Provo Library Children's Book Blog

This Is Not My Lunch Box! Written by Jennifer Dupuis Illustrated by Carol Schwartz Ann Arbor, MI: Tilbury House Publishers, 2024. Informational. A child opens a lunch box in search of their lunch, but instead discovers lunch after lunch that belongs to a different animal!  Insects and spiders, wiggly worms and tangy truffles, meaty moths and fuzzy flies--these aren't foods for a child!  Will the child ever find their tasty lunch?   I had a great time reading this quick informational picture book.  The child's dismay at each new wrong lunch was fun and the lunches, although sometimes pretty gross, were informative. Dupuis doesn't shy away from the fact that some of the animals eat other animals (some of them really cute animals!,) so be prepared for extreme animal lovers to potentially have a hard time with the reality of their favorite animals' diets.  Bright, colorful illustrations round out this delightful book.  

Earlier this year I read a novel that had elephants predominantly featured throughout. It was very interesting to see how elephant communities are very intertwined, and the way the elephants interacted with people, as well as other elephants. The novel sparked an interest in me to learn more about elephants. When I want to learn about a specific topic, I enjoy reading informational books, and adding in some picture books for humor and balance.  Here are five books that I read while trying to broaden my horizons and learn more about elephants.  The Elephants Come Home Written by Kim Tomsic  Illustrated by Hadley Hooper  San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2021. Informational. This book contains beautiful illustrations and an amazing true story. Lawrence and Francoise are animal lovers who live at Thula Thula, in Africa. No hunting is allowed there, and Lawrence does his best to take care of all the creatures who inhabit the space. One day Lawrence learns that there are some “angry elephants

  Just One Flake By Travis Jonker New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2023. Picture Book. Determined to catch a perfect snowflake, Liam sticks out his tongue and tries a number of tricks, all to no avail, but after giving it one last shot, he grabs one in an unexpected way. --Editor When Snow Falls Written by Linda Booth Sweeney Illustrated by Jana Christy New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2017. Picture Book. A snowy day includes a journey with Grandma from home in the country to her house in town, sledding, snow angels, and cozy cuddling with Grandpa by the fire. --Publisher The Sea in Winter By Christine Day New York: Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021. Fiction. 250 pages. After an injury sidelines her dreams of becoming a ballet star, Maisie is not excited for her blended family's midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up. --Editor First Snow Written by Bernette Ford Illustrated by Sebastien Braun New York: H

Preschool Time The Scariest Kitten in the World Written by Kate Messner Illustrated by Mackenzie Haley New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2023. Picture Book. This laugh-out-loud picture book takes readers to a just-PURR-fect haunted house where they'll meet a not-so-scary kitten and a collection of the cutest little critters anyone has ever seen. --Publisher Preschool Time The Koala Who Could Written by Rachel Bright Illustrated by Jim Field New York: Scholastic Press, 2017. Picture Book. Kevin is a koala who clings to his tree, and never comes down to play with the other animals--until one day his tree falls down, and Kevin learns that the ground is not as scary as he believed. --Editor Toddler Time The Cook and the King Written by Julia Donaldson Illustrated by David Roberts New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2019. Picture Book.  A hungry but finicky king wants Wobbly Bob as his new cook, but must pitch in to do everything the cook is afraid to do, from fishing to frying. --E

For a long time, humans have dreamed about living on planet neighbor, Mars. There are so many books and movies about colonies on the dusty red planet that spark our hope and imagination for a life on another world. Here are some picture books that will make you feel like you know what it's like on Mars. Good Night, Oppy! Written by James McGowan Illustrated by Graham Carter New York: Boyds Mills Press, 2021. Picture Book. This book follows Oppy, who was an active rover on Mars from 2004 to 2018. He had many different tasks and made some famous discoveries including the existence of groundwater on the red planet. This book is a fun yet informative picture book that will teach all readers about life on Mars. Rover Throws a Party Written by Kristin L. Gray Illustrated by Scott Magoon New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2020. Picture Book. The Curiosity rover is a bit lonely after a year on Mars, so it decides to throw a party! The rover works hard to prepare for the party and send invitations a

  Life After Whale Written by Lynn Brunelle Illustrated by Jason Chin New York: Holiday House, 2024. Informational.  Have you ever wondered what happens after a whale dies? In this beautiful book, you'll discover what happens for years after a whale's death. The book begins by introducing the blue whale and talking a little about its life. It moves quickly on to a whale's death, where his body first falls to the very bottom of the ocean floor. You'll meet the scavengers, first big then smaller as the years progress that eat the whale's decomposing body until finally it is used as a food source for krill which are then eaten by blue whales.  In addition to being an excellent resource to discussing the animal circle of life, this book is a work of art. Jason Chin's watercolor and gauche illustrations will have readers dissecting every detail and flipping through for a further look. Kids who love animal facts will be absolutely enthralled by this tale.