Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Nap Time for Kitty By Michael Dahl; illustrated by Oriol Vidal Picture Window Books, 2011. Unpaged. Small picture book/board book. Energetic baby kitty doesn't want to sleep--she wants to play! Mama cat patiently explains that baby kitty has had a busy time of romping, rolling, pouncing, and playing, and can continue to play when she is done with her nap, but that nap time is for being quiet and restful. Baby kitty is still protesting as she's in her bed, but is asleep before she realizes it. This little board book has bright, appealing illustrations that kids love. It's a perfect book for busy toddlers to read before naptime or bedtime and they will enjoy giggling at kitty's silly antics.

The Carrot Seed By Ruth Krauss; illustrated by Crockett Johnson HarperFestival, 1993, c1973. Unpaged. Board book (also available as Easy Reader). A little boy plants a carrot seed and waits, patiently and faithfully, for it to grow despite everyone's dour certainties that it won't surface. Illustrated by the well-known author of Harold and the Purple Crayon , the picture have a warm, friendly feel. There is a hint of cheekiness to the ending, saving the story from being too sweet, and making it all the more delightful to children. This story well illustrates the value of sticking with your plans and how far faith and patience can take you.

  Creepy Carrots By Aaron Reynolds Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c2012. 32 pages. Picture book.  How can you not be curious about a book with a title like that? Jasper Rabbit loves to eat carrots. But then, one day--the carrots decide to strike back with a vengeance. Jasper begins to suspect that a trio of giant, creepy carrots are following him wherever he goes. Unfortunately, no one believes him.  But Jasper is rabbit with a plan!  If you want a fun new Halloween read-aloud for your youngest readers--look no further. Creepy Carrots will keep you laughing all the way to the very last page.

Machines Go to Work in the City Written and illustrated by William Low Henry Holt and Company, 2012. Unpaged. Picture book. Machines are shown working all around the city. The book has flaps to lift to see more of the machines' work sequences. Thickly painted illustrations with great visible texture fill the pages of this bright picture book. The text and illustrations are a little more technical than fun, but children who love machines and vehicles are sure to enjoy this informative book and will have fun spotting their favorite machine! This is a perfect choice for the little machine aficionado in your life.

The Boo! Book written by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli unpaged picture book New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c2012 Apparently houses aren't the only things that can be haunted. Follow along as an adorable little girl tells you just how to find out if the book you are reading is haunted by a book ghost. It shouldn't surprise you that books can be haunted too. After all, the word book does begin with BOO! A cute and lively story is made exceptionally atmospheric with Nicoletta Ceccoli's enchanting illustrations. 

English - Tales From a Not-So-Popular Party Girl (Dork Diaries) Spanish -Cuando No Eres le Reina de la Fiesta Precisamente (Diario de Nikki) By Rachel Renee Russell  Nikki's diary describes a frightful Halloween, on which she helps with her sister's ballet class party at the same time she is Brandon's date for their middle school Halloween dance, where she has promised to spend the evening with her two best friends. English - The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) Spanish - Esto es El Colmo (Diario de Greg) By Jeff Kinney Middle-schooler Greg Heffley nimbly sidesteps his father's attempts to change Greg's wimpy ways until his father threatens to send him to military school. English - The Snowy Day Spanish - Un Dia de Nieve By Ezra Jack Keats The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day. English - Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? Spanish - Oso Panda, Oso Panda, Que Ves Ahi? By Bill Martin Illustrations and r...

The French Fry King By Rogé Tundra Books, c2012. 32 pages. Picture book. Roger is a cute sausage dog with a lot of ambition. His mind is occupied with many questions about the world, such as, "If I had a human girlfriend, would we hold hands or paws?" His most pressing question is what to do with his life, which is not an easily-solved problem for a sausage dog. After much thought and observation, he decides to open a french fry food truck. This turns out to be Roger's million-dollar idea, as he soon experiences success around the world with his delectable fries. This fun picture book is very French, with its subtle humor and philosophical musings. Children will enjoy Roger's funny adventures and the objects hidden among the artwork, such as an Ipod or Rubik's cube.

Pillywiggins and the Tree Witch by Julia Jarman Andersen Press, 2012. 116 pgs. Intermediate      When Natasha and her family move to The Deepings, she discovers an old garden behind her house that seems filled with mystery and magic. For one thing, there is a rabbit only she can see perched on the branch of an old yew tree. And the tree looks and sounds like a witch. Then Jamie, a boy from the neighborhood, shows her Pillywiggins, a fairy imprisoned in stone by the Witch Tree because other fairies stole the Witch's baby boy. Can Natasha get through the fairy ring--in her house!--to retrieve Green Boy and free Pillywiggins?  And if she gets in, can she get back out? These questions are answered in a more convenient ending than might seem reasonable to an adult, but children will be glad that the Fairy Queen no longer deals in changelings, and in a happy ending for all. Pillywiggins and the Tree Witch is a bit scary, but Natasha is as brave a young girl as one mi...

Andrew Jackson: Our Seventh President By Ann Graham Gaines A thorough, illustrated biography discussing the childhood, career, family, and term of Andrew Jackson, seventh president of the United States. Legacy of the War of 1812  By Lizann Flat Examines the repercussions of the War of 1812, including territorial changes and Native American relocation. Famous People of the War of 1812 By Robin Johnson  Profiles important figures from all stages of the war, from those involved in the lead-up to war, including Tecumseh and Thomas Jefferson, to those critical to bringing about its end, such as Andrew Jackson. James Madison By Ann Graham Gaines Though he was soft-spoken and small in stature, James Madison had a keen intelligence and a deep passion for his country. A co-writer of the Constitution, Madison also deftly guided the young United States through the War of 1812. Learn about his journey from sickly youth to fourth president of the Un...

Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore DVD  In the eternal battle between cats and dogs, one crazed feline has taken things a paw too far. Angus and the Cat  By Marjorie Flack Angus the Scottie dog spends three days chasing the new cat that has come to live at his house, but when the cat disappears Angus misses his new friend. Some Cat By Mary Casanova When Violet the cat is adopted she has trouble sharing her new kingdom with the family dogs until they save her from some home invaders. Dog in Charge  By K.L. Going When his human family goes to the store, Dog is left in charge of five wily cats. Poor Puppy   By Nick Bruel When Bad Kitty won't play with him, Poor Puppy has to amuse himself with an alphabetical list of toys and dreams of playing in an alphabetical list of countries.

Oh No, George! By Chris Haughton George finds it hard to be a good dog when there are cats to chase, flowers to dig up, and a delicious cake sitting on the kitchen table. Cats and Dogs DVD Know to be man's best friends, cats and dogs have engaged in a fierce and merciless battle. A Rose for Pinkerton By Steven Kellogg Pinkerton's family decides he needs a friend, but is a cat named Rose really suitable? LaRue Across America By Mark Teague Mrs. LaRue takes a cross-country drive with her hospitalized neighbor's cats and her own dog, Ike, who keeps the cats' owner informed of their misadventures through a series of postcards. My Big Dog By Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel Merl the cat has a perfect home until the arrival of a puppy.

The Biggest, Baddest Book of Bugs By Anders Hanson and Elissa Mann ABDO Pub. Co., 2012. 24 pages. Nonfiction. What do you want to know about bugs? This book teaches all that is cool in the bug world, from camouflage to metamorphosis. New readers will love the easy to follow text and up-close photographs. One fun section is on stick insects- bugs that disguise themselves as sticks or leaves. The best chapter, though, is all about the bug buffet and how other countries consume delicious insects. Check out bamboo worms, which look just like crinkle cut fries! Yum! This book provides great opportunities for learning, observing, and connecting with nature.

Fire and Hemlock By Diana Wynne Jones Firebird, 2012, c1985. 438 pp. Juvenile chapter book. When Polly turns 19, she realizes one day she seems to have two sets of memories--one of the standard day-to-day types of things and the other mixed up with fantastical heroic adventures involving a cellist, Thomas Lynn. As she tries to remember more about her sets of memories, the ordinary set start to overpower the others and she knows something isn't right. Polly's quest to discover the source of her true memories reveals that someone has been trying to force her to forget Thomas Lynn--and she needs to find out why. Although this is an older book, it's been given new life with a spanking new cover to appeal to the modern crowd. The story, however, needs no such refurbish, being timeless and appealing across generations. Diana Wynne Jones is a master of fantasy, character driven stories, and surprise endings--and this book has them all.

Deadly Pink By Vivian Vande Velde Harcourt, 2012. 276 pp. Juvenile chapter book. Virtual computer gaming is all the rage and more realistic than ever before--so realistic, in fact, that Emily Pizzelli decides to join one of the games for the rest of her life, which means her mind and body will slowly die. Grace, her sister, is the only one who can save her from disappearing forever into the game, but convincing Emily to leave isn't as simple as it would seem. As an employee of the very company whose game she disappeared into, Emily knows the ins and outs of programming and gaming and has programmed her own personal game very specifically to keep her from being directly pulled from its bounds. Grace must outwit pixies and dragons, gather huge amounts of gold, and even conduct a proper tea party--but her most difficult task is to determine what could it be that would make her sister decide to end her days in a sparkly, glittery, ultra-girly virtual world and to convince her to ...

Jean Laffite: The Pirate Who Saved America By Susan Goldman Rubin, Illustrated by Jeff Himmelman Abrams, 2012. 47 pages. Biography This year's bicentennial of the War of 1812 brings with it a much-needed upswing in the number of children's books on the subject, none more exciting than Susan Rubin and Jeff Himmelman's story of the pirate turned patriot who helped his adopted country trounce the British at the Battle of New Orleans. Born in Bordeaux, France, Lafitte and his family became pirates of the Caribbean with a particular hatred towards the Spanish who had expelled his Jewish family from Europe. Many Spanish ships fell to his pirate crews, but when he began a family he decided to move to France to begin a new life. Attacked by a Spanish man-of-war, Laffite and his family were captured and left to die on small island. When they were rescued by an American ship, Jean conceived a loyalty to the United States that served the country well--not only did L...

The Horse and the Plains Indians:  A Powerful Partnership by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, photographs by William Munoz Houghton Mifflin, 2012. 98 pages. Non-fiction      Life changed dramatically for the Indians of North America after the conquistadors accidentally gave them horses. Buffalo hunts on foot (DHP explains the laborious and sometimes brutal prospect) gave way to horse and rider, bow and arrow, right on top of the galloping bison soon to fall. Travois formerly pulled by dogs could now be larger and the range of the Indians' travels enlarged as well. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, queen of non-fiction for children about the West, does it again in this splendid, often heartbreaking story of how Indians came to love and to rely on horses as members of their families, only to have them taken away and slaughtered by a government determined to break the spirit and the traditions of the native tribes. Though the seas of grass where the Indians once hunted among the se...

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead Random House, 2012. 180 pgs. Fiction.      Georges takes a lot of flack for the silent "s" in his name. Dallas Llewellyn and Carter Dixon called him Gorgeous and shove him around when no teachers are watching. To make matters much worse, his father has been laid off so his mom is gone all the time working extra shifts at the hospital, and they have had to move from his beloved home with the fire escape in the bedroom. When Georges attends a Spy Club meeting in the apartment's laundry room he meets Safer, a kid who is sure the man in black from an upstairs apartment is hauling out bodies in his over-sized luggage. The two begin to spy on the man, with Safer making Georges stand guard while he sneaks into the man's apartment to search for incriminating evidence. Along the way Georges struggles with the bullying at school, relying on Scrabble-tile messages to communicate with his mother, and watching America's Funniest Home Vide...

The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2011. 197 pp. Juvenile chapter book. Tessa lives in a future United States, torn by war. When her childhood friend, Gideon, has what appears to be a nervous breakdown because of his involvement in the war effort, Tessa feels she must help, somehow. Together with Gideon and an unexpected third addition, Tessa uncovers strange, hard truths about the world they live in and begins to question everything she ever knew. This book is a great option for kids wanting to read dystopian literature. Although there is action and adventure in this book, it's kept to a level that is approachable and comfortable for kids. I thought the story and characters had some interest, but this wasn't one of my favorite Haddix books. Still, it's entertaining enough to read once and kids who like futuristic adventure stories will enjoy it. Parents, be forewarned there is one objectionable word used sparing...

Behind the Gates (Tomorrow Girls series #1) By Eva Gray Scholastic, 2011. 211 pages. Fiction. Behind the Gates by Eva Green is  the first in a series set in the U.S. in the not too distant future. This first book follows Louisa and her best friend Maddie as they are sent from their home in Chicago to a rural boarding school. This is a normal practice, considering the ever-increasing danger facing children in a time of natural disasters and war on American soil. There is some mystery surrounding their new school, which doesn't allow for any electronics or contact with the outside world. They don't even know where the school is located. They are secluded from society and are taught old-school principles, such as surviving in the wild and writing by hand. I enjoyed this first installment, especially the slight conspiracy angle. I'd definitely recommend it for kids who aren't emotionally ready for The Hunger Games .

Middle of Nowhere by Caroline Adderson Groundwood, 2012. 214 pgs. Fiction      When Curtis and Artie's mom doesn't come  home from work one night--and then doesn't ever come home, Curtis is not surprised. She left him once before, and he wound up in a foster family with a big-league jerk of a temporary brother. But this time he thought things were different: his mom had a job at the Pay-N-Save, was going to school, seemed to be devoted to Curtis and Artie.  Curtis knows they will be split up and back in foster care if he lets anyone know, so the two live on their own for awhile until the credit card is maxed out.  Luckily, old Mrs. Burt across the street needs someone to pick up groceries for her, and she likes to cook, so she helps the boys out with money and food. But when the police show up at their old apartment, and Mrs. Burt fears being put in a nursing home, the three of them take it on the lam and move out into the woods where Mrs. Burt h...

Cordially Uninvited by Jennifer Roy Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012. 250 pp. Juvenile chapter book. Eleven-year-old Claire has a secret. Her cousin is getting married to a real live English prince in just a few weeks time. This will be the wedding of the century--and Claire has been invited to be one of the junior bridesmaids! A junior bridesmaid in a wedding party that includes all the highest royalty--and the very cute junior groomsman, Lord Tristan, whom Claire just might have a little crush on. But unlike in fairy tales, real life royal weddings have a lot of problems to overcome, like paparazzi and disgruntled royal relatives who don't want their prince married to the wrong sort. Then then there is the CURSE. Black magic that just might destroy this union before the happy couple  gets anywhere near the altar to take their vows. I would recommend this fun and predictable, fluffy-light story to preteen girls who love princess stories like, Th...

Los Tres Lobitos y el Cochino Feroz/The Three Little Wolves and the Bad Pig Eugene Trivizas, Helen Oxenbury Ediciones Ekaré, 2011, 30pages, Picture Book This is a reversal story of the three little pigs, very funny and enjoyable story, the kids will love to read this story over. I felt the writer wanted to have a little revenge on the wolves and it turn out to be a cute and funny twist. Enjoy! Este cuento es el revés del cuento de los tres cerditos, realmente me hizo reír mucho, fue divertido. Me pareció que el autor quiso tener una pequeña venganza con los lobitos y el cuento toma un pequeño giro de protagonistas que es divertido. Les gustará a los niños leer este cuento repetidas veces. ¡A Gozar!