Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Bothered By Bugs By Emily Gravett New York : Boxer Book, 2025. Picture book. This book tells the story of  Pete the badger and a group of woodland animals who grow tired of sharing their forest with buzzing, crawling insects. Determined to solve the problem, they soon discover that insects play an important role in keeping the forest healthy and balanced. Readers are encouraged to appreciate even the smallest creatures and take care of the natural world. My Tiger Written by Joy Cowley Illustrated by David Barrow. Minneapolis : Gecko Press, 2026. Picture book. To this tiger, cake is the best thing ever! But a diet of ONLY sugar comes with consequences. What happens when a dentist advises him to stop eating sweets? Readers will enjoy the blend of an everyday experience with an imaginative twist at the end. The Whale's Tale and the Otter's Side of the Story Written by Kate Messner Illustrated by Brian Biggs New York : Clarion Books, 2026. Picture book. In this reversible book, a b...

  Here Comes the Cousins Written by Maggie Hutchings Illustrated by Sarah Sweck New York: Thames & Hudson,  2026. Picture Book.  A young girl patiently waits for the arrival of her seven cousins at  their g randpa’s house. Then the best days of summer starts . D ays filled with racing to the beach, playing in the sand and swimming in the water. Sunblock mixing with sea salt. Racing home for lunch.  Reading Grandpa’s books and playing in the tree fort. The best days of summer are the ones s pen t together as a family , sharing old stories and creating new memories at everyone’s favorite place . Tears are shed when the day comes to say goodbye , but with the promise of coming back together next year. Here C omes the Cousins is a cute tale of family coming together at the family’s beachside house. Showcasing the fun activities and adventures cousins get up to while having fun together for their annual reunion. The story was sweet and nostalgic, remin...

It's America's 250th birthday, and there are so many great ways to celebrate! Have you heard of America's Potluck? On Sunday, July 5th, Americans across the country are invited to celebrate Independence Day with a community potluck. A potluck, where everyone brings dishes to taste and share, is a great way to meet new friends, experience different cuisines, and feel connected to your community. Not sure what to bring? Here are some great books about sharing food to give you some inspiration! When Alexander Graced the Table Written by Alexander Smalls and Denene Millner Illustrated by Frank Morrison New York: Simon & Schuster, 2025. Picture book. Sundays are the highlight of young Alexander's whole life. After church, his big family gathers together to cook and enjoy a meal with each other's company. On one special Sunday, Alexander's asks him to whip up a sweet treat to grace the table. This childhood memory from award winning chef Alexander Smalls celebrate...

How to Save an Otter   Written by Kate Messner  Illustrated by Jennifer Bricking  New York: Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025. 118 pages.  When an otter gets hurt out in the wild, two kids and their family (who happen to be “critter couriers”) safely transport the otter to an animal hospital. There the otter heals and learns to eat so it can be released back into the wild. Ivy, the girl who helped her family take the otter to the hospital, worries over the otter being all alone—due to her cousins moving and Ivy suddenly feeling lonely. Ivy works to help at the hospital as well as holding a drive to get the animal hospital more supplies for injured critters. This is the first book in a new “Wildlife Rescue” intermediate series.  Kids who love animals and want to know how to help them (or help those who can help them) will enjoy reading this series.

There were a lot of great people who helped found the United States of America. There were a lot of people who were instrumental in working to make sure that our country started 250 years ago. There are way too many biographies about these great people to name all of them. But I can give you five picture book biographies that can introduce kids to some of these great heroes. Happy reading!  George Washington’s Spectacular Spectacles: The Glasses that Saved America   Written by Selene Castroville  Illustrated by Jenn Harney  New York: Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture book.  One of the things you never see in portraits is George Washington wearing glasses. Yet he did. And this book goes over how George Washington wearing glasses actually helped save America from some very frustrated continental soldiers. Fascinating, right?  Revolutionary Mary: The True Story of One Woman, the Declaration of Independence, and America’s...

  Giant Squid Written by Candace Fleming Illustrated by Eric Rohmann New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2016. Informational. "A nonfiction picture book exploring the mysterious life of the elusive giant squid" --Editor Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic Written by Candace Fleming Illustrated by Deena So'Oteh New York : Anne Schwartz Books, 2024. Informational. "Paired with atmospheric illustrations by a debut illustrator, nonfiction text expertly explores the mysterious and fascinating unicorn of the Arctic, the narwhal, as it avoids predators, hunts for food and plays with other narwhals in its pod." --Editor Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera Written by Candace Fleming Illustrated by Eric Rohmann New York : Holiday House, 2020. Informational. "Describes the life cycle of the hard-working honeybee." --Editor The Family Romanov By Candace Fleming New York : Schwartz & Wade Books, 2014. YA nonfiction. 292 pages. "From the acclaimed author of Am...