuming and costly legal battle over the use of the word “Sylvan” in the name.

The original name was closely associated with co-owner Donna German's family. Her grandfather purchased a farmhouse in a wooded valley outside Wilmington, Delaware shortly after his return from serving in WWI. He hailed from Williamsport, Pennsylvania where there had been a Sylvan Dell Park (closed in the late 1930s). Named after the park, a hand-carved, wooden sign saying "Sylvan Dell" hung at the property’s driveway entrance for decades. Family still lives on the property.

In Latin, Sylvan Dell means wooded valley. The logo was designed to capture that idea of learning leaves falling into an open book, representing the valley. Arbordale also means wooded valley, allowing the use of the same logo for brand recognition.
Click her to read more...

New Books are Blooming This Spring
Arbordale Publishing Celebrates Spring Book Launch

Mt. Pleasant, SC (January 15, 2014) -- Sylvan Dell Publishing is abuzz with excitement as the company celebrates its largest title release in history with nine science and math picture books hitting shelves this February.

This season includes retellings of classic tales with a science twist, nonfiction profiles of animals and those that take care of them, and even some geometry fun. As Sylvan Dell has grown, the company is proud to offer their books in many digital formats as well as Spanish language editions of each new title. Perfect for the elementary classroom, science and language lessons don’t stop with the ending of the book; children, parents and teachers are able to access a world of activities and quizzes online in both English and Spanish at sylvandellpublishing.com.

The online and social media launch celebration will begin February 24th with daily giveaways, reading activity ideas, and author interviews. The week of reading culminates with author events scheduled in various cities around the country that begin on March 1st.
Click her to read more...

Tweets by @SylvanDell  

Sharing Science and Math Around the World

Mt. Pleasant, SC (December 3, 2013)--Arbordale Publishing is kicking off the holiday season with a donation to Libraries of Love, an organization that brings the joy of reading to children in Africa.

Boxes of books will arrive in Africa this season to assist the organization in building five libraries in Uganda over the next year. The small publishing house has donated thousands of books to the library organization over the past seven years. Believing that all children can spark a love for science or math at an early age, picture books from the publisher’s collection are carefully selected to enhance the new libraries.

The organization’s mission is to create libraries in African Schools and expand the love of reading to create lifelong learners.  Uganda school libraries are not common, and Libraries of Love has provided 25 schools with libraries and books through donations and volunteers since 2005.
Click her to read more...

Top Honors for Arbordale Publishing
Local Publisher has two books named to Prestigious Reading List

Mt. Pleasant, SC (November 11, 2013) -Two Arbordale Publishing picture books, Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer by Mary Holland, and On the Move, written by Scotti Cohn and illustrated by Susan Detwiler were selected  for the 2014 Outstanding Science Trade books. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in combination with the Children’s Book Council (CBC) collaborate each year to choose top reads for children in grade K-12 that promote both science and literacy.

Mary Holland’s photographs document the life of a young fox kit in Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer. Children learn about a fox’s adaptations, instincts and growing up throughout the story, and in the book’s For Creative Minds Section. As a naturalist, Mary Holland is frequently found in the woods of Vermont with her lab Emma photographing wildlife and sharing her stories on naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com.

In contrast On the Move shows children how a variety of animals migrate to specific locations throughout the seasons of the year. Detwiler’s vivid illustrations display how large groups of animals gather together, and Cohn’s text highlights the reasons, adaptations and difficulties of the migration process. Both author and illustrator share a life-long love for children’s books, and previously collaborated on Big Cat Little Kitty for Arbordale Publishing.

Being named to this list is a great honor for Arbordale who specializes in science and math themed picture books. Founded in 2005, the mission of Arbordale is to build excitement in young children for reading and science. That is why each book is carefully built to entertain and educate children through a fun story, realistic art, and a For Creative Minds section filled with facts and activities.
Click her to read more...

Fun eReader changes eBook Reading
Sylvan Dell Publishing announces enhanced format to eBook subscription

Mt. Pleasant, SC (October 30, 2013) - Releasing this week from Arbordale Publishing is a revamped version of the subscription model eBooks under the heading Fun eReader. The new eBook platform allows for simultaneous access to the publishers 90 titles across a multitude of computer and tablet options.

For 6 years Arbordale has delivered unique eBooks to schools and children throughout the United States and the world. Now, all of the unique features that Arbordale offers have combined to allow children, parents and teachers access to eBooks with Fun eReader.  With a subscription, children have access to their online library from any device. Whether accessed through the iPad app, or on a home computer, the features that accompany each eBook can be used easily and simultaneously by multiple readers.

Each story carries a science or math theme throughout the traditional picture book story, and after the story children are able to explore facts and activities to learn more about the topics in that story. Arbordale books have garnered praise from both educators, winning the District Administration top 100 products award for 2 consecutive years, as well as several prestigious book awards including the International Reading Association Children’s Choices, and NSTA’s Outstanding Science Trade Books. Educators are able to easily integrate the books into lessons using the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards information provided online and through the iPad app.
Click here to read more

A Warm Winter Tail Honored with a Gelett Burgess Book Award
Author and Illustrator Celebrate Gold in Education Category

Mt. Pleasant, SC (October 4, 2013) –The artistic team of Carrie Pearson and Christina Wald have been awarded a Gold Gelett Burgess award for their children’s picture book A Warm Winter Tail published by Sylvan Dell Publishing.

The Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award highlights excellence in family-friendly books covering the broad expanse of a child's existence, helping them grow socially, emotionally, ethically, intellectually, and physically. Each year Gelett Burgess Children’s Book awards are given to 40 books in 4 distinct classifications: Lifestyle, Arts and Letters, Society and Culture, and Education. Parents, Educators, Librarians and Retailers trust the high mark of distinction the Gelett Burgess Foundation honors provide a product.

A Warm Winter Tail is a great resource if you have ever wondered how animals stay warm in the cold winter months. Author Carrie Pearson answers that question in a very unique way throughout A Warm Winter Tail. This twist on perspective has animals asking, and imagining how humans stay warm in the winter. Illustrator Christina Wald was able to pull the concept of together through both life-like animal illustrations and whimsical depictions of children adapting to cold temperatures outside. The duo will pair up again for the release of A Cool Summer Tail coming this spring from Arbordale.
Click her to read more...

Top Honors for Arbordale Publishing
Local Publisher has two books named to Prestigious Reading List

Mt. Pleasant, SC (November 10, 2013) -Two Arbordale Publishing picture books, Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer and On the Move, were selected  for the 2014 Outstanding Science Trade books. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in combination with the Children’s Book Council (CBC) collaborate each year to choose top reads for children in grade K-12 that promote both science and literacy.
click here to read more

Balloons Win Big in the Florida Author and Publisher Association President’s Book Award

Mt. Pleasant, SC (October 4, 2013) – Balloon Trees by Danna Smith, illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein took home gold at the annual Florida Authors and Publishers convention held in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Traditionally only open to resident Florida authors, this year was the first year that the award recognized authors from across the nation. Established by the association president in 2005 the Florida Authors and Publishers Association have recognized books in 32 categories for their excellence.

Balloon Trees shows even the youngest reader how their balloon goes through the process of production. With a little bird as a companion, the full-page spreads guide the reader from tree to store through rhyming text. Arbordale Publishing books always include a For Creative Minds section, where children and parents are able to work through activities and learn fun facts about rubber production.
Click here to read more

Ferdinand Fox Brings Honored in Book Award
Local Author Takes Home a Bronze Moonbeam

Mt. Pleasant, SC (October 4, 2013) – Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer by local author and photographer Mary Holland takes home bronze in the Moonbeam Book Awards.

The Moonbeam Book Awards celebrates the best in children’s books each year and awards are given to titles in more than forty different categories. It is an honor to be recognized by this group of reviewers, whose mission is to promote excellence in literature and encourage literacy.  An awards ceremony will be held at the Traverse City Children’s Book Festival on November 9th in Traverse City, Michigan.

Being a young fox is tough business in the great outdoors, and Mary Holland captures the ups and downs of this fox and his siblings in Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer. Through the vivid photographs young readers learn how Ferdinand explores his surroundings and even plays with his siblings while mom is there to keep them in line and teach her foxes how to survive on their own. The For Creative pages and online resources allow children and parents and teachers to explore more in-depth information about how a fox grows up.
Click here to read more

Children’s Book Pop-up Shop in Citadel Mall
Local Publisher Opens a Store for Tax Free Weekend

Mt. Pleasant, SC (July 29, 2013)-Arbordale Publishing is opening a pop up shop for South Carolina’s tax free weekend in Citadel Mall this Friday through Sunday, and offering deeply discounted prices on children’s books for the back-to-school shopping weekend.

Since 2005 Arbordale has produced fun science and math themed books filled with interesting animals and connections to nature. Donna and Lee German began the business in hopes of sparking a love for science in children all around the country.  For the back to school shopping weekend the publisher, and employees are excited to sell their books to children through the first retail endeavor for the company.

In the Citadel Mall store overstocked books will be sold for 70 percent off the cover price for hardcovers, and lucky shoppers will get a sneak peak at the company’s upcoming releases and possibly a free poster. For teachers classroom sets will be available for equally discounted prices. The store will be located in the main area of the mall and only open August 2nd - 4th. The company hopes to make this an annual event to bring access to fun science and math picture books into homes of children across theLow Country.

Spring into Seven New Reads from Arbordale

Mt. Pleasant, SC (February 1, 2013) – March marks the beginning of a new milestone for Arbordale Publishing of Mt. Pleasant with the largest release since the company was founded in 2005. A niche publisher of fun to read science and math themed picture books, Arbordale is set to debut fourteen new titles in 2013 with seven of those coming to bookstores in March.

New titles for the spring season include two photographic books, a deductive mystery, balloons made from trees, recycling, sharks and migrating animals. The For Creative Minds section included in each book give great new activities and facts for parents and children to explore. Online quizzes and supplemental teaching activities enhance learning and are available for teachers as a ready-made lesson plans...Click here to read more.

Sylvan Dell eBooks Voted Top Product by District Administration

Mount Pleasant, S.C. Dec. 1st, 2012 -- Sylvan Dell Publishing eBooks and eBook Site Licenses voted one of District Administration magazine’s “Readers’ Choice Top 100 Products” of 2012. 

District Administration is the most-widely read information source for K12 administrators across the United States. K12 district executives rely on District Administration to discover smart solutions for the many challenges and opportunities they face every day.  From the thousands of nominations received, readers’ votes narrowed the list down the list of products to the top 100 best products of the year.

Fun eReader is New to iTunes

Mount Pleasant, SC (October 8, 2012) – Available today in the iTunes Store Fun eReader   from Arbordale Publishing now allows families to access 76 award-winning, wonderfully illustrated and educational eBooks on the go. A compliment to Arbordale’s hardcover, paperback and online subscription based eBooks Fun eReader will draw children in for hours of science and math fun.
Covering tough science and math subjects through picture books children will digest amazing facts about strange animals, faraway places and even multiplication tables. Parents will have just as much fun as kids learning about these habitats or instincts using the For Creative Minds pages. A great tool for the classroom as well; Fun eReader includes teaching activities, online quizzes and standards information for each book.

Learning on the Go: A Unique Take on the Class Field Trip

(Mount Pleasant, SC) - On September 25th, 14 students and 9 teachers from Red Bank Elementary in Lexington, SC stormed Arbordale Publishing to learn about the business and to compete in a heated game of Classroom Jeopardy!®.

The Glaciers are Melting at the National Book Festival

Mt. Pleasant, SC (September 5, 2012) – The Glaciers are Melting!  by Donna Love, illustrated by Shennen Bersani, is headed to Washington, DC on September 22nd as the book to represent Montana during the National Book Festival. After pouring through books, the Montana State Library and Humanities Montana chose local author Donna Love’s picture book to coordinate with the theme of early literacy.
The 2012 National Book Festival is the 12th annual event held by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The National Mall will host authors, illustrators and books of all genres, which will be celebrated throughout the event including in the Pavilion of States where The Glaciers are Melting! will be featured at the Montana tent.  
To read all about the new titles click here.  

For Arbordale press releases from past years
please click here to visit our news listing page.

612 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite A2
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

877-958-2600, 843-971-2600 (toll free), 843-216-3804 (fax)
Email us