Provo Library Children's Book Blog

The Mysterious Benedict Society By Trenton Lee Stewart Little, Brown 2007. 485 pgs. Chapter book. “Are you a gifted child looking for Special Opportunities?” reads a curious advertisement that catches Reynie Muldoon's eye one day. Being just such a child, Reynie answers the ad and soon finds himself part of a secret society of kids who must use their unique talents as a team to save the world. Evil masterminds, undercover spies, solving mind boggling puzzles, figuring out mysterious clues—this book has all the elements of a great adventure. On the edge of your seat hilarious, this book is like Alex Rider meets Series of Unfortunate Events . The characters are larger than life, but the problems they face are real enough to draw in the reader and make them care for our young heroes. Kids who love puzzles will find themselves losing sleep while trying to figure out some of the best mindbenders presented to the young members of the Benedict Society. Reluctant readers might find...

Gift of the Unmage By Alma Alexander Enos, 2007. 389 pgs. Chapter book. If any book could be called the complete opposite of Harry Potter, this is that book. A celebrity from the moment of her birth, Thea is the seventh child of two seventh children. By all rights she should be one of the most powerful mages ever born. Much to the embarrassment of herself and her powerful parents, Thea shows not the faintest glimmer of magic. It looks like she will have to attend The Wandless School, a unique institution that teaches its students how to get along without magic in a completely magical world. Overall I found this book enjoyable. Though it was a little slow getting started, I was soon drawn into the story as it got going. Once Thea got to The Wandless School the plot became even more exciting. I do wish I could have learned more about the school and Thea’s fellow students. This group of friends don’t really show up until the last third of the book, so there wasn’t much time to focus on ...

Atherton: The House of Power By Patrick Carman Little, Brown and Co, 2007. 330 pgs. Chapter book. Patrick Carman's new series begins with Atherton : The House of Power . Carman writes for an older audience than he did in The Land of Elyon trilogy . The tone of Atherton is darker and more serious, sometimes it is downright grim. Atherton is a unique world of three levels: The Highlands, Tabletop, and The Flatlands . The majority of the world's populace resides on Tabletop where figs, rabbits and sheep are raised for food. The rulers live a life of luxury on the Highlands. The House of Power is so called mainly because they can control the output of water to the lower levels. And you probably don't want to know what lives in the Flatlands . Only one boy is brave enough to explore his world and wonder what might be on the other levels. Edgar learns that he can only reach his goals with the help of some friends, something he thought he would never have. Friendships are dis...

A Chick Called Saturday by Joyce Dunbar illustrated by Brita Granstrom Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2003. Unpaged. Picture book Here's a delightful story about being yourself and finding the joy therein. Saturday is a chick, the youngest of seven, all named after days of the week. As he and his family take a walk around the farm, Saturday sees various animals and desires to be like them and to do what they're doing. His mother assures him he can "never, not ever" swim like ducks or fly and sing like a blackbird. Saturday feels glum until he sees an amazing creature who does something that helps Saturday discover his own beauty and wonder. This little chick is curious, spunky, determined, and ambitious. Beautiful watercolor illustrations bring Saturday's story to life. A wonderful book for young children and a great read-aloud!

The Green Glass Sea By Ellen Klages Viking, 2006. 321 pgs. Chapter book. The Green Glass Sea is a fascinating story of life in Los Alamos , New Mexico from 1943-1945. The book is written from the perspective of two young girls whose parents are scientists working on "the gadget" that will end the war. Dewey and Suze are both social misfits for different reasons. The two girls can't stand each other and are horrified when they have to be roommates for a period of time. Klages gave an interesting angle on a momentous yet horrible time in our nation's history. This novel focuses mainly on the two girls and their relationships with their families and the other inhabitants of "the hill" as well as with each other. The war and "the gadget" are ever present and have a major impact on their lives. The author is apparently at work on the sequel. I am curious to see how her characters will handle the aftermath of "the gadget".

The Traitor's Gate By Avi Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007. 351 pgs. Chapter book. After his father is thrown in debtor’s prison to a man he owes nothing, it’s up to fourteen-year-old John Huffman to unravel the mystery of why. Problems arise when he realizes his father has lied, mysterious strangers appear, he’s being followed, and everyone is not always who they say they are. An intriguing story and fun mystery, Avi does a great job using the voice of the mid-19 th century. An author’s note at the end shows the comparisons of his story (including names of characters) to Charles Dickens and many of his works. The ending is a little underplayed and almost disappointing, and sometimes John seems a lot younger than 14. However, overall it’s a fun read and a great recommendation for a mystery – especially for boys.

Bee Frog By Martin Waddell; illustrated by Barbara Firth Candlewick Press, 2007. Unpaged. Picture book Brand new from the team of Waddell and Firth (Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?) comes Bee Frog . The story is a familiar one; offspring not getting enough attention, parents too busy to watch, listen, offspring goes off on own, becomes lonely, parents come looking, happy reunion. That's basically the whole thing for Bee Frog . Bee and her family are frogs, of course. The watercolor and pencil illustrations are fresh and sweet, the storyline simple. A perfect book for preschool age children.

CASTLES: OLD STONE POEMS J. Patrick Lewis and Rebecca Kai Dotlich, David Burr, illustrator Wordsong; 2006. 48pp. Nonfiction. The text of Castles: Old Stone Poems unfortunately does not live up to the promise of the book's evocative illustrations. The poetry tells the stories of real castles, but the references are mystifying until one finds brief histories and a chronology at the back of the book. The poems are included without attribution: some are lyric and serious; others clunky and silly in a way that is at odds with the pictures. My guess is J. Patrick Lewis wrote the former and Rebecca Kai Dotlich the latter, judging by the signed entries in the back. David Burr's illustrations should appeal to anyone who loves the romance of the Middle Ages, but the tone of some of the text jangles.

The Kite Rider By Geraldine McCaughrean HarperCollins, 2002. 272 pgs. Chapter book. Here is a new twist on the old theme of “the boy who runs away to join the circus.” Haoyou is a young boy in 13 th century China. His life is thrown into chaos when his father is killed by a man who wants to marry his mother. Haoyou finds a way to save his mother from the unwanted suitor, but then must flee his hometown to escape the wrath of his controlling Uncle Bo who is in favor of the marriage. Haoyou joins a circus and becomes a kite rider, a performer who flies in the air strapped to a giant kite. At first he is frightened by the strange circus performers, especially the wild and uncouth Mongols. As time goes on he learns from them what he needs to know to return home and face the evil that threatens his family. This is a book rich with the atmosphere of ancient China. McCaughrean describes the society, sights and smells with convincing vividness. The story is fast paced and ...