Provo Library Children's Book Blog

  At the end of this week many people around our country will celebrate Juneteenth! This is the holiday that originated in Texas when on June 19, 1865 Union Army general Gordon Granger proclaimed the end of slavery in Texas. To celebrate I would like to share four of my favorite #blackboyjoy and #blackgirlmagic picture books. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!  Anita and the Dragons  By Hannah Carmona  Illustrated by Anna Cunha  Lantana Publishing Ltd., 2021.  This is a story about facing your fears and doing what seems impossible or scary—like flying away from everything you know on a dragon (or airplane). The Princesa of the story is bold, brave, and an excellent example of heading into the unknown.  I Am Every Good Thing  By Derrick Barnes  Illustrated by Gordon C. James  Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020.  It is not hard to love this book. It tells about all the various things that make kids amazing—including the possibilities of greatness. It is a book that makes you want to stand a l

  Granddaddy's Turn Written by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein Illustrated by: James Ransome Candlewick Press, 2015. A boy joins his Black grandfather in town as he goes to vote for the first time. Even though the new laws allow it, he is turned away and the boy vows to vote for his grandfather one day.  The Bell Rang By: James Ransome Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2019. This book follows a week in the life of a slave girl.  Freedom's School  Written by: Lesa Cline-Ransome Illustrated by: James Ransome Disney- Jump at the Sun, 2015. A brother and sister leave their parents and go to school for the first time to learn. Freedom Bird Written by: Jerdine Nolen Illustrated by: James Ransome Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021. A family of slaves dream of freedom and make a plan to escape. Light in the Darkness Written by: Lesa Cline-Ransome Illustrated by: James Ransome Disney/ Jump at the Sun Books, 2013. A slave mother and son sneak out at night to go to a schoo

Read at Stories in the Park Hank's Big Day: The Story of a Bug Written by Evan Kuhlman Illustrated by Chuck Groenink Schwartz & Wade Books, 2016.  Picture Book. Hank is a pill bug with a busy life—for a pill bug, that is. His daily routine involves nibbling a dead leaf, climbing up a long stick, avoiding a skateboarder, and playing pretend with his best friend, a human girl named Amelia, in her backyard. And when day is done, Hank likes nothing better than returning home to his cozy rock.  --Publisher Read at Stories in the Park I Love Bugs! Written by Philemon Sturges Illustrated by Shari Halpern HarperCollins, 2005.  Picture Book. Some bugs hop.  Some bugs make honey.  Some bugs light up the sky! Come explore the amazing world of bugs! The friendly bugs that crawl all over these pages include hungry caterpillars, busy ants, and graceful dragonflies. Which one is your favorite?  --Publisher Read at Cuentos No lleves tu dragón a la biblioteca Escrito por Julie Gassman Ilustrado

 One of the best things about reading is how it can transport you out of reality and into something out of this world. It allows us to see further than what we can see with the natural eye and explore a world of possibilities. When we are reading, we don't have to live by the rules of this physical existence, but can travel beyond space and time into the impossible. Here are five of my favorite picture books that delve into the world of imagination! It's Not a Bed, It's a Time Machine By: Mickey Rapkin Imprint Publishing Group, LLC. 2019.  A boy is afraid of going to bed, so his stuffed rabbit shows him what an adventure it can be as they turn his bed into a time machine and travel back to the age of the dinosaurs.  I See You See By: Richard Jackson Athenium Books for Young Readers, 2021. A boy and a girl go exploring outside and show each other what they imagine in the things they see around them. Journey By: Aaron Becker Candlewick Press, 2013. This wordless picture book

The One Thing You'd Save By Linda Sue Park Illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng Boston: Clarion Books, 2021. Verse fiction. 65 pgs. Imagine that your house is on fire. Your family and pets are all safe, and you are allowed to save one thing. Your one, most important thing. Any size. What would you save? This is the question that Ms. Chang asks her classroom full of students, and their answers might surprise you. Of the diverse group of students, some kids give funny answers, or sweet answers, or serious answers but all reflect the deep thinking skills of middle grade readers.  This is a quiet and beautiful novel told using a Korean form of poetry called sijo. Charming greyscale illustrations match the deceptively simple verse and work in tandem to prompt deep reflection. There is power in sharing our stories and talking about what matters to us, this book makes this clear.

Learning to read is a challenge and finding fun books that encourage and help beginning readers want to continue reading is also a challenge. This is why I love the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. This award is given to books that encourage and support the beginning reader. Here is a list of  my five favorite Geisel award winning books that always put a smile on my face and remind me why I love reading. See the Cat: Three Stories About A Dog Written by: David LaRochelle Illustrated by: Mike Wohnoutka Candlewick Press, 2020. This book made me laugh several times. Max the dog is mistaken for a cat and he can't seem to convince the book that he is not a cat but a dog. So begins three stories about Max the dog, not the cat, told in simple repetitive text with lots of sight words and word recognition. Three lively and humorous stories that young readers will love. Fox the Tiger Written and Illustrated by: Corey R. Tabor HarperCollins Publishers, 2018. Mischievous Fox wishes he were a tiger