Provo Library Children's Book Blog

The Sky Over Rebecca By Matthew Fox New York: Union Square Kids, 2023. Fiction. 260 pages. This book is historical fiction blended delightfully with time travel and fantasy. The main character is a young woman living in Sweden who feels the load of being a young adult heavily. She is struggling with loneliness, a grandfather who is growing older, and a mother who needs to work long hours to make ends meet.   Kara witnesses some unexplainable events that overwhelm her. In her moments of distress, she decides to seek guidance from her aging grandfather. The relationship depicted between the two is very special. At the height of her loneliness and despair, Kara meets a young teenager who needs her help. Between the advice of her mother and grandfather, Kara is able to play a major role in guiding her new friend through some difficulties.   This book was thought-provoking and very entertaining. It addressed family issues in a relatable way as well as friendships, compassion, and bullies. I

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit

  Preschool Time Imagine You and Me By Benson Shum New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024. Picture Book. A bond between an imaginative bear and his best friend is tested when he starts making new friends. --Publisher Preschool Time Isobel Adds It Up Written by Kristy Everington Illustrated by AG Ford New York : Random House Studio, 2021. Picture Book. A little girl who loves math must find a solution when a very noisy neighbor moves in next door. --Publisher Toddler Time We Forgot Brock! By Carter Goodrich New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. Picture Book. Phillip and Brock are best friends, although everyone else thinks Brock is imaginary, so when Phillip gets tired out at the Big Fair while Brock is still having fun, they are separated and it will take a very special twosome to bring them back together again. --Editor Book Babies Swish Slosh Written by Deborah Kerbel Illustrated by Jacqui Lee Victoria, British Columbia: Orca Book Publishers, 2021. Board

  Puggleton Park Written by Deanna Kizis Illustrated by Hannah Peck New York : Penguin Workshop, 2024. Intermediate. 144 pages. "It is a truth everyone knows that all dogs need a forever home..." Poor Penelope the pug used to have a home, but after chasing a dreadful squirrel and straying too far, she is now lost in Puggleton Park in London. Although it's quite a lovely park, Penelope found herself alone and soggy from a night full of rain. Luckily she is taken in by the good-hearted Lady Diggleton, who vows to help the pug find her Lady. But not before we meet some charming characters and get into some little dog problems. This book is such a fun Regency-era read for young readers. With many similarities to Jane Austen, readers will feel transported to a time of fancy dresses, grand balls, and refined manners. Penelope is a very amiable pug that will capture everyone's heart. This is definitely a slightly more challenging Intermediate book. There are some pictures bu

Millie Fleur's Poison Garden By Christy Mandin New York: Orchard Books, 2024. Picture Book. The town of Garden Glen is "a picture-perfect place," which means that everything is lovely, perfect, and exactly the same. Except for the the decrepit old house on the edge of town where no one has lived for years. Until Millie Fleur La Fae and her mother move in. Millie loves her new house, but it's missing one thing. Millie Fleur sets to work planting a wicked and wonderfully wild garden filled with plants like "sore toothwart," and "grumpy gillyflower." And though the uptight town elders deride her garden as "poisonous," the other kids in town start to show interest -- which eventually trickles into the other gardens in town. This is a simple and sweet picture book that would be so fun to share with children during spooky season. The illustrations are charming and Tim Burton-esque, with a protagonist who resembles Wednesday Addams, yet the pict

It is getting to be the time of the year when snowflakes are on their way and warm, cozy scarves are going to become part of getting ready to go outside. Here are five books that showcase winter and the colder weather that is coming. Enjoy!  Don’t Worry Wuddles  By Lita Judge  New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2023. Picture Book.  In this sweet tale a young duckling talks to Wuddles the sheep about his plan. The duckling is sure that he will be cold and wants to borrow some wool to make a scarf…only then he realizes that all the other animals may be cold too. With a lot of wool gathering, soon Wuddles is left in the cold. And the duckling must figure out what to do to help his friend that helped everyone else get ready for winter.  Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter  By Kenard Pak  New York: Henry Holt, a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, 2017. Picture Book.  A brother and a sister say “hello” to all the various things that are