Provo Library Children's Book Blog

HURRICANE FORCE: IN THE PATH OF AMERICA'S DEADLIEST STORMS ; Joseph B. Treaster; New York: Kingfisher, 2007; 128 pgs. In this gripping and informative book, Joseph Treaster shares his own experiences with hurricanes, both as a young man growing up in Florida, and as a reporter for the New York Times . His account of trying to get into New Orleans as everyone else was leaving during Hurricane Katrina, and then trying to find a safe place to ride out the storm, is frightening and suspenseful--great non-fiction reading for middle-graders and up. What sets this book apart from most others in the genre is that it deals less with the science of hurricanes than it does with forecasting and logistics. Katrina, Camille, Andrew, along with the Galveston monster of 1900, the deadliest of all, fill these pages with fascinating stories of disasters suffered and averted.

CELEBRATE RAMADAN & EID AL-FITR ; Deborah Heiligman; Washington, D.C., National Geographic, 2006; 31 pgs. Juvenile nonfiction. This book is one in a series written by Deborah Heiligman and published by the National Geographic Society. Other titles include books about Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and Diwali. Each of the books is characterized by clear, easy to understand text, bright, large pictures, and appended lists of additional sources (books and websites). The information about each holiday is presented in the first person, from a child's point of view; e.g., "During Ramadan we get up very early in the morning." These are excellent short texts designed to introduce children (and their parents) to holiday customs around the world.

1 2 3: A Child’s First Counting Book is counting book that is different from the rest of its type because of the amazing illustrations. Each are beautiful and depict a different fairy tale or well known story. The pictures have a cracked, older look to them which only adds to their perfection. Also, each picture correlates to the number; for example the number seven picture contains seven bugs to find, seven beans, seven cows, etc. This is a great book to check out! If you liked this book also check out Alison Jay's A B C: A Child's First Alphabet Book.

A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT ; Linda Urban; New York: Harcourt, 2007, 211pp. Fiction Nine-year-old Zoe Elias yearns to play the piano--a baby grand, in the manner of Vladimir Horowitz. Her father responds to her musical wishes by bringing home a "wood-grained, vinyl-seated, wheeze-bag organ. The Perfectone D-60." Desperate to play just about anything, she starts up lessons with Mabelline Person (Per- saaaahn) , a ginger-ale loving instructor who sees her talent and takes her all the way to the Perfectone Perform-O-Rama, where she plays Hits of the Seventies to universal acclaim. Throw into this already laugh-out-loud mix her agoraphobic father (holder of umpteen degrees from Living Room University), her totally unexpected new friend, Wheeler Diggs, to whom she is known as Zsa Zsa Goober, and Merv, the fast-talking organ salesman and you have a classic screwball comedy. Zoe and Wheeler both act older than their nine years, but this story is so fun, who cares?

Yes, I am doing a review of a board book! I know this is rather unusual, most board books aren't worth recommending to others, but this one is unique. Using a technique called 'scanimation' the animals in the illustrations appear to move. How fast they move is dependent on how fast you turn the page. The text is simple but fun, perfect for young children and adults alike. Unfortunately, due to the nature of its construction this book will probably not survive a lot of checkouts, so grab it now and enjoy the page-turning excitement of GALLOP!

The Wizard seems to have some type of plan up his sleeve, but he's really just bent on experimenting. Although the book states that he ponders "what evil deeds he'll do this day," he is either not a very evil wizard or simply ran out of evil steam in this documented day of his life. Those who are particularly tender-hearted toward animals may be concerned for the plight of the frog, but there's nothing particularly worrisome about the wizard's project. However, as he looks out the window at the end of the book, it does seem possible that he may possess a slightly charred, if not wholly blackened, heart after all. Read the book and decide for yourself! The real selling point of this book, in my opinion, is claimed by the fantastic illustrations. They are vivid, magical, beautifully composed, and very dynamic. The attention to detail is very captivating and will keep the reader searching the pages to make sure all is absorbed. My favorite picture shows the wiza...

In The Crocodile Blues , a man and his cockatoo unwittingly hatch a crocodile from a purchased egg, resulting in a harried race through the house and town to escape. When the pajama-clad gentleman holes up in a rented room with his feathered friend, they receive a peculiar invitation and the story wraps up in a very unexpected and rather bizarre way. This book is hilarious, fast-paced, and completely captivating. The illustrations are fantastic in their composition and design. The pops of vivid, electric yellow and blue amidst the black and white scheme are excellent in finishing the retro feel of this book. I was particularly charmed with the occasional fold-out page scattered throughout the story. Although this book does have have a few words here and there, it is mostly wordless, allowing the reader to have a unique experience with the focus on the illustrations. Out of the few words granted to this story, my favorite by far are those stating"Very Small Refrigerator." Read...

This nonfiction book is good for older children and adults who love and appreciate art. Twenty pieces of art that are found in the Louvre are shown and described in this book. The pictures are large so the details of the artwork can be seen. Also, for each picture there is look and find game to play. In the back of the book information about each picture, the style of the art and the author are given. Interesting information about the Louvre is also briefly given.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers is a delightful book. Henry is bored one day and accidentally begins to eat a book. First he starts by eating a word, then a sentence, then a page, and finally the whole book. Henry loves eating books so much that he swallows them whole! The best thing is that with each book he eats, he gets smarter and smarter. Both the story and the illustrations are fantastic. The illustrations are new and different simple cartoon drawings that only add to the fun story. (My favorite drawing is of a librarian examining Henry’s fine list of the books haven’t been returned to the library). To add to the fun of the book, the cover of the book has a bite taken out of it. This is one of my favorite picture books this year!

British author Alan MacDonald entertains with a new intermediate series called Troll Trouble . At times a little gross (aren't trolls always somewhat gross?) and other times laugh-out-loud funny this a series that young boys will enjoy. Mark Beech provides some great illustrations similar in style to that of Quentin Blake. The first book in the series is Trolls Go Home . The Priddles are quite shocked by the appearance of their new neighbors and are sure they will wreak havoc on the neighborhood. The Troll family has relocated due to an embarrassing encounter that Eggy (Mr. Troll) had with a goat. Mrs. Troll visits the supermarket with just two items on her shopping list: 1) fresh kid for supper and 2) cowpies to freshen up the horribly clean new house. Meanwhile, their young son Ulrik is getting ready to start school by practicing his stomping and his roaring, things that are sure to impress the teacher. Will the Trolls ever be able to fit into their new community? Will the “peep...

Emily Brown loves her old gray rabbit named Stanley. She loves to go on adventures with him to the ocean, space and rain forest; to name a few. Problems begin for Emily when her Most Glorious Royalness Queen Gloriana the Third decides that she wants Stanley for her own, and will not take no for an answer. The queen tries to bribe Emily with other toys to get Stanley, but Emily refuses to part with her beloved toy. However, disaster strikes when the queen decides to steal the toy rabbit in the middle of the night. While the story in this picture book is entertaining, the pictures are what grabbed me. They show in excellent colors and art styles the vividness of Emily’s imagination. They are fun, eclectic illustrations that differ from most picture books and are the main reason I would recommend this book.

VIOLET BING AND THE GRAND HOUSE ; Jennifer Paros; New York: Viking, 2007; 106pp. Intermediate Violet Bing, seven going on eight, says "no" to lots of things--lumpy pancakes, going swimming, eating out. In fact, Violet's mantra is "I don't want to go anywhere or do anything," which is why, when she refuses to go on vacation with her family, she is sent to stay with Aunt Astrid at the Grand House. (Whatever happened to "Quit whining and get in the car," one wonders?). In any case, Violet refuses all adventures with Aunt Astrid, too, saying she doesn't have time, but when she finds the time to help a neighbor girl catch a dog, things slowly begin to change. Ms. Paros dedicates her book to " . . . Those Who Don't Get Out Much But Who Really Ought. . . ," and the point is well taken (and presented) in this delightful beginning chapter book about a very cautious little girl.

This is the story of two children and a big secret surrounding the mysterious death of a magician (the kind that performs on a stage, not the kind that attends Hogwarts). The story is told by a narrator who claims to know the children but this character never actually shows up in the story. (Sound familiar? I thought so too.) There are a few good chuckles in this book, especially in the first few pages. I only wish I could say the rest of the book was as good as its beginning. The nameless narrator with a fake sounding name who recounts the antics of two children who get themselves into a lot of trouble reminded me just a bit too much of another well-known series about unfortunate children. The plot of the book was bit uneven. There were parts of the story that made me laugh out loud and kept me on the edge of my seat, but other parts lagged and made me lose interest and I sometimes found myself skimming ahead to the more exciting parts. A cliffhanger ending alludes to the promise of f...

Bruce Coville gives us a simple retelling of Hans Brinker , originally written by Mary Mapes Dodge. Laurel Long's gorgeous illustrations really make this picture book attractive. Her paintings evoke a warm feeling for the small Dutch village despite the cold winter scenery. This is a beautiful picture book well worth reading for those new to the story of Hans Brinker and those of us who wish to revisit the familiar story.

"Ruthie and the (No So) Teeny Tiny Lie" by Laura Rankin Ruthie is the cutest, tinniest fox who just loves tiny things. One day, while playing on the playground, she finds a very tiny camera. She can't believe her luck. She begins clicking pictures of everything and everyone. But Martin comes along and insists the little camera belongs to him. The story progresses through a shouting match, Ruthie getting in trouble in the classroom and finally trudging home, where Ruthie is miserable. Her parents help her sort it all out. The next day, Ruthie marches herself up to the teacher's desk and confesses her lie. We know from the title that this little tale is all about honesty. It's not too preachy and has very sweet illustrations of baby animals in their kindergarten setting.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. What on earth is a cryptid? The word cryptid finds its origin in the word Cryptozoology, which is the study of hidden or legendary animals. The Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman—if it’s animal and no one is sure it really exists or not—it’s a cryptid. And this book is full of them. Filled with fun facts, photos and eyewitness accounts of all kinds of cryptids, found the world over, this book will keep any monster loving kid fascinated from beginning to end. Did you know that Bigfoot, Sasquatch and theYeti are all believed to be the same animal? Did you also know that it used to be a standard practice in the 1930’s to exercise circus elephants by swimming them around in Loch Ness, which led to quite a few Loch Ness monster sightings during that time? Bet you didn’t know that the elusive Yowie from Australia has its own line of chocolate bars? Neither did I. My favorite part of this book was the Cryptidictionary which listed e...

CAPTAIN RAPTOR AND THE SPACE PIRATES ; Kevin O'Malley and Patrick O'Brien; New York: Walker, 2007, unpaged. Picture Book Captain Raptor is back! When space pirates loot Jurassica's Imperial Palace and make off with the Jewels of Jurassica, Captain Raptor gives chase. But when the pirates blast the Megatooth out of the sky with tons of molten lead, will this be the end of Captain Raptor? and even if he escapes this peril, what about ROBOKRON! Don't miss this exciting installment in the adventures of Captain Raptor because what could be better than dinosaurs and pirates in Outer Space?

The little boy in this book does not like to run errands with his mom, and today is no exception. However, instead of getting the usual toy, balloon, or treat from the places they visit, today is special because everyone is giving out free dinosaurs. Now, I am sure you are thinking toy dinosaurs just like the boy thought, but you are wrong. The dinosaurs are real! Now the boy and his mother have to try to figure out what to do with the all the dinosaurs they now own. This is a fabulous story for anyone who loves silly picture books and/or dinosaurs.

Every Friday is a picture book about a father and son. Every Friday they spend time together by going walking to a diner, eating breakfast and talking. On the way they observe what is happening in the city. There are new buildings being built, people saying hello, and dogs on the street. The story is quite basic, but the illustrations are wonderful. This is a book I would recommend to any father and son duo looking for a book to read together a t the library.

In this chilling portrait of a possible future, a drug named Longevity is created that prolongs life indefinitely. However, because people are no longer dying, the world is becoming overcrowded. Regulations are created that prohibit parents from having children unless they decide not to take the drug. Despite this rule, children are born secretly and unlawfully and, when found, are rounded up, imprisoned in various institutions, and trained to be servants. The Declaration features the story of one of these "Surplus" children, called Anna, and her journey to discovering her value as a human being and right to live. I found this to be a fascinating book. It has a familiar theme of an overpopulated world with regulated child-bearing laws, slightly similar to that of "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Haddix. However, it was much creepier and more tense than that book and I thought the idea of training the illegal children to be servants was very interesting as well as the...

Milada has blond hair and light blue eyes, a perfect example of an Aryan child ... "sent by God to serve Hitler and save the world from the Jewish scourge". There is only one problem, Milada is not German, she is from the small town of Lidice in Czechoslovakia. Her country had surrendered to the Nazis and everyone was trying to forget the war that was happening all around their small country. Then something happened that made it impossible to forget the war. Nazi soldiers stormed the village in the middle of the night. All the inhabitants were "arrested". All men and teenage boys were separated from the women and small children. Milada was one of the "lucky" few to have the Aryan look and be transported to a center for rehabilitation and indoctrination into German society. As Milada is given a new name and a new life, she tries to always remember her true identity and her real family. As with most books dealing with this historical subject, expect to shed ...

MAGICAL KIDS ; Sally Gardner; New York: Dial, 2007; 92 and 106 pgs. Intermediate Fiction Magical Kids is a back-to-back flip-over book of two stories, "The Strongest Girl in the World," and "The Invisible Boy." In the first eight-year-old Josie Jenkins feels a tingle in her arms and then pulls apart the iron fence rails so Billy Brand can get his head out. After that, she lifts cars, horses, and cement-filled barrels. When Mr. Two-Suit takes her to New York to do her tricks, nothing is fun anymore, and she and her family barely escape back to England. In "The Invisible Boy," Sam's parents win a trip to Outer Space on the Star Shuttle, but when the shuttle goes missing, Sam is taken in by his next-door neighbor, the wicked Mrs. Hardbottom, who is after his parents' insurance money. But Sam has a secret ally in Splodge, the space alien who loves ketchup and whose space ship looks like a salad spinner. Both stories are characterized by the inspired s...

When Eve's mother passes away, all the magic Eve used to believe in fades with her. Her father purchases a withered apple orchard in Beaumont, New York in the hopes that he might revive its life, dismissing the rumors that it is cursed. Once Eve moves there with her father, strange things begin happening--she meets a boy who claims to be a ghost, hears about a girl who vanished, and is given the gift of a mysterious seed for her birthday. The seed proves to be much more powerful than it appears and leads Eve on an adventure that will leave her forever changed. The Garden of Eve is a mysterious, hauntingly beautiful story. It felt much shorter than the 230+ pages it actually is. The vibrantly illustrated cover by Greg Swearingen drew me in immediately and the story did the rest. K. L. Going deals with the issues of loss of loved ones and the bond between family members very delicately and gracefully. She shows that even someone who feels broken hearted can heal and find the power t...

STONEHEART ; Charlie Fletcher; New York: Hyperion, 2007; 450 pgs. Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction When George Chapman has a brush-up with a bully in his class at a field trip to the Natural History museum he breaks a stone dragon head off the facade of the building and all of the Underworld breaks loose. First, a pterodactyl detaches himself from the building and takes after George, then stone salamanders, even a dragon. George finds a friend in another statue, a gunnery sergeant from World War I, and he and the Gunner are joined by Edie, a young girl who is the only other person who can see what George is seeing. George has reawakened the forces of evil--"the taints"--and the forces of good--"the spits"--and discovered Edie's extremely rare talent as a "glint"--someone who can see and feel the past. Stoneheart's story takes place in 24 hours--a day, a night, and a day--and the action is breakneck. Fletcher uses the real monuments of London to tell hi...

There once was a normal little girl. She was seven, she was short and she could ride a bike. "She was just like everybody else except for one thing. She had red hair. And something worse... FRECKLES!" Everyone always had to make a comment about her freckles. Or they would call her names such as Freckleface Strawberry . She did everything she could to get rid of those freckles but nothing worked. Finally, Freckleface Strawberry received some unusual advice from a stranger and decided freckles weren't so bad after all. Actress Julianne Moore has written a wonderful story that I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out was semi-autobiographical. The illustrations by LeUyen Pham are absolutely adorable and add to the charm of the book. Usually I try to avoid celebrity-authored picture books, but this one is definitely worth reading.

In the page turning fantasy, The Candy Shop War , four kids begin some serious adventuring when they meet the owner of a new candy shop called the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream and Candy Shop. They begin accepting magical candy in return for performing strange "services" for the owner, Mrs. White, who also happens to be a magician. However, things start to get a little sticky when some of the children begin to have moral dilemmas about the so-called services they are asked to carry out. As another magician enters the scene, it isn't long before they don't know who to trust as they race to discover the magicians' end goal and to ensure good prevails. Another entertaining book from Brandon Mull, this story is well-paced and interesting. Occasionally the story hits a rough patch in plot, but overall I found it a great read. Adventures, villains and heroes, discerning right from wrong, and magical happenings will keep readers captivated.

WE THREE KINGS ; Gennady Spirin; New York: Atheneum, 2007; unpaged. Picture Book. Gennady Spirin's sumptuous illustrations of John Hopkins, Jr.'s Christmas carol are simply ravishing. The colors are rich and deep, and the detail exquisitely rendered. The wise men in this book travel on camels, and elephants, accompanied by a horse guard, and in a large company of retainers, so Spirin has plenty of pageantry for his baroque sensibilities. I felt a little gypped because Spirin's picture of the angelic choir repeats with the refrain, so the same set of angels appears on six double page spreads. I would have liked to have seen more and different angels, but that's a quibble in the grand scheme.

THE FROG WHO WANTED TO SEE THE SEA ; Guy Billout; Mankato, MN: Creative Editions, 2007; 30 pgs. Picture Book Guy Billout is an artist whose pictures are austere but striking, and this present book was named as one of the Best Illustrated Books of the Year by The New York Times . Alice is a frog who knows her limits--her murky little pond is twenty-eight kicks of her back legs across and filled with familiar reeds. But once Alice meets a wide-ranging seagull, she wants to see the ocean. After a daring cross-country trek, she floats down a frighteningly big river on her lily pad and wakes up one morning to find herself in the sea. Alice's adventures there are brief, and she is helped back home by the kindly offices of a round yellow moon. While she feels safe at home, she finds she cannot stay long . . . . This is a lovely book about wanting to know more, and daring the venture. The story and the pictures work well together, but it would be a comfort to me if writers and editors sti...

"First Snow in the Woods" by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick By the photographers of "Stranger in the Woods" and "Lost in the Woods" this volume of stunning woodland photos is my favorite. Carl and Jean have photographed nature and animals of the forest for more than twenty years, collecting more than 400,000 images. Each photo is amazing with brilliant natural colors and natural forest lighting. A chipmunk holding a red berry in his paws, a mother doe giving her fawn a quick lick on the head, and a racoon poking his head out of the tree are just a few of the many pics of animals and nature preparing for the snowy season of winter. This book fills my soul with serenity and peace!

"Fred Stays With Me" by Nancy Coffelt, illustrated by Tricia Tulsa, Little, Brown and Company, 2007 Divorce can turn a child's world upside down, spending one weekend with mom and the next with dad. The little girl in this picture book explains that some things in her life are still the same, like going to the same school and having the same friends, and some things are different. Fred, her dog, is a big source of consistency. He happily adjusts to "whatever." When mom and dad ask "What shall we do with Fred?" the answer is a no brainer!

Someday is the story of a young girl who dreams of what she'll be when she grows up. In her mind she sees herself doing a variety of creative and exciting adventures. The unique thing about this book is that the little girl tells how she is preparing for this future life today. This would be a great book for any young girl aspiring to greatness... someday.

Brian Jacques Redwall is now available in a graphic novel format. The story was adapted by Stuart Moore with beautiful black and white illustrations by Bret Blevins. Having never read the Redwall books, this was an opportunity for me to be introduced to the popular series. I fell in love with the character of Matthias at the beginning when he was whistling a tune and stumbled, dropping his basket of apples. I enjoyed seeing him change from a slightly clumsy little mouse into a true warrior. When Redwall Abbey is under attack by Cluny the terrible rat, Matthias begins a journey to retrieve the sword of the great warrior, Martin. A motley crew of woodland animals aids Matthias on his quest and everyone worked together to save Redwall.

Ludlow Fitch escapes the terror of his daily life in the City and finds himself in the small mountain village of Pagus Parvus. His timely arrival coincides with that of Joe Zabbidou, The Secret Pawnbroker. Joe and Ludlow have many interesting midnight meetings with the Pagus Parvians as they try to rid themselves of the nasty Jeremiah Ratchet who owns most of the village. Joe Zabbidou eventually helps Ludlow cope with his own secrets and make a better life for himself in the process. Ludlow also discovers the truth behind The Black Book of Secrets .

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is back!!!! Betty MacDonald’s daughter found new Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle stories in her mother’s belonging and published Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle . This is a fantastic book just as all the other Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books are. With the help of special magic powders and her pets Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle works to cure children who watch too much TV, a boy who is afraid to try, a messy bedroom, a girl who doesn’t like to brush her teeth, and more. This is a delightfully fun book!

THE SEEMS: THE GLITCH IN SLEEP ; John Hulme and Michael Wexler; New York: Bloomsbury, 2007; 277pgs. Fiction. The first in what one hopes will be a long series, The Glitch in Sleep tells the story of twelve-year-old Becker Drane, the youngest Fixer for The Seems, the conglomerate that keeps the world running smoothly and looks after its inhabitants. Becker (as a Briefer) shines in a mission to save southern Europe from drought when he discovers and foils a plot by The Tide to clog up the Water Tower of the World's Precious Rain. His first job as a Fixer, however, is a ripsnorter: a glitch in sleep which is keeping the whole world awake. Hulme and Wexler's book is chock full of puns, wordplay, goofy gadgetry, and laugh-out-loud action. Oddly enough, it also has a religious subtext: each person in the World has a Case Worker assigned to look after him or her; the heart of The Plan is that things will turn out all right; the Rising Tide is a subversive group that wants to remake...