Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Kindness is a quality I admire in people. I always had the desire to try and instill this in my children, knowing it would help me pay more attention to my own attempts to be more aware of treating others with kindness. I am convinced if the world showed more kindness to everyone, we could improve the health of entire communities. When I find books that encourage kindness, I always make a note of them, because I think they are a very important resource for people to have. The following five books are some of my favorites I have read recently that focus on some element of kindness. I hope you enjoy them! Elevator on 74th Street Written by Laura Gehl Illustrated by Yas Imamura New York : Beach Lane Books, 2025. Picture Book. I enjoy books that inspires the use of our imaginations, and a book about elevator that loves the residents of a building will do just that! It is so fun to see the journey of Ellie the Elevator as she takes care of all the people who live in her building. Ellie has ...

Last Day Pool Party By Emma Steinkellner New York: Labyrinth Road, 2026. Comic. 176 pages. It's the last day of eighth grade and things already feel like they're changing. Dustin, who has never been popular, is hosting a pool party and has invited the whole class. Popular Maya, who used to be Dustin's friend, is attending only because her mom is making her–after she made a prank video that hurt Dustin's feelings. Paul is Maya's cousin who would rather be at home playing video games, but was given the choice of going to the party or his brother's ball game. Liv and Juhi are lifelong best friends who are about to be torn apart, as Juhi is moving to London and Liv feels frantic to find a new bestie. And then there's Rose. Tired of feeling invisible, she is determined to accomplish everything on her eighth grade bucket list in one night. Taking place over the span of just a few hours, this book captures all the angst and excitement of finishing middle school and...

Lionel Messi's World Cup Triumph Written by Chris Barish Illustrated by Nate Sweitzer New York: Abrams Fanfare, 2026. Comic. 131 pgs. Lionel Messi will almost definitely be remembered as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Currently on track to score 1000 career goals, Messi has won nearly every soccer championship. But for most of his career, one victory remained elusive–the World Cup. This high-interest graphic novel tells the true story of the 2022 World Cup and Messi's first World Cup Championship. For soccer and sport fans alike, this is an incredibly engaging nonfiction comic and the start to a new series 'History's Greatest Games'. Using a fun, conversational tone and plenty of interruptions to teach readers more about important moments in soccer history–including an ongoing debate about who really is 'The GOAT'–this book is sure to be a hit. My favorite way to read history is to barely notice I'm learning facts, and this book strikes ...

  Phoenix By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2026. 162 pages This poignant middle-grade novel is about eleven-year-old Harper, who is struggling to adjust after her parents’ divorce and a sudden move to a new home. When a mistreated horse named Phoenix enters her life, Harper eagerly takes on the responsibility of caring for him. As she works to help the horse recover, she begins to confront her own feelings of anger and loss. This heartfelt story is a great pick for readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven books–especially those who love animal stories. With themes of resilience, healing, and connection, Phoenix offers a hopeful look at how caring for others can help us grow. Recommended for readers who enjoy realistic fiction with emotional depth and a sense of hope.

My littles love it when I read books that break the fourth wall. My son has a special love for The Monster at the End of This Book . I am quite partial to Press Here , Is Everyone Ready for Fun? , or Abner & Ian Get Right-Side Up . Well, luckily for all of us there are so many fun new picture books that break the fourth wall that have come out recently. Here are some of my new favorites. Enjoy!  Don’t Do It Doug!   Written by Maudie Powell-Tuck  Illustrated by Duncan Beedie  New York: Tiger Tales, 2026. Picture Book. This is a silly book about a hamster that can’t control what he does. Of course the hamster wants to do all the things they shouldn’t (like pushing buttons) and the readers will enjoy telling Doug that they shouldn’t do things. So fun!  The Future Book   Written by Mac Barnett  Illustrated by Shawn Harris  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2026. Picture Book. In this story the narrator talks to the reader…but the narrator is from the fut...

  Sweet, Tart  By Kara Thorn  Somerville: MA: Candlewick Press, 2026. 336 p.  Eleven-year-old Halle and her family watched a racehorse get fatally injured on a racetrack. Halle who has a soft-spot for animals has especially had a hard time with the chance event. Additionally, Halle is struggling due to Halle’s older sister being in high school and her changing priorities (aka not Halle) and the new school year starts with Halle being put in a school class without her best friends. Needless to say, Halle is struggling. But when Halle realizes that the deceased racehorse lived just a few miles away, Halle decides to visit the stables and to start volunteering with the other horses. As Halle gains new friends, skills, and confidence she is able to overcome her lingering distress as well as come into her own. This is a great book for those who love horse stories with a lot of heart. Halle is such a kindhearted character who wants to belong and make the world a better pla...