Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Sneaks By Amy Tern New York : Holiday House, 2026. J Fiction. 232 pages. In this engaging mystery, kleptomaniac Valory and agoraphobic Rook try to figure out what's happening the neighboring apartment building. Is the strange, paranoid Ms. Smith secretly holding a child captive in her apartment next door? And is there a connection between this child and a girl who was kidnapped several states away? On top of their amateur investigation, our protagonists must overcome their fears and the biases people have towards them. Valory has been a dishonest troublemaker in the past and finds that now adults don't necessarily trust her when it really matters. Rook, on the other hand, is a prodigious pianist who has become terrified of leaving his home, which makes snooping around a little tricky. Sneaks is fast-paced and suspenseful but also full of heart. 

The Ginghams By T.C. Kemper New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2026. Fiction. 232 pages. Joni is a twelve-year-old artist just returning from summer camp, excited to see her best friend, May, a rock and roll drummer in the making. But things in Olive Springs are not how they were when Joni left it. May has suddenly traded her signature wild curls for a neat and proper bun. The eclectic book store/ice cream shop has been transformed into a parlor that only sells vanilla. And the weirdest of all? A weekly book club being run by the new family in town, The Ginghams, seems to change everyone that attends into a proper and prim "model citizen," dead eyed and smiling. Can Joni and her friend Tyler solve the mystery of what is happening to their beloved town? Or will they be forced to conform too? This middle grade thriller was a quick and exciting read, perfect for the start of the Halloween season, though it never gets too creepy. The characters were well developed, the plot was ni...

Grandparents can be an essential part of a young child's life. There are a variety of ways that grandparents are involved with grandchildren. Sometimes a grandparent fills the role of a primary caregiver. Other times, grandparents are available as an extra support system in addition to parents. There are also times when grandparents don't live close, and aren't able to spend nearly as much time with their grandchildren as they would like. No matter the particular situation, these books about grandparents might help a child in your life see themselves in the books, or think about another person whose life and circumstances are very different from their own. When We Were Snails By Nan Cao New York, NY : Crown Books for Young Readers, 2026. Picture Book. A young girl's mother has to go far away for work, and that means she will be staying with her grandparents. Like many young kids losing the comfort and security a parent provides, there are moments of sadness and struggle...

Nell O'Dell Hates Quests By Emily B. Martin Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2026. Fiction. 324 pgs. Unlike her parents, famed ex-questers who founded the inn at the Golden Crossroads, Nell O'Dell has no interest in questing. In fact, she has had quite enough of the hoards of questers who crowd the inn each year. Questing, Nell thinks, is a waste of time. But alas! A government mix-up means that Nell will need to travel to the office of the Exchequer to show her family's deed and save the inn. This important mission couldn't possibly be a quest, could it? How about after the deed is stolen by a mysterious girl with a dragon in the middle of the night? Whether she likes it or not, Nell is on a quest—big time - it's up to her to save the crossroads and protect the future of the world. Part quest fantasy and part satire of a quest fantasy, this series opener is a riotous good time. Nell's dry reluctance to engage in questing makes for a humorous plot point, especially a...

  Cuentos Un árbol Por Rodrigo Mattioli Zaragoza, España : Apila Ediciones, 2019. Libro ilustrado. "Alina decidió plantar un árbol y todo comenzó a cambiar. A veces una pequeña decisión es suficiente para transformar todo lo que nos rodea." --Tapa Cuentitos Leo se baña Por Corlette Douglas New York : Clavis, 2025. Libro ilustrado. "Para Leo, cada día es una nueva aventura. Hoy, se divirtió muchísimo jugando en el patio. Después de haber saltado en muchos charcos, Leo estaba cubierto de lodo. Ahora es hora de darse un baño. Él sabe lo que necesita: una toallita, champú ... ¡y por supuesto, sus juguetes para la bañera!" --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "A" Bienvenida, amiga ardilla A-Ztec : a bilingual alphabet book Superabuelas ¡Viva el aguacate! Los mariachis de Adela

Preschool Time I Come from Another Galaxy By James Kwan New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS, 2025. Picture Book. James is far away from his home planet of Earth, and in this galaxy, he's the alien. He has no idea how to fit in with his classmates, who all have googly eyes, slimy tentacles, or noodle arms. No one here knows how to pronounce his name, the school bus is a UFO, and don't even get him started on the bathroom! But when it comes time for show and tell, James realizes that he has something special to share. --Editor Preschool Time How Many Animals Can Fit in This Book? By Natalia Yaskina London: Flying Eye Books, 2025. Picture Book. Just how many animals can fit in this book? Ant will tell you loud and clear: the answer is ONE. But will Ant mind if other animals join the pages, too? 'How Many Animals Can Fit in this Book?' cleverly shows that there is enough room for everyone--while acknowledging that, sometimes, we may need our own s...