Provo Library Children's Book Blog

illustrated by Robert Byrd Dutton's; 2009; 45 pages J Nonfiction 940.1 KRO 2009 Are you rude, crude, and uncivilized? Could you be a BARBARIAN? Whether you answer yes or no to this question, Barbarians! is a must read book. Kroll takes us through the history of four different groups that the rest of the world has always referred to as "barbarians"; the Goths, the Huns, the Vikings, and the Mongols. We learn about the time periods each group lived in, where they were from, who there leaders were, and how they each carried out their own reign of terror and earned their place in history. Lots of research went into the writing and illustrations of this book. Be sure to read the "Illustrator's Note" on page 47. A good recommendation for anyone looking for something a little different, particularly reluctant readers. After you read Barbarians , answer this question: If you had to go back in time and live among one of these groups, which would it be? (I st...

A Thousand Years of Pirates by William Gilkerson Tundra Books; 2009; 96 pages A Thousand Years of Pirates has a fantastic cover which caught my eye right from the beginning. This isn’t the typical pirate book that many kids like where they are perceived as almost a fantasy-like character (Pirates of the Caribbean), but tells the true story of the lives pirates led. There were interesting facts such as the real reason Francis Drake was knighted was because he made England a lot of money. The book also covers the many wars that were often started because of pirating, who they stole from and why, and what kind of life they led. Women pirates are also covered in this book. The pictures inside were interesting, but not fascinating. It was a fun book and one that I think an older child would enjoy reading for a nonfiction book report.

Millie's Marvelous Hat By Satoshi Kitamura Andersen Press USA, 2009. Unpaged. Picture book. When the hat that Millie wants to purchase is much too expensive, the store owner gives her a wonderful idea--she should imagine a hat! Once she begins, she comes up with the most outlandish and beautiful hats she can dream up. Hats piled high with feathers, cakes, and even miniature animals appear on her head as she walks through town. Millie notices that everyone has a special hat of their own and that all it takes is a little imagination. This is a darling book that will delight children with its colorful, creative illustrations and cute story. The most entertaining part of the book is to see all the funny hats people have on their heads--children will love seeing an entire dinosaur upon some of the characters' heads! This is a wonderful book about using your imagination to the fullest.

Fairie-ality Style: a Sourcebook of Inspirations from Nature By David Ellwand Candlewick Press, 2009. Unpaged. Juvenile nonfiction. In this book filled with breathtaking nature photographs, David Ellwand fashions bits and pieces of natural elements into charming, fairy-worthy items such as elegant clothing, furniture, and luxurious bedding. Aside from all the dainty, delicate creations, my favorite thing about this book was the color palette panels on many of the pages, also included in a fold-out in the back. These palettes show the main individual colors that make up the different pictures, which are excellent resources to train the eye to pick out specific hues in an image. Gorgeous, inventive, and definitely magical, these beautiful images will take you into the heart of modern Faerie and will spark many an imagination.

The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull New York: Knopf, 2009. Unpaged. Non-fiction. It is a high irony of working at the Provo City Library that the very room which is now filled with children's books used to be the lab where Philo Farnsworth worked to invent the television. Usually the print-medium continuum moves in the opposite direction. In any case, Kathleen Krull has wrought yet another spirited and enlightening biography, this time about our own Utah-Idaho product, the fourteen year old boy who was plowing furrows when he figured out how to transmit lines of light and then reassemble them rapidly enough that they would appear as a single picture. Though a top-drawer inventor, Philo was not much of a businessman and refused to sell his idea to RCA because he wanted to keep control of the invention. Consequently, RCA muscled him out of the credit for inventing television, and he didn't get much attention for his achievement during his life...

The Scariest Monster in the World by Lee Weatherly & Algy Craig Hall Boxer Books: 2009: Unpaged We all have our own ways to get rid of the hiccups and apparently forest animals do the same thing. One day the scariest monster (he is dirty, stinky and mean!) in the world gets the hiccups. The bold animals of the forest forget their fears in order to help the monster. The way he finally gets rid of them is very imaginative and fun. I liked this story and I think older children will understand some of the humor in the pictures and the story. We can all relate to the monster too when he is absolutely miserable and can’t get rid of the hiccups.

Brand-New Baby Blues by Kathi Appelt Illustrated by Kelly Murphy Harper: 2009: Unpaged Life can be tough when a new baby comes to your house and takes away all the attention that is usually yours. This story is a typical story of a jealous sibling that doesn’t like her little brother, but learns that maybe he isn’t half bad. The story is told in a cute rhyme which some very creative words, including a dirty diaper that’s yabba dabba pew! This is a fantastic book to read to children who are jealous of their new sibling or who may be getting a new sibling soon.

The Knitting of Elizabeth Amelia by Patricia Lee Guach ill. by Barbara Lavallee New York : Henry Holt, 2009; unpaged picture book Elizabeth Amelia is lovingly knitted out of some wool yarn. This makes her very soft and bouncy. As she grows up she is popular for this very reason. Eventually she marries a man (not knitted from wool). Elizabeth Amelia wants some children but she can't find the perfect yarn to knit them with. So what else is there to do, but start unraveling her own leg to create her first child. The second, third and fourth children use up pretty much all of her legs. So what is left of her just sits around on the couch, hugging her children. Her husband points out that their children need a mother that can get up and do things, "You're nothing but a pillow". Startled into action, Elizabeth Amelia begins reconstructing herself. With the help of her children she undergoes an extreme makeover and is once again able to dance with her husband. Let's jus...

Adolf Hitler by Katie Daynes juvenile biography 64 pages Tulsa, OK : EDC, 2006 Adolf Hitler was a fascinating and charismatic leader. I have never bothered to read a biography about this man just because I feel I already know the worst about him. Yet when presented with this short, illustrated volume, I thought I would take the opportunity to learn a little more about what made Hitler tick. After reading it, I still think he was insane. I will never understand how so many people followed a dark-haired man who was promoting blond-haired, blue-eyed people as the perfect race. A great introduction for younger readers needing an historical biography.

War Games by Audrey and Akila Couloumbis New York: Random House, 2009. 232 pgs. Fiction. Petros and Zola tease and fight with each other, as brothers will do, even with war in the distant background and their cousin a resistance fighter whom all admire. But when the Germans get closer, and then roll right into town, the boys figure out ways to lift morale in the village and help the freedom fighters under cover of their games and work in the garden and on the farm. From Petros himself, a sturdy young boy of a quick intelligence and kind heart, to Fifi the biting goat, War Games is filled with unforgettable, nuanced portraits of Greeks and Germans, children and soldiers, brothers, sisters, parents and friends. Petros is surprised to discover that the German commandant billeted in their home is kind and attentive, and feels bad to have to deceive him. Others of the invaders are not so kindly, as cousin Stavros will discover to his peril. What all the family must do to save themsel...

Always in Trouble By Corinne Demas, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones Scholastic Press, 2009. 32 pp. Picture book. Toby is a mischevious dog who is constantly getting into trouble of some sort or another. His owner, Emma, tries various methods to cure him of his rascally ways, but doesn't have much luck. Will Toby ever behave? This is a silly book that will definitely bring on a bout of chuckling, if not outright laughter. Toby's exasperating antics will certainly delight children, as will the fun surprise at the end!

My Uncle Emily By Jane Yolen, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter Philomel Books, 2009. Unpaged. Picture book. This book beautifully portrays the warm and tender relationship between "Uncle Emily" Dickinson and her six-year-old nephew, Gilbert. He absolutely adores his gentle aunt, even to the point of defending her honor with a fistfight when one of his classmates calls her a "peculiar recluse," although he mistakes it for "reckless." When he finally shares the whole story of what happened at school, his best reward is the loving smile from his beloved Uncle Emily. Although beautifully written, this book will be over the heads of small children, but adults and older children will find it enchanting, especially anyone interested in Emily Dickinson and her work. The illustrations are particularly lovely, done in a sepia pen and ink and digitally colored with delicate hues. Altogether, this is one excellent book.

Lily's Lucky Leotard By Cari Meister, illustrated by Jannie Ho Stone Arch Books, 2009. 25 pp. Juvenile comics. Lily practices gymnastics every day. She works hard and wants to do her best, especially on the star jump on the balance beam! She starts the day out with a brand-new leotard that she hopes will bring her luck. Will she make the jump? This is a simply written graphic novel created for young readers, perfect for children who are in the later stages of beginning reading as this story contains some more difficult vocabulary, such as "gymnast" and "leotard." Each page has one to three short sentences with the occasional scattered word bubbles. This is a really fun way for a young child to learn to read!

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2009. 144 pgs. Biography. Phillip Hoose's award-winning biography acquaints readers young and old with a little-known heroine of the Civil Rights Movement. Claudette Colvin was fifteen years old when she had totally had it with the Montgomery, Alabama, bus system which required her to relinquish her seat to a white person when asked, even if there were other seats available in the bus. When she refused to move she was arrested by the transit police and did jail time. Although local civil rights' leaders commended her actions and arranged representation for her at her trial, she was deemed too young and too fractious to be the public face of what would become the Montgomery Bus Boycott. (That face would, sometime later, belong to Rosa Parks.) Later, as an unwed, pregnant teenager, Colvin's stock would sink even lower, but her courage in facing the initial arrest, and her willingness...

Hero Up! by Paul Tobin Graphic Novel Hero Up! is a hilarious comic book full of the Marvel Superhero Squad. This book is full of short comics that are sure to make anyone laugh. I am not much of a superhero girl and I laughed out loud many times. Check this out for a good laugh!

The Twelve Dancing Princesses Retold by John Cech Illustrated by Lucy Corvino Nonfiction The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a beautiful fairy tale story of princesses who go dancing in the night at a mysterious place. There are many different versions that I love and this particular edition is one that I am adding to my favorites! The illustrations are gorgeous and make the story fantastic. One of my favorite things about them is the beautiful borders on many of the pages. Also the way the illustrator depicted the princes were imaginative and interesting. My only complaint it that the main sister, while she was beautiful, didn’t look like she and the other princesses were sisters. She had almost an Asian/Egyptian look about her. However even with this small problem, I fell in love with the book immediately and plan to add it to my personal collection.

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure By multiple authors Online serial adventure at http://www.read.gov/ Originally The Exquisite Corpse was a parlor game where participants wrote a story together, one at a time, by adding to what had originally been written by the first person in a circle and then passing it along for the others to finish. In The Exquisite Corpse Adventure , Jon Scieszka (at the time National Ambassador for Young People's Literature) began an online story with succeeding chapters written by Kate DiCamillo, Shannon Hale, Nikki Grimes, Gregory Maguire, Natalie Babbitt, and others. Joe and Nancy are speeding down the tracks on a circus train, heading for a bridge about to be blown sky high . . . . What happens next, and next, and next is filled with cliffhanger adventures and inspired silliness that kids love. Normally we librarians will go two falls out of three with anyone promoting Internet reading over an actual physical book, but this laugh really loud--out loud--stor...

The Patterson Puppies & the Rainy Day By Leslie Patricelli Candlewick Press, 2009. Unpaged. Picture book. In this cute, simple book, four little puppies use their imaginations to have tons of fun during a day of playtime. They also make a terrible mess! This is a fun, simple story that young children will enjoy, especially the parts where the puppies are making simple things into great adventures. Written and illustrated by the wonderful Leslie Patricelli in her signature style, featuring simple shapes and roughly painted vivid colors, this picture book is sure to please.

The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell New York: Holt, 2009. 291 pgs. Fiction Christina Adnoid has lived cloistered in a house on a hill since her mother died in a lab explosion when she was small. Her father wants to keep her safe, but Christina longs to go to school and to have friends. When she discovers a secret passage out of the house she sneaks out and discovers a large group of thin, bedraggled orphans working for Lenny Loompski, a scientist wannabe, who is using the kids to "sing" a powerful substance called Zoom out of the local rock formations. Christina and Taft, one of the orphans, have a series of dangerous adventures as they try to figure out how to control the Zoom and save the orphans from their terrible lives--and their even more terrible possible deaths. Miniature airplanes controlled by song and thought, an underground lab where dear ones are imprisoned, the horrors of having to learn math from singing chickens, all combine for a thrilling and unusual adventur...

Raiders' Ransom by Emily Diamand New York: Scholastic, 2009. 334 pgs. Fiction. In a futuristic and flooded England, Lilly is lucky beyond belief to have been chosen by a seacat, a feline navigator who helps his master sail safely around and among the drowned lands. But her luck runs low when Raiders attack her village, killing her grandmother and taking the Prime Minister's daughter hostage. When her neighbors and friends are rounded up and jailed or pressed as soldiers, she decides to go after Alexandra herself, hoping to set things right. Diamand, winner of the London Times ' Children's Fiction Competition with this book, alternates chapters of Lilly's story with that of Zeph, a Raider boy who sees the world differently but who knows what's right in the end. A much-coveted talking "jewel," oddly valuable artifacts from the past (think: plastic milk jugs), and a bloody battle at sea make Raiders' Ransom a thrilling and unusual addition to the sc...

Life in the Boreal Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson illustrated by Gennady Spirin New York: Holt, 2009. unpaged. Non-fiction. A lovely guiltmaker, Life in the Boreal Forest , features Gennady Spirin's breathtakingly beautiful, faintly Slavic renderings of forest landscapes and wildlife draw the reader into a narrative where snowshoe hares are starving to death, their surprisingly low numbers stressing larger predators in the food chain, tiny voles die in the cold, and a decline in old-growth forests and clean air threaten the lichen that caribou eat. And, it's all your fault. Human incursions and development are wrecking the boreal forest, just like they are ruining everything else and don't you forget it. So, enjoy the splendid pictures and the knowledgeable narrative, but be mentally prepared for a sharp smack upside the head as the price you pay.

Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkney Illustrated by Brian Pinkney New York: Disney, 2009. unpaged. Picture Book "She was big. She was black. She was so beautiful." Thus begins the Pinkneys version of Sojourner Truth's story. Tall, strong, hard-working, Belle's (Sojourner's) size worked against her as a slave. Sold away from her "master" at age nine, she was sold twice more before she gained her freedom and took the name Sojourner Truth because she aimed to travel hither and yon, telling things as they were and as they should be. Andrea Pinkney's prose reverberates with the step-stomp of folk dance tradition, and husband Brian's nuanced and golden pictures (Sojourner wreathed everywhere in glory) crackle with luminous energy. One of the best picture books of 2009, Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride should give any child a memorable introduction to black history.

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009 Steve Brixton loves the Bailey Brothers mysteries and uses their Detective Handbook to imagine himself a sleuth, but when he accidentally flashes his official Bailey Brothers Detective License (12 boxtops + $1.95 s&h to an address in Kentucky) instead of his library card to Ms. Bundt at the Ocean Park Public Library all *#&%#* breaks loose. Suddenly a commando unit of librarians is after him, thinking he is an agent of the mysterious Mister E. who is after An Illustrated History of American Quilting (checked out by Steve for a report) which is supposed to contain clues to the location of the historic secret message Maguffin Quilt. Steve's subsequent adventures include two kidnappings, a high-speed bookmobile chase, several leaps from second story windows, and a narrow escape from a sinking ship. Barnett pokes clever fun at The DaVinci Code and its sequels, at the Hardy Boys, and...

The Mammoth Academy by Neal Layton New York: Holt, 2006. Intermediate fiction. In the Ice Age, mammals of all persuasions went to school at the Mammoth Academy (motto: By Tusk and Trunk). Oscar the mammoth doesn't like school all that much, and likes it even less when he follows a trail of mysterious footprints and orange peels only to be blamed for the theft of oranges from the school cafeteria. Together with his friend Fox, who refuses to shower because he believes after you arrive at a certain level of stinkiness your body becomes self-cleaning, they track down the cavemen who have been rifling the cupboards. Layton's hairy pictures are a perfect complement to his goofball text. Children should be especially fond of Oscar and Fox's daring escape from the Cavemen when their guard is overcome by Fox's smell and they hurdle down the hill on their new invention--a log with wheels. Perfect for beginning readers who like lots of pictures, lots of action, and not too much t...

Walk On! A guide for babies of all ages By Marla Frazee Harcourt, 2006. Unpaged. Picture book. "Is sitting there on your bottom getting boring? Has lying around all the time become entirely unacceptable?" If that is your case, read this book--and get walking! This darling book is a pep talk for those who have not yet learned to walk but are oh-so-interested. There are also some wise words adults can take away, too, such as sometimes you fall down, sometimes you cry--and that's okay. The important thing is to get up and keep trying! Although this book has been available for a few years now, it's a wonderful book and well-deserving of your attention. Charming, funny illustrations are the perfect match for equally great text. This is an absolutely great book no one should miss.

The Secret Plan By Julia Sarcone-Roach Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. Unpaged. Picture book. Milo and his friends, Harriet, Hildy, and Henry, always get interrupted during their exciting adventures, and bedtime is the worst culprit! In order to find a way to foil their parents' bedtime plotting, they'll need a plan--a secret plan. The only question is, how many plans will they need till they find one that works? This is a sweet, funny book about children who are not quite ready for bed and the silly antics that come about as they try to avoid it. Beautiful illustrations packed with fun and personality accompany the cute story. Children will love how the animal friends finally manage to avoid bedtime...or do they?

The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear By David Bruins; illustrated by Hilary Leung Kids Can Press, 2009. 28 pp. Picture book. This cute, silly little story follows three friends and their friendship. One day, they begin arguing over who is best and try to resolve the disagreement with ridiculous competitions. In the end, they all realize that they each have unique strengths and talents and that they can be friends despite their differences. Fun, crisp illustrations make this book worth reading. The pictures are really entertaining and carry the story. Although the text itself isn't outstanding, the idea behind it is definitely a good one. Children will enjoy the book and will especially enjoy all the crazy things the friends do to prove their superiority.

Peter Pan From the story by J.M. Barrie; adapted by Brooke Linder; illustrated by Patricia Castelao Costa RP Kids, 2009. 48 pp. Picture book. Taken from the original tale of Peter Pan , this shorter version is jazzed up with crisp, digital paintings with fun, vivid colors. I like the youthful and modern feel the illustrations give the story and I think they'd be a big hit with any child! Peter Pan is a classic tale and although the original work is indisputably the best, this is still a nice, shorter version and is more of an illustrated short chapter book. Check it out, if only for the pictures!

The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman ill. by David Roberts juvenile fiction 56 pages Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2009 Miss Breakbone is a terrible teacher. She spends all her time yelling and insulting her pupils. She also confiscates all their possessions from them. The students just sit in silent suffering until one day Miss B goes too far. She takes something from Junkyard that he had planned to give his mother for her birthday. The class brain, Einstein, springs into action. He devises a plan that involves the whole class and each of their special interests and talents. The goal is to reclaim their stuff and show Miss Breakbone that she's not the boss. Humorous and a quick read. I loved the message that all the kids might look different and have different hobbies, but they can get along and even work together to solve a problem.

The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O'Connor 150 pages juvenile fiction New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009 Everyday is the same in Fayette, South Carolina. Boring! Popeye is not looking forward to a summer of having nothing to do except learn the weekly vocabulary words his grandmother, Velma, gives him. To make it worse, it rains for a week straight so he can't even escape to the backyard. Then he discovers a shiny surprise stuck in the mud down the road from his house. A big shiny silver motor home tilted on the edge of the road, one tire hopelessly stuck in the mud. Popeye is stunned by this wonderful new thing in his life. It is covered with American flags, smiley faces, peace signs, lightning bolts and bumper stickers. The day got even better when he discovered a large family with a whole bunch of kids lived in the motor home. They invited him to join their Spit and Swear Club. Boy, did it feel good to do something naughty without Velma knowing a thi...

The King Who Barked: Real Animals Who Ruled by Charlotte Foltz Jones ill. by Yayo 40 pages juvenile informational New York : Holiday House, 2009 The King Who Barked is a collection of tales about real animals throughout world history that have been crowned as royalty or voted into public office. The animals range from a horse in the Roman Empire in the year 40 CE to feline mayors in Texas during the 1990s. The stories are humorous as are the illustrations. You might be surprised to read how many animal politicians have held office in the United States. (And I don't mean people acting like animals either).

Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith 31 pages beginning comic book New York : Toon Books, c2009 Bone creator Jeff Smith is going in an entertaining new direction with this comic book/graphic novel for early readers. Little Mouse is excited to go to the barn with his family, he just has to get ready first. Mama is getting impatient. Doesn't she understand that it takes time to get all those clothes on? A very fun comic book for those just learning to read as well as to read aloud to small children. The full-page comic panels are adorable and the word bubbles are super easy to read. The ending was a laugh-out-loud moment for both myself and my three-year-old son. Let's hope Jeff Smith gives us more tales about Little Mouse, I know I will read them.

Half-Minute Horrors Kids are always looking for books that will scare them. This book has some stories that are creepy and can scare them and also some that are fun and lighthearted and can make them laugh. Half-Minute Horrors is a collection of short stories and pictures from some well known authors and some who are not as well known. Some authors include Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, Brett Helquist, Jon Scieszka and Brian Selznick. This book brags that the stories are the shortest, scariest stories ever created. Make sure you read this to find out if you believe it or not!

A Birthday for Bear by Bonny Becker Easy Reader Everybody likes to celebrate their birthday right? WRONG!!!! Bear doesn’t like to celebrate it at all. In fact, he would rather clean all day rather then celebrate. Mouse is persistent though and tries numerous tricks in order to help make bear’s day special. The story line of this book was predictable, but still fun. I’m not usually a fan of easy readers, but this book is one of my favorites in the reading level.

illustrated by S.D. Schindler picture book 2009 A good story, likeable characters, and an interesting history lesson, all in one picture book! Does it get any better? In 1790, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson sent 650 men out into the new United States of America to take a census; count all the people. Tricking the Tallyman is the story of one of those census takers, or talleymen. Phineas Bump goes to Tunbridge, Massachusetts, to do a count of that town. But the people there are suspicious of tallymen. They think it will only mean more taxes! The brainy boy, Boston, from the Pepper family comes up with a way to fool the tallyman and save their town. But is the census only about taxes? Boston, his family, and the citizens of Tunbridge learn a few things about government, census, and the determination of a patient, enduring census taker. A great read aloud with fun illustrations, Tricking the Tallyman is one you'll enjoy AND come away from smarter, without really trying.