These are some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have any questions that aren't answered here, please CONTACT US.

About our books

We specialise in creating and delivering high-quality educational resources for use in primary and secondary schools. Essential Resources prides itself on imaginative publications written specifically for the classroom teacher from our pool of talented and experienced teachers and educators.

I’m looking for titles for a particular age range. How can I restrict my search?

Choose the area you wish to search within, such as The Arts or Mathematics. Click on the double arrows beside Age Filter (Show Filter…) to reveal the ages to view. Click to tick as many boxes as you need to reflect the ages you are seeking resources for, then click APPLY FILTER. Only titles relevant to the age range(s) you have chosen will show.

Can I view the books online before purchase?

Yes. Simply click on the Preview button on the product page. You will be able to view an evaluation copy, page by page, in your web browser.

The books aren’t quite what I’m after. Can I return them?

Yes. We offer a 14-day right of return policy on all printed books to make inspection easy. If a printed book does not meet your needs then simply return it to us with the freepost label that you will find inside the book. Our ebooks are sold on firm sale only.

It looks like you’re charging me freight. What’s the go?

If you return the books within our 14-day right of inspection, then we credit the whole invoice, freight included. If you choose to keep the books, then postage and handling are charged.

How will I know my order has been received?

Our website is linked to our ordering system. As soon as you receive the confirmation online you will know your order has been generated. If you order via catalogue, flyer, email or telephone, you will receive an email once your order has been dispatched.

How will I know my order has been sent?

If you have provided us with your email address, we will email you a confirmation once your order has been dispatched.

I’ve ordered books but not received them. What can I do?

Log in to your account, and check your order status. You can track and trace your parcel from here.

I’ve received a statement, but need a copy of the invoice. How can I get one?

Log in to your account, click Billing then click View. You can then view and print your invoice. You are able to see current as well as historical invoices. Alternatively if you email or call us with a request for a copy of your invoice, we will provide one.

I want to write for you. How do I go about it?

Visit the Write for Us section of our website and download our publication, 'Developing a Resource Proposal'. We’re always keen to hear from innovative educators who have an idea or a great approach that works in the classroom.

I’m not happy with an aspect of Essential Resources product or service. Who can I contact?

Our customers are our number one priority. If our products or services haven’t met your expectations, then it’s likely they haven’t met ours either! If so, we’d like to know. Contact us and we’ll do all we can to remedy the situation.

I’m very happy with an aspect of Essential Resources product or service. Who can I contact?

While we’re keen to hear from customers who are dissatisfied in any way, we welcome customer compliments too! If you’re happy with something about our products or services then do let us know so we can pass it on to the author or the team. Just as in the classroom, positive reinforcement goes a long way and it helps us to get it right the next time too.

Track and trace says the books have arrived, but I haven’t seen them. What do I do?

Our books are sent out in their unmistakeable green, rectangular boxes. They are hot property! We suggest you ask colleagues if they’ve seen/opened the box, check with the school administrator or secretary, and/or look under the odd pile of marking.

I don’t really know what an ebook is. Could you explain?

An ebook is an electronic version of an Essential Resources book you can download to your computer and use in your classroom today

I’ve ordered an ebook. How do I download it?

Downloading is simple. Follow the website address on your account to find our ebook pickup page, where you will be prompted to follow these steps: Click Download next to your ebook.

Save your ebook to a safe place on your hard-drive or school server. Launch Adobe Reader and open your ebook or locate the file and double click on the icon.

Note: To download and view Essential Resources ebooks, you need to have the current version of Adobe Reader on your computer. If you don't have Adobe Reader, click here to get the latest version for free.

When I use Adobe Reader, there’s an error message. How do I fix it?

You may have an old version of Adobe Reader on your computer. To download the latest version for free, click here.

My computer says it has downloaded my ebook. But now how do I find the ebook?

Your computer will have saved your ebook to the place indicated by your computer's browser. If you can’t find it, search for the file using EB + the product code number (which is stated on your account) + .pdf to indicate it is a PDF file. For example, the code for Awesome Alphabet Activities is 0395 so the ebook has the file name, EB0395.pdf and you would use this file name to search for the ebook on your computer.

If, after searching your computer, you still cannot find your ebook you may download another version of it, provided it is 14 days or less since you purchased it. If the download period has expired, you may purchase another ebook for 75% off the original price.

To repurchase an ebook, please contact us and we will arrange it for you.

When I open my ebook, I get a dialogue box that says the file is damaged. What do I do?

If your ebook is damaged, the file may have corrupted during download. If it is 14 days or less since you purchased it, follow the same steps to download it again. If, after downloading a second time, your ebook is still damaged, please let us know and one of our staff will research the matter and contact you with a solution.

It’s past the expiry date for downloading my ebook. What do I do?

You can download an Essential Resources ebook any time for up to 14 days after the date when you purchased it. If the download period has expired, you may purchase another ebook for 75% off the original price.

To repurchase an ebook, please contact us and we will arrange it for you.

I’ve lost my ebook because my computer crashed. Can I replace it?

Once you purchase an ebook, you become responsible for its safekeeping just as you would if it was a printed book. We recommend you back up the contents of your computer or school server system and store it in a separate location.

You also have the option of repurchasing an ebook at any time for 75% off the original price. To repurchase an ebook, please contact us and we will arrange it for you.

What happens if my computer crashes or the power goes out while I'm downloading my ebook?

After you have bought your ebook, you have up to 14 days to download it. If there is an interruption to your downloading process, you may download your ebook again by following the same steps as you did the first time.

If the 14-day download period has expired, you may purchase another ebook for 75% off the original price.

I’ve ordered more than one ebook. Do I download them together or separately?

You need to download each ebook separately. However, you may view all of your ebooks that are available for download from the ebook pickup page or the Download ebooks section of your account.

Are your ebooks compatible with my Mac?

Yes. Essential Resources ebooks are portable digital files (.pdf), which means you can open them on any computer or digital reader able to open and view pdf digital files. You need the current version of the program Adobe Reader on your computer; click here to get the latest version for free.

I want both the ebook and the printed version of the same book. Can I buy them both together?

Yes. If you are buying an ebook and its printed equivalent at the same time, you can take advantage of our offer of paying for the printed version plus an add-on of $10 for the ebook.

If you would like to take us up on this offer, please contact us so that we can arrange it for you.

Can I return my ebook after purchase?

As they are digital files, we cannot accept return of ebooks. We recommend that you choose carefully and make full use of the Preview option for all books on their product page. Of course, to make a thorough preview, you can request a printed copy of the book on our 14-day right of inspection, then choose to return it and purchase the ebook.

Can I order my ebook from the flyer you have sent me?

Yes. Just fill in the details and fax or post back the flyer. Include your email address so that we can email you the link to our ebook pickup page.

Can I order ebooks over the phone or by email?

Yes. We will contact you to arrange payment, and then email you the link to our ebook pickup page.