Provo Library Children's Book Blog

All the World By Liz Garton Scanlon; illustrated by Marla Frazee Beach Lane Books, 2009. Unpaged. Picture book. What makes the world beautiful and wonderful? Is it the bright beaches with shells to gather, the amazing plants and foods that grow in its earth, or all the varieties of people scattered the whole earth over? Luckily, we don't have to choose, because we can enjoy it all, and what's even better, we can enjoy it together. With beautiful words and equally captivating illustrations, this winsome picture book is sure to sweep you off your feet. It has a very warm, cozy, joyful feel like your favorite blanket or a hot mug of cocoa. The last line of the book is the most resounding, one that will echo in your heart-- "All the world is all of us."

The Goblin & the Empty Chair by Mem Fox; illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon Beach Lane Books, 2009. Unpaged. Picture book. Seeing his reflection, a goblin is so horrified by his visage that he determines never to expose his hideous countenance, thus shrouding his face. As he lives a lonely, solitary life to avoid frightening anyone, he happens to see a family in need and silently does what he can to ease their pain. Through an all-star team of renowned author and illustrators comes this lovely, understated picture book. The Dillons are some of my favorite artists, their style being beautifully composed and crafted in every way. The little details tell the story very aptly--I didn't catch the full meaning of the family until I read the book a second time, carefully following the pictures. Mem Fox, of course, also does a nice job with telling this story simply and tenderly. A wonderful, original fairy tale.

Daughters of the Sea: Hannah By Kathryn Lasky Scholastic Press, 2009. 310 pgs. Juvenile fiction. Hannah Albury, an orphan with no knowledge of her identity, is hired as a scullery maid for the Hawleys, a wealthy and well-known family in Boston. She finds herself mysteriously drawn to the ocean as well as the family's portrait painter, Mr. Wheeler. Strange things commence shortly after she leaves the orphanage such as the salty crystals she begins shedding and the extreme antagonism she senses from fanatical Lila Hawley and her cat. As Hannah comes closer to discovering her true identity, her circumstances grow increasingly bizarre and she discovers she must make a life-altering choice. This book did an excellent job in surprising me with how captivating it was. I zipped through the novel and was much more engaged in the story than I had expected. I enjoyed the blend of fastasty and history and found the characters to be well fleshed and interesting. Although very simply written, th...

Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes New York: Scholastic, 2009. 234pgs. Juvenile Fiction. Bo Whaley, son of an Air Force colonel, is often in trouble at the base school, but he knows sixth grade will be different when his new teacher, Ms. Loupe, begins class by outlining a stage in masking tape on the classroom floor. Anyone inside the box must arrange himself or something else to "create beauty"; aka, art. Before he knows it, Bo is tapping into unknown depths of imagination and theatrical talent, stung by the knowledge that his father will be transferred away from North Carolina before the Dirty Couch Players will take the boards. But greater things are afoot: Bo's cousin arrives from Seattle to stay while her mother is deployed to Afghanistan; the School Commission is inspecting the school hoping to get away without doing anything about the cracked walls and the little kids' stinky bathroom; worst of all, Ms. Loupe's brother goes missing in Afghanistan. T...

Eddie is excited to learn that he has just moved into the home town of his favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead —a popular writer of children’s horror stories. The only problem is, Olmstead has been mysteriously missing for the last thirteen years and his home now stands abandoned at the edge of the woods. Rumor says Olmstead and his creepy stories have brought a curse down upon the whole town and that the monsters from his books now roam the woods. Eddie and his two new friends from school decide to figure out what is really going on but quickly discover there are some secrets that should never be unraveled. Horrifying monsters, creepy curses, nightmares to keep you awake at night—this book has got everything to make delicious chills go up and down your spine. Poblocki ’s novel is a masterpiece of suspense and horror. Each twist and turn in the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what will pop out at you next. I don’t know how Poblocki sleeps at night with all ...

Lyle Williams (otherwise know as Mudshark) is the one person everyone in school comes to when they need help. Toxic plumbing mishaps, masses of missing erasers, and a devious spying parrot—you never know what will happen next in this hilarious romp through the everyday life of Mudshark. Be sure to read the principal’s entertaining daily announcements at the beginning of each chapter, they are a riot! Short and sweet, this is a great book for reluctant readers.

A Taste for Red by Lewis Harris 169 pages juvenile fiction Boston : Clarion Books, 2009 Svetlana (formerly known as Stephanie) is having some trouble adjusting to public school after being homeschooled her whole life. To make things more interesting, Svetlana is convinced she is a vampire. But don't believe any of those foolish stereotypes you hear about vampires, they just aren't accurate. Svetlana only eats red foods (they just taste better). She also sleeps underneath her bed (vampires do like to feel confined, but a coffin is just a little ridiculous)! And she definitely has ESP (didn't you know, vampires can read your mind)! Svetlana quickly determines that her beautiful science teacher is a vampire too? But will they be allies or enemies? This is a strange little book that I haven't decided if I like or not. Svetlana is an intriguing character as is Ms. Bones her neighbor. Other characters I could've done without. The storyline was an interesting mix of fantas...

My first thought after glancing through this book was that I wasn't going to like it. However, after reading it and laughing out loud on numerous occasions this is a book that I would give to any child to read. This is to be expected though when two well loved creators get together to work on one book (Jon Scieszka; author-Stinky Cheese Man David Shannon; illustrator No David). Robot Zot! is a story about a robot who thinks he’s invincible. He can face anything including your mean, shiny toaster! However one day he falls in love with a beautiful toy phone and must use his strength and power to save her from the evil beast (dog)! This is a must check out book! Make sure you take time to carefully look at the illustrations while reading it to fully enjoy the creativity of the book!

Moribito II: Guardian of the Darkness by Nahoko Uehashi New York: Scholastic, 2009. Juvenile fiction. Second in a series of stories about Balsa, the spear-wielding bodyguard who saved Prince Chagum and her country from death and drought in the last episode, Guardian of the Darkness has Balsa returning home to Kanbal to lay to rest the murdered spirit of her father, and of her guardian, Jiguro. Entering the network of caves that will take her home, she fights a terrifying ghostlike creature, the hyohlu, defending two children who have wandered into the caves. In this entry in Uehashi's admirable martial arts series, Balsa herself comes much closer to death, but rises in the end to give Jiguro's spirit peace and to save the land of her birth from starvation and destruction. With just the right mix of mysticism, action, danger, courage, and honor, the Moribito should speak deeply and clearly to a generation of young people raised on manga and anime - and to their elders.

The Extra-Ordinary Princess By Carolyn Q. Ebbitt Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2009. 324 pgs. Juvenile fiction. Young Amelia with her tangly red hair, love of adventure, and a stubborn spirit does not seem like the ideal princess, especially when compared with her three older sisters. Luckily, as the youngest of four, she will never need to worry about becoming queen--or so she believes. When a deadly plague whips through Gossling, taking both her parents' lives and leaving the land under the rule of the fearsome Count Raven, Amelia must rise up and take charge in order to save her country. This story is a wonderful book for those who love fairy tales, magic, and adventure. The text is sweet and innocent but interesting for both younger and older readers. A lovely addition to those who enjoyed books by Jessica Day George, Gale Carson Levine, and Shannon Hale.

Jeremy Draws a Monster By Peter McCarty Henry Holt, 2009. Unpaged. Picture book. Jeremy is a little boy who never leaves his room and never goes outside. One day, he decides to draw a monster for some company. However, he doesn't anticipate how demanding the monster will be! After putting up with his unending requests, Jeremy decides to put his foot down, which has a surprising result. This book is similar in concept to Harold and the Purple Crayon but without the imagination and creativity of the latter. Although the illustrations are extremely charming, the story falls a little flat and is a bit disjointed in places. It was cute but could have used some polishing.

A Mirror to Nature: Poems About Reflection by Jane Yolen photographs by Jason Stemple 32 pages poetry Honesdale, Pa. : Wordsong, c2009 Inspired by the reflective qualities of water and the amazing animals that live in the wild, Jane Yolen wrote some poetry. The photographs are fantastic. However, the poetry doesn't fit the scenic photos, they seem rather silly and childish. For example on page 16 is a wonderful picture of a young buck walking through a marshy area. On the facing page is the poem titled, "The Deer Reflects Himself". Oh dear, oh deer, don't stand reflecting. Run on your swift feet. A deer that stays too long reflecting is a deer called meat. That doesn't seem nature-inspiring to me. Unfortunately I feel this was a missed opportunity for the author to share her love of nature with young people. The photographs combined with a different style of poetry would have made a wonderful book. Likewise, the poems accompanied b...

Grigory Rasputin: Holy Man or Mad Monk? A Wicked History by Enid A. Goldberg & Norman Itzkowitz 128 pages New York : Franklin Watts, c2008 Born a peasant in the cold land of Siberia, few would have thought that Grigory Rasputin would rise to such a prominent position with the Russian Monarchy. Apparently he was a charismatic man who would seem to hypnotize people, especially women, with his eyes. Some believed him to be a wicked and corrupt man while others believed he was a man of god. Personally, after reading this biography, I would have to agree that he is wicked. The Russian government may have already been in decline, but I believe Rasputin's influence sped up the process and caused a lot of trouble for the Royal family. This exciting new biography series will fascinate middle school kids who like to learn about the bad guys. The books are in a small hardback format that is very reader friendly. The chapters are short and informative. There are lots of extras...

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck New York: Penguin, 2009. 164 pgs. In the midst of all the bad news these days, there is one nova-sized bright spot: Grandma Dowdel is back. Peck adds to his Newbery-honor-winning A Long Way from Chicago and his Newbery-winning A Year Down Yonder , Grandma Dowdel's adventures in 1958 with her new neighbors, a Methodist preacher's family--two girls and a boy, who narrates. Although the fifties don't have the same cachet as the thirties and forties, and Joey and Mary Alice are long gone to their grown-up lives, Grandma Dowdel still manages to terrorize the hoodlums out of her melon patch; save the preacher's daughter from the Elvis-like wiles of Roscoe Burdick; and give young Bob the chance of a lifetime to drive the getaway car (his family's own '50 Nash, aka "The Pickle") in a daring Christmas tree raid. As is her wont, Grandma Dowdel gives her priceless gifts while seeming to be acting only in enlightened self-interes...

Song of Middle C by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Scott Menchin Candlewick, 2009. Unpaged. Picture Book The unnamed young lady of this delightful picture book has practiced her fingers to the bone ( Hoo boy, have I been practicing!) preparing for her first piano recital where she will play "Dance of the Wood Elves." When the big day arrives she is ready--ready until she sits down with her thumbs positioned on middle C and realizes that what you knew before you sat down in front of all those people, you don't know anymore. Even her lucky underwear has failed her. Even after several "one, and two ands" the song doesn't come. "There was only one thing to do . . . . I play middle C like thunder. I play it like wind. I play it like a question. I play it like tiny wood elves who have lost their lucky underwear." The crowd erupts in applause for the brilliant improvisations on middle C. Stage fright gives way to an unexpected triumph which not even the...

My (Unwilling) Witch Goes to Ballet School by Hiawyn Oram ill. by Sarah Warburton Rumblewick's Diary #1 79 pages New York : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009 Rumblewick has finally finished school to become a witch's familiar. He is now highly qualified to do all the nasty things a witch is supposed to do. He has a really big problem though. His contract is with Haggy Aggy, a very unwilling witch. She prefers traveling to the Other Side (our world) to go shopping. One day as Rumblewick is valiantly trying to get her back to her cottage and interested in casting spells and scaring children, Haggy discovers a ballet school. Right then and there she decides that is what she wants to do, dance around in a fluffy pink tutu! Needless to say, Rumblewick is horrified! He records in his diary everything he does to try to return Haggy to the ways of a witch all the while trying to avoid the wrath of the witches in charge. A fun new intermediate series with humorous black and wh...

Snickeyfritz by Andrea Skyberg unpaged picture book Wauwatosa, WI : Wooden Nickel Press, c2009 Three young sisters are bored one afternoon so their Papa sends them on a treasure hunt. As they try to figure out the silly things on the list, they use their imagination. When they are stumped on the last item, Papa helps them out and even makes them a delicious dinner afterwards. Can I just say creepy and weird?! The author/creator made the life-size dolls herself and then photographed them throughout her house. The chunky dough-faced dolls are a little frightening. In fact Geddy, my 3-year-old, took one look at the book and said, "Mommy, I don't like this one, please take it back to the library!" The story was also confusing and not very approachable for young children. The author used many slang terms and outdated sayings that our grandparents are familiar with but will have no meaning for kids of today. Now don't get me wrong, I completely appreciate the thought and cr...

THE NEDDIAD: HOW NEDDIE TOOK THE TRAIN, WENT TO HOLLYWOOD, AND SAVED CIVILIZATION By Daniel Pinkwater New York: Harcourt, 2007. 307 pgs. Juvenile fiction. Neddie's family, the Wentworthsteins, decides to move to Hollywood so they could go to the Brown Derby Restaurant (we're eating in a hat!"). Fortunately, Neddie's dad made a fortune in shoelaces during WWII so they can pretty much go where they want and do what they want which in this case is ride the train to California and have adventures. Neddie's adventure begins when he meets Melvin, the blabbermouth Navajo shaman who gives him a small turtle which he must be very careful not to lose. Neddie eventually figures out that the turtle is meant to preserve life as we know it, but doesn't know what he is supposed to do with it, and neither does anyone else. While the forces of evil are building, Neddie enrolls in the Brown Sparrow Military Academy, makes friends with Seamus, Yggdrasil, and Billy the Phantom...

Future Tech: From Personal Robots to Motorized Monocycles by Charles Piddock and James LeeWashington, D. C.: National Geographic, 2009. 58pgs. Juvenile Non-Fiction. How cool would it be to have spy robots who could move silently around on simulated gecko feet? Or to inject a nanobot into human bodies which could repair genetic damage on a cellular level? Robotic surgical applications, brain-computer interfaces, smart houses that pretty much clean themselves and take care of the people who live there (a little scary: shades of HAL!), and snake venom cancer treatments: all these find a place in this smart little book that should provide young techies with plenty of fodder for wonder and invention, along with some funny futurisms that didn't pan out, like the atomic car which would have required an 80,000 pound reactor to power a 3,000 pound vehicle. Some fun!

Picture Book illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering A simple storyline: a toddler temper tantrum. We've all been there. But Finn's tantrum's are a little beyond normal . . . they are all consuming! Accompanying the limited text that is well written, Ering's illustrations will make you laugh out loud. The picture that goes with the phrase "lightning in the kitchen!" makes the reader feel the full force of Finn's wrath. A perfect read aloud for young children. Make sure you give them plenty of time to look at the full spread pictures and note the facial expressions, not just on the angry Finn, but his anxious parents. A great visual demonstration of what a fit really is!

All three lack good story writing. All three obviously missed good editing. But the three distinctly different styles of illustrations are worth the look. I'm listing them by illustrator. The Hungry Ghosts pictures by Geraldo Valerio 2009 How the Nobble was Finally Found pictures by Stephen Gammell 2009 Leon and the Place Between pictures by Grahame Baker-Smith The artwork in each book is well worth your time. The Hungry Ghosts illustrations are done in acrylic paint on watercolor paper, lots of blues on every page. Nobble illustrator Gammell is the same artist who did Old Black Fly ( 1991 - Jim Aylesworth). Gammell created the handlettering seen in the text of Nobble . Baker-Smith used digital montage for the pictures in Leon . It has a 3-D effect that draws your vision into the busy setting. Of the three, Leon has a story that at least flows and is not a bad read.

The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney New York: Little, Brown, 2009. unpaged. Picture Book. Jerry Pinkney is at the height of his incredible powers in this new version of Aesop's beloved fable. Set in Africa's Serengeti Plains, the book practically explodes with the warmth and richness of life. Although the lion's presence dominates most pages, the verges teem with smaller life: ants carrying leaves, a big-eyed frog, birds, monkeys, and, of course, the mice. Essentially wordless, save for the sounds the animals make, Pinkney's version of the classic fable shows in every stroke the true power of compassion and tolerance.

Wishworks, Inc. by Stephanie S. Tolan ill. Amy June Bates 146 pages juvenile fiction New York : Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009 Max has always wanted a dog. A fabulously big dog with a great plume of a tail. His name is King and Max has him perfectly imagined. One day, Max stumbles upon a curious little store called Wishworks, Inc. A sign in the window says "Wishes - Guaranteed". The storekeeper advises Max to think carefully, but Max just spouts off his heart's desire, "a real live dog". Of course we all know that wishes never come true exactly as you want them to. Will Max make things better or worse by returning to Wishworks, Inc.? These adventures along with recently divorced parents, being in a new school and not having any friends makes life a little stressful for young Max.

The Night Children by Kit Reed 234 pages juvenile fiction New York : Tom Doherty Associates, 2008 The Castertown Megamall is the biggest mall in the world. It is so large that numerous children have taken up residence, sleeping by day and avoiding security by night. Kids of all ages have been lost or abandoned at the mall, or ran away purposely to live in the mall. If they were lucky they were found and taken in by one of the good gangs, like that ran by Tick Stiles. Otherwise one of the not-so-good gangs might discover them and then who knows what would happen to them. Unfortunately for her, Jule Devereaux finds herself in the latter situation. Before she knows it she is caught between two rival gangs and running from security. Who should she trust? Her presence in the mall escalates a confrontation with the kids and the Zozzco corporation. The extremely disturbed founder of Zozzco and the Megamall is putting forth phase two of his plan to destroy all children and overtake the world! ...

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wight intermediate chapter book/graphic novel 79 pages New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009 Franklin Lorenzo Piccolini, aka Frankie Pickle, is all set to go to his friends house to play a new video game when his mother says the dreaded words, "not until you CLEAN YOUR ROOM"! Bravely, Frankie tackled his mess. Yet once the closet was dangerously full he was at a loss where to put everything else. Besides, he couldn't really see the point of putting everything away when he was just going to get it all out again. I mean, he really needs all those piles of stuff for his adventures! Will Frankie's abundance of imagination get him in trouble when he strikes a bargain with his mother or will Frankie Pickle save the day? Wight's black and white illustrations are a fun way to show Frankie's adventures in contrast with the regular text showing his interactions with his family.A fun book for beginning...

Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires 64 pages juvenile graphic novel Toronto : Kids Can Press, c2009 Binky is a proud, card-carrying member of F.U.R.S.T., aka Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel. The home he lives in with his humans is completely surrounded by unexplored outer space. Binky is determined to explore every inch of it once he builds his special rocket. In the meantime he will have to content himself with defeating all the alien life-forms that invade his home and attack his humans. When the day finally arrives to launch, Binky is faced with his most difficult predicament before leaving home. Binky the Space Cat was a pleasure to read. I laughed out loud pretty much the whole way through. The illustrations were charming and Binky's personality came through loud and clear in the text. I definitely look forward to joining Binky on more hilarious adventures!

Adventures in Cartooning: How to turn your doodles into comics! by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost 109 pages informational graphic novel New York : First Second, 2009 Once upon a time there was a beautiful young princess who wanted to make her own comic book. She didn't know how to begin so the Magic Cartooning Elf came to her rescue. The story they create is filled with brave knights, nervous horses, greedy dragons, and a mischievous little elf. Throughout the story the elf informs the characters as well as the reader how to create their own comic book. Definitely a fun way to learn without it feeling like you are learning!

Teedie: The Story of Young Teddy Roosevelt by Don Brown picture book biography unpaged Boston : Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009 Young Teedie Roosevelt was frail and delicate. He suffered from asthma, poor vision and other ailments. He didn't let this get in the way of climbing trees, hunting with his friends or any other physical activity. In fact, Teedie or Teddy as he became known, worked hard to become physically strong and able to stand up to those who wanted to bully him. After graduating from Harvard he tried several careers before finally getting into politics and we all know where he ended up as a result! As president, Teddy Roosevelt was able to accomplish some very important projects for our country. Don Brown's picture book biography gives a quick glimpse into Teddy's life, focusing on his ability to overcome his weaknesses. The illustrations, while not my favorite style, were subtle and a perfect partner for the story without being distracting.