Provo Library Children's Book Blog

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 st...

  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...

Confessions from the Group Chat By Jodi Meadows New York: Holiday House, 2025. Fiction. 264 pages. Written by the author of  Bye Forever, I Guess , Meadows tells the story of Virginia: a relatable girl who has a good heart, but maybe not the best friends. Virginia loves that's she's a part of a popular friend group. However, their popularity means that Virginia hides parts of herself: how much she loves the library and her crush on the super unpopular Grayson. Worse than that, she actively participates in their group chat which tends to center around making fun of people at their school, including Grayson. When Virginia gets in a public fight with the Queen Bee of the group, Virginia finds herself ostracized from the group and the terrible things she's said published on the internet...complete with her name attached to the insults. Virginia becomes a social pariah at school, only talking to fellow social-outcast, Grayson, and an online friend "Knight Errant." I lo...

Inbetweens By Faith Erin Hicks New York: First Second, 2026. Comic. 240 pgs. Twin sisters Sloane and Ash have dreamed about becoming animators since they rode the studio backlot tour on a family trip to Disney World. The first step is spending their summer at a prestigious eight week animation course at a nearby university. The tweens are ecstatic to discover that their animation hero Douglas Frye will even be teaching one of their courses. Unfortunately, Sloane and Ash lose their rose colored glasses pretty quickly. Ash loves animation, but her enthusiasm doesn't immediately translate to skill. Sloane realizes she loves art but that animation isn't the right fit for her. Even Douglas Frye isn't what they expected–he openly prefers the work of white male students and is dismissive of their talented friend Nisha once he realizes she's a girl. It takes courage, friendship, a Studio Ghibli movie night, and advice from a different animation teacher for Sloane and Ash to reb...