Provo Library Children's Book Blog

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous Written by Georgia Bragg, Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley Walker & Co., 2011. 184 pages. An appropriate warning introduces this book: "WARNING: If you don't have the guts for gore, do not read this book." Georgia Bragg follows 19 of history's most infamous people and how they died, from Cleopatra (pricked herself with a poison hairpin) to Einstein (a burst artery). The stories are wonderfully enhanced by Kevin O'Malley's Gothic style illustrations. Each chapter has bonus materials, such as info about the era or obsolete medical practices. As forewarned, this book is very gruesome. For example, it describes how Elizabeth the 1st died of pneumonia... She had pus-filled sores in her throat that popped and spread the infection to her lungs. Yum! Bragg concludes on a positive note, stressing that the way these figures lived is far more important than how they died. It's a nice choice for older ki...

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street By Joanne Rocklin Amulet Books, 2011. 207 pages. Fiction. Robert is an aspiring magician, Ali has a baby brother who suffers from a terminal illness, Leandra is furious at the prospect of a new baby sister, and Bunny experiences anxiety when her mother is away. These four children who have grown up together on Orange Street are in for a day of discovery and adventure. On this particular day, a stranger comes to look around the childrens' hangout, an abandoned lot that is home to the last surviving tree from their neighborhood's orange grove. The oldest person on the street, Mrs. Snoops, is the only one who might know who this strange man is. (The children call her Mrs. Snoops because she knows everything about everyone who has ever set foot on Orange Street.) The only problem is, she suffers from dementia and has trouble remembering much. Read to find out what secrets unfold! What a superb, slice-of-life juvenile novel! The...

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai HarperCollins, 2011. 262 pgs. Fiction. When most Americans hear the word "Tet," they will think of the Tet Offensive when Communist North Vietnam mounted major attacks against South Vietnam. But to Kim Ha, Tet is the Vietnamese New Year when her family eats "sugary lotus seeds and glutinous rice cakes," and everyone wears new clothes. As this story begins, Ha is nurturing a papaya tree and hoping with the rest of her family for the return of her father, who has been captured by the Communists. Instead, Ha's family is forced to flee the country on a crowded boat, eventually resettling in Alabama with a nice man and his cranky wife as sponsors, where they must all learned to eat things that don't taste good to them and seem dumb while learning a very difficult new language. Not to mention the bullies. Thanhha Lai has used her own childhood experiences as the basis of this lyrical free-verse novel about refugees. Ha...

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer Viking, 2011. 250 pgs. Fiction Foster and her mother are on the run from Elvis. An Elvis impersonator (and her mother’s bad news ex-boyfriend) to be exact. They find themselves hiding out in a small, backward town called Culpepper. By worldly standards, the humble citizens of Culpepper may not be much of anything special—but as Foster soon discovers—that doesn’t stop them from loving hard and dreaming big. Foster’s own dreams of becoming a famous Food Network cook may seem far away at the moment, but her new friends in Culpepper just might have the answers to helping her and her mother find their own happily ever after. At times playful and light-heart, at other times solemn and thought-provoking, this novel was almost as delicious to read as Foster’s homemade, frosted cupcakes. If you loved Joan Bauer's past books, this one is a must read.

You're Finally Here! Written and illustrated by Melanie Watt Disney/Hyperion Books, c2011. Unpaged. Picture book. Bunny is very excited to finally see you! He celebrates that you've finally arrived, by waving banners, playing music, and even doing some cartwheels. Bunny's elation soon dwindles, and he demands to know what took you so long. He's been waiting so LONG and is so BORED, and he's going to let you know just how terrible his wait has been. Like any hyper child, Bunny is full of life and every situation is very dramatic! Melanie Watt has created another laugh-out-loud, reader-interactive story.

World of Wonders: The Most Mesmerizing Natural Phenomena on Earth Elisabeth Roman Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2010. 184 pages. Nonfiction. The cover of this book gives you an idea of the beautiful photography that you will find inside. Each double-page spread has a photograph of a natural phenomenon that covers one full page, and on the opposite page is a question about that particular phenomenon. Underneath the question is the answer and a very short paragraph--four or five sentences--that gives further information. The questions range from the obvious--"Which animal is big enough to crush the scale?" next to a picture of elephants--to the extremely unusual--"What is the heaviest flower?" Answer: The rafflesia, which grows in the forests of Southeast Asia, and measures more than three feet across and weighs up to 22 pounds! There is just enough information to spark curiosity and further research on any given topic. There really are some mesmerizing natural p...

Splat the Cat Sings Flat Based on the picture books by Rob Scotton By Chris Strathearn, Illustrated by Robert Eberz Harper, c2011. 31 pages. Easy Reader. Poor Splat. His class is going to sing a song for Parents' Night at school, and he is terrified. His shyness makes him forget how to sing, hum, or even meow. However, Seymour (the mouse who lives in Splat's hat) is brave enough to come to a classroom full of cats. Seymour's bravery sets a good example, and this gives Splat the courage to sing as loudly as he can: "LAAA!" He sings it so loudly that, of course, he falls over with a big *splat!* His endearing enthusiasm makes him the star of the show. Splat's easy reader debut is wonderful. The text and humor are spot-on for new readers. Splat is mangy and silly, but very sweet. A great book about facing fears and gaining self-confidence.

Small Persons with Wings (they hate to be called fairies) by Ellen Booraem Dial, 2011. 304 pgs. Fiction When Mellie Turpin is growing up, she keeps company with a Small Person with Wings, and when she gets to kindergarten she tells her class she will bring Fidius in for show-and-tell. When he finds out he gets very angry and disappears, leaving behind a chipped porcelain figure she winds up taking to school to the scorn of her classmates who call her Fairy Fat forever after. Mellie gives herself over to science, statistics, anything measurable and demonstrable to distance herself from fairy tales, but when she turns 13, her family inherits her grandfather's inn, they arrive to find it filled with fairies--oops, I mean, Parvi Parventi , or Small Persons with Wings. Tart-tongued and suspicious, Mellie tries hard to alienate her next door neighbor Timmo, a relentlessly friendly boy who comes across the "fairies" by accident, but he sticks with her through thick and thin whic...

Fear Itself by Andrew Clements Atheneum, 2010. 204 pgs. Fiction Ben and Jill search ever more anxiously for Captain Oakes' "safeguards" that will save their school in this second volume of Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School. The tension mounts as the deadline for demolition approaches; even more so when the creepy Mr. Lyman, the bogus janitor, starts watching and then threatening Ben and Jill as they puzzle through Captain Oakes' clues, including an ancient codicil to the Captain's will and Ben finds a tackle box with a lot more in it than rusty fish hooks. Young people will not only find an engaging mystery in this book, but a lot of history as well. The characters are nuanced and appealing, schoolwork is interesting and productive, and the book is filled with respect for the past and for natural beauty. The CD version, read admirably by Keith Nobbs, will surely appeal to reluctant readers or to a family on a road trip.

The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone Arthur A. Levine, 2011. 296 pgs. Fiction. Although the cover is inexplicably unrelated to the text (were pink Bozo shoes and ankle socks even invented during World War II?), this is a great story. Felicity Bathburn Budwig, an 11-year old British girl, comes to America to avoid the bombing of the Blitz and stays with her father's family in Bottlebay, Maine. It is quickly apparent that there is some sort of "rift" in the family--her Uncle Gideon refuses to shake hands with her father Danny and is equally chilly towards her mother, Winnie. Though she is determined not to like her new family, Felicity--or Flissy, as she comes to be known--is soon an active member of the household which includes, besides Uncle Gideon, her grandmother, "The Gram," her Aunt Miami, and a mysterious person locked in an upstairs room--Captain Derek. Things soon become even more mysterious as Uncle Gideon receives overseas airmail letters in Danny...

Are the Drums for You? By Elaine Landau Lerner Publications, c2011. 40 pages. Nonfiction. This is a great new series called "Ready to Make Music." This title in particular gives the full scope on what it takes to be a drummer. The beginning outlines how to get started and what's included in a standard drum set. There are back stories about famous musicians, as well as real-life kid drummers. I especially enjoyed learning about different types of rhythms- rock, jazz, classical, and more. The book ends with a fun quiz, "Are the Drums Right for You?" Not surprisingly, I found that I am not meant to be a drummer, as I am not very patient with new skills and I can't keep a beat. Maybe my next checkout will be "Is the Guitar for You?"

The Best Birthday Ever by Charise Mericle Harper Disney/Hyperion Books, 2011, unpaged. Picture Book "On your birthday, you should be Princess of the World!" but that does not mean the birthday girl can do whatever she wants. Everyone will have more fun if the birthday child learns a few do's and don'ts about birthday manners. This is a great book to read a week before a child's birthday. Lana Kittie demonstrates appropriate ways to greet guests at the door, nice ways to show appreciation for a gifts and other essential birthday behaviors. She also suggests that the birthday child practice birthday behaviors with stuffed animals and other toys before the big event. Harper illustrates the book with very fun and feminine cartoons of Lana Kittie and her toy friends. There is even glitter on the bow on the cover. This book is likely to appeal to the children who enjoy Fancy Nancy (Harper Collins 2006)) and is a great way to get a preschool-2nd grade girl ready for...

All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel Dan Yaccarino Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2011. Unpaged. Biography/picture book. Because this heart warming picture book is tucked in on the biography shelf, you might miss it. It simply and sweetly tells the story of illustrator Dan Yaccarino's family, beginning with his great-grandfather, Michele Iaccarino. Michele grew up in Sorrento, Italy, and helped his parents in their garden with a little shovel his father has given him. As a young man, Michele leaves Italy for a better life in America. He takes with him the little shovel, a few photographs, his mother's tomato sauce recipe, and the advice of his parents: to work hard, to enjoy life, and to never forget his family. Each succeeding generation passes on the little shovel, and also passes on the traditions of working hard, enjoying life and loving their families. Now Dan's children use the shovel to help him and his wife garden on their sm...

Storm Runners by Roland Smith Scholastic, 2011. 143 pgs. Fiction. After Chase's father is struck by lightning, he sells everything and goes on the road with a portable repair shop that specializes in disaster prep, fixes, and cleanup. When they arrive in Florida just before Hurricane Emily makes landfall, he leaves Chase at a circus animals farm while he goes to St. Petersburg to set up shop. Too bad Emily comes ashore where Chase is and he and two friends barely escape with their lives when their school bus goes into the water. Trying to make their way back to the farm they fall from crumbling levees and have to outmaneuver killer crocodiles. **SPOILER ALERT** When they finally make it back home, the farm house is gone. Taking shelter in the barn, they . . . . And that's where this book ends. A cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers, Storm Runners reads more like an old-time movie or magazine serial than even the first book in a series. Readers will have to wait until September...

Here Comes the Bride By Beatrice Marini Illustrated by Anna Laura Cantone Tundra Books, 2010. 28 pages. Picture book. Filomena is the town's most famous wedding dress maker. She dresses very plainly, but makes the most beautiful, elaborate bridal gowns. Filomena dreams of the day when she will have her own wedding. She is ecstatic when the mechanic next door, Rusty, finally asks for her hand in marriage. She makes her gown with every gaudy bow, frill, and flower that her heart desires. When she shows up at the church on their wedding day, Filomena's frightful dress makes Rusty run for the hills. As Filomena runs after him, bits and pieces start coming off of her dress, leaving her with just a simple sheath. Of course, Rusty thinks she looks like the most beautiful woman in the world without all the frills. They get married, and all is well. The artwork of Anna Laura Cantone is quirky- both beautiful and strange at once. Along with her lively and detailed paintings, she a...

Dragon Puncher By James Kochalka Top Shelf Productions, 2010. 36 pages. Graphic novel. Dragon Puncher is a superhero cat who is always on the lookout for dragons to slay. He is on such a hunt one day when he runs into a furry little boy called "Spoony-E." Spoony-E is small and funny, and his weapon of choice is a wooden spoon. Unfortunately, Spoony-E can't even defend himself from a butterfly. The dynamic duo follows a trail of drool and finds the dragon. They work well as a team, and are able to slay the dragon together, using punches and the wooden spoon. This is a perfect read for early boy readers. I enjoyed the photographs mingled with bright cartoon line drawings. Author and illustrator James Kochalka uses pictures of himself for the dragon's face, and his son is Spoony-E. His cat is featured as Dragon Puncher. Overall, a fun read!

A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull Aladdin, 2011. 446 pgs. Fiction. In this first volume of the Beyonders series, Jason Walker doesn't waste time fiddling around in an old wardrobe to find his way into a fantastical world--he dives down a hippo's throat. Finding himself in Lyrian, the world whose heroes have essentially been eliminated by Maldor the evil emperor magician, Jason hunts for a way to get back to Colorado but instead manages to get on the wrong side of the bad guys when he looks in a skin-covered eyeball-ridden book that tells of a Word of Power that will destroy Maldor and free the Lyrians. Hoping that his quest to save himself will coincide with his unexpected responsibility to save the Lyrians, Jason sets out with Rachel, another Beyonder, to find the syllables that will bring Maldor down. Macroid the Giant Crab, the Pythoness of the Sunken Lands, the detachable appendages guys, and my favorite, the Duel to the Death (almost) with Billiard Balls all either he...

The Boy Who Cried Ninja By Alex Latimer Peachtree, 2011. Unpaged picture book. Tim is a boy who nobody ever believes. Perhaps this is because every time there is something missing or broken, he blames it on strange creatures, such as a time-traveling monkey or a cupboard-dwelling pirate. Tim's parents give him chore after chore, hoping he will be cured of his lying ways. To prove his innocence, he tricks all of his creature friends into coming to his house. After his parents see a ninja, an astronaut, a giant squid, a pirate, a crocodile, and a monkey at the door, they immediately apologize for not believing Tim all along! They promise him a hundred ice creams, and make the strange creatures do his chores. I can't get over how cute this book is. It's a fresh take on an old tale, and is well-written with gentle humor. Even the characters are fun to look at. I love Alex Latimer's illustration style- everyone is sort of oblong with big heads and skinny arms.

The Secret of the Sealed Room: A Mystery of Young Benjamin Franklin By Bailey MacDonald Aladdin, 2010. 208 pgs. Fiction History goes down like ice cream in this winning novel about colonial days. Fourteen year old Patience Martin is an indentured servant in the Worth household where she works long and hard for an abusive mistress. When Mrs. Worth dies under mysterious circumstances, her brother threatens to sell Patience's indentures cheaply to anyone who will make her life miserable, show she runs away. When Mrs. Worth is discovered to have died from arsenic poisoning her midwife, Moll Bacon, is imprisoned and the law looks for Patience for an even scarier reason than her having skipped out on Richard Worth. Luckily Patience has a friend in young Ben Franklin who hides her in the back of his brother's print shop. Together they work out the riddle of Mrs. Worth's death but it takes all their combined courage and ingenuity to carry the day. Suspenseful and exciting, The Secr...

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children by Keith McGowan, read by Laural Merlington Brilliance Audio, 2010. Audiobook. Fiction Book: Henry Holt, 2009. 192 pages. McGowan's modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel is the more disturbing for being contemporary. The story begins with the witch reading from her diary about how she lured children to her home and the tasty meals that followed. When Sol and Connie Blink move to the town where the witch lives now, they don't know their father and icky stepmother have moved there on purpose to get rid of their children (the witch has convenient drop-off locations near movie theaters). Sol is a brilliant but unlucky nerd, whose science fair project goes badly awry because his little sister Connie has been secretly fiddling with it. Connie is precocious in an often annoying way, and the two soon figure out that the overly friendly Mrs. Holaderry is up to no good, when they find her little dog with a human bone in his jaws. When the tw...

Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales Hachette Audio, 2009. Audiobook. Winner of a 2010 Audie award for best audiobook, this recording of African folktales features fine storytelling in a good cause - a benefit for South African children orphaned and otherwise impacted by HIV/AIDS. Luminaries such as Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Hugh Jackman, Forest Whitaker, and Alfre Woodard donated time and talent to the project. The stories themselves are a mixed bag, some more interesting than others, and some better told, but on the whole, this is a good introduction to African folk tales for families. Pair it with the book of the same title for evocative artwork and a follow-along option.

Take Me to the River by Will Hobbs Harper Collins 2011, 192 p Fiction This brand new Will Hobbs book unites two of the author's favorite themes, a love for the American South West and a love of rivers. In the book two cousins meet in Texas and take a river trip down the Rio Grande. The story is set against the backdrop of the drug cartel violence in Mexico. While the boys are one the river, government officials are searching the area for a cartel hit man. They also happen to be running the river in the middle of a major tropical storm. Flash floods and automatic pistols combine to make the adventure one wild ride. Hobbs action writing and descriptions of the beauty and awesome forces of nature are excellent. As always with Will Hobbs books, the boys are way more skilled and courageous than 15 year-olds have a right to be. That said, the boy characters are very likable. Although a little reckless, they have respect and a deep friendship for each other. Together the...

Okay For Now By Gary Schmidt Clarion Books, 2011. Fiction. Okay for Now is a bit heavier than its companion, and is heartbreaking, funny, and sweet all at once. It follows the character of Doug Swieteck, as he moves to a new town in upstate New York. Doug is none too thrilled with the move, as his friends were his escape from his terrible family life. His dad is an abusive alcoholic, and his older brother is recently home from Vietnam and is deeply scarred. Doug soon finds a friend in a strange girl named Lil. She helps him to get comfortable in his new surroundings. Lil also introduces him to the library, which becomes their new hangout- and the site of Doug's artistic awakening. In looking through the library's collection of John Audubon's illustrations, Doug discovers his own drawing abilities. This is significant, as it is the first time Doug has been able to excel at something. Schmidt hasn't waned in his ability to master young characters and their dialogue...

The Lincoln Memorial By Kristin L. Nelson Lerner Publication Co., c2011. 32 pages. Nonfiction. This title is part of the aptly named Lightning Bolt Books collection. It packs a punch, as it features amazing photographs of the Lincoln Memorial, accompanied by brightly colored words. The book follows the designing, building, and dedication of the Memorial, as well as its impact today. I like how the facts are presented. The trivia is fascinating. Did you know there are 36 columns in the Lincoln Memorial? They represent the 36 states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. You can really get a sense of the great history and stature of the Lincoln Memorial by reading this book. A+ nonfiction selection.

Eggs over Evie by Alison Jackson Henry Holt, 2010. 215 pgs. Fiction. Evie's father writes a syndicated column about food--"Carson's Cuisine"--and has his own television show. Evie is learning to cook because she enjoys cooking, and because she wants to please her father who has left her and her mother to marry Angie, his younger and prettier assistant. Evie is a resilient child, wise beyond her thirteen years, and though she wants her family to be like it was before, she does manage to learn to like her stepmother, to get used to not having her dog Mousse around, and to get used to the idea that her mother might want to date. It helps that she meets a boy in her cooking class whom she comes to like very much, and that cranky Mrs. Hamilton next door turns out to be more dimensional and sympathetic than she first supposed. Evie has to deal with a lot in these pages: divorce, birth (of twins to her father and his new wife), the death of her neighbor's beloved pet, an...

Of Thee I Sin g By Barack Obama Illustrated by Loren Long Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. Nonfiction picture book. Unpaged. This book is an open letter from President Barack Obama to his children, but it is also a lesson about 13 American icons. Obama covers those who have been influential in American history, from Georgia O'Keefe to George Washington. The book starts with illustrations of Obama's daughters watching the heroes and listening to the lesson associated with each one. As each new figure is taught, they join Malia and Sasha. The final pages are full of children from all times and walks of life. It is a touching conclusion as well as a snapshot of the future of our nation. Although this book is addressed to the littlest Obamas, it is encouraging to anyone who reads it. It's a special book meant for those who are growing up and need to know they are smart, brave, and inspirational like those who came before. The illustrations are soft and bright, and are a warm tou...

Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester L. Laminack Peachtree, 2011. Unpaged. Picturebook "Things were quiet on the Tuckers' farm...until that peacock showed up." So begins this delightful story about how the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. "That peacock" attracts customers to the farm without even trying, and the hens are tired of doing what they feel is the more difficult job of laying eggs. They decide to trade places with the peacock and end up exhausting themselves trying unsuccessfully to attract even one customer; meanwhile, the peacock simply cannot lay an egg. By the end of the book, everyone is happy being who they are. The illustrations are colorful and very funny--a great book all around!

Barfburger Baby, I Was Here First By Paula Danziger Illustrated by G. Brian Karas G.P. Putnam's Sons, c2004. Unpaged. Picture book. Poor Jonathon. He loved being the only kid in his family, and then his little brother Daniel arrives and ruins everything. Daniel steals the attention from Mom and Dad and all the visiting relatives and friends. Jonathon hates it! He calls his baby brother some crazy names, like Barfburger, Gasburger, and Snotburger Baby. He also wishes that Daniel would sneeze so hard, it'd cover everyone in snot and show them he's not that great after all. This book is both silly and thoughtful. For anyone who is dealing with new-sibling issues, "Barfburger Baby" delivers sweet illustrations accompanied by a funny and true to life story.

Banana! by Ed Vere unpaged picture book New York : Holt, 2010 Two young monkeys have a near-silent disagreement over a banana. The simple bold and colorful illustrations do a fantastic job of conveying the feelings of the monkeys. This almost wordless book is a fun yet effective way to teach children the importance of sharing and being polite. Although only two words are repeated throughout the book, it does work well as a read-aloud. It is amazing how many different ways you can say the word "banana"!

Where's Walrus? by Stephen Savage unpaged picture book New York : Scholastic Press, c2011 Sly Walrus hatches a plan to escape his small tank at the zoo. While the zookeeper is napping walrus takes to the town. The zookeeper awakes and the chase begins! Walrus is quite skilled at blending in with his surroundings and finds himself in some interesting positions. Finally he finds a place where he fits in. The very intelligent zookeeper is then inspired to make some drastic changes to liven up the zoo. A wonderfully illustrated wordless picture book.