Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover By Cece Bell Candlewick Press, 2012. 50 pages. Easy reader. Rabbit has a list of fun things planned for his slumber party with his best friend, Robot. He wants to make pizza, watch TV, play "Go Fish," and then go to bed. Unfortunately, his plans soon go awry! For starters, Robot prefers screws to carrots on his pizza. Then, Rabbit loses the remote! After Robot helps him find it (in Rabbit's ear), they try to play "Go Fish" but Robot falls unconscious in the middle of the game (dead batteries). The final mishap happens when Robot forgets his pajamas at bedtime, so he has to borrow Rabbit's rabbit-shaped p.j.s! The two friends end up laughing about their silly sleepover, and agree that "Today was a good day." I love these two cartoony pals! The book is cheerful and silly, and the short chapters are great for newly independent readers.

Shiver Me Timbers!  Pirate Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian, illustrated by Robert Neubecker Beach Lane Books, 2012.  Unpaged.  Poetry      Douglas Florian is a name to conjure with in children's poetry---the best of the best. And he hits the mark once again with poems about pirates. "Pirate Patter" is by way of being a pirate glossary:  "Pillage means to raid or seize.  There is no pirate word for please."  Florian's poems with Neubecker's bright, child-pleasing illustrations tell the story of the pirate who buried treasure in his youth but when he comes back for it, the X marking the spot is gone and he has forgotten where it is. The markings on pirate flags are also explained: "Heart pierced by a knife;/ Best fear fer your life!  . . . Two bones that are crossed:/ All soon will be lost! . . . Half a skeleton's head/ We ran out of white thread!"  Bound to please aspiring young pirates, of whom there be many score...

Fox and Crow Are Not Friends Written by Melissa Wiley Illustrated by Sebastien Braun Random House, c2012. 48 pages. Easy reader. In this fun easy reader, Fox and Crow are both mischievous and try to trick each other to obtain a prized chunk of cheese. First, Fox fools Crow and gets him to toss the piece of cheese right into his mouth. Then, Crow manages to use another piece to trap Fox. In a surprise twist at the end, Mama Bear (of "The Three Bears") delivers the most masterful trick of all and outwits both Fox and Crow. She finally reclaims her cheese, which was stolen from her to begin with! This book is comprised of short chapters, and packed with cuteness. The interesting plot and vibrant images make for an eye-catching read!

¡A Dormir Monstruos! Ed Vere Editorial Juventud, 2012, 32 pg picture book Oh no! a monster is coming your way, he looks hungry, his tummy is rumbling and he is licking his lips. Do you think he is coming to eat you? you better read this cute story to find out. ¡O No! Ahí viene un monstruo, se le ve hambriento, su barriga esta haciendo ruidos y se esta lamiendo los labios,. ¡Viene por tí! ¿Tu crees que viene a comerte? ¡Uy! mejor será que leas este libro para saber que pasa, te prometo que te gustará el final.

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian Illustrated by Tim Bowers Sleeping Bear Press, 2010. Unpaged picture book. Goldfish is a happy creature. He spends his time swimming, swimming, swimming and swimming some more around his little fish bowl. Okay, maybe he's not so happy after all. New friends start to join him in the bowl causing some much needed excitement in Goldfish's life. However, too much of something isn't always a good thing. The newcomers are not the most ideal bowlmates a fish could ask for. Now Goldfish just wants some space of his own so he can just swim and swim peacefully without running into anything or anybody. After he gets his wish, Goldfish wonders if that is truly what he wanted. As the fish shares his memoirs the reader learns some valuable (and humorous) lessons about friendship and individuality.

Batula written by Steven T. Seagle illustrated by Marco Cinello Image Comics, 2012. 48 page picture book. Livingston is a young fruit bat living an inconspicuous and peaceful life with his bat colony when he is bitten by a vampire. Now he has a thirst for adventure and a new life as Batula, a vampire bat. Now he is no longer invisible to his bat neighbors, in fact they are constantly watching him because he has changed. As he struggles with his transformation he meets a werewolf spider who becomes his friend and mentor. Eventually he hopes to reconcile his new persona with his old and remain a part of his bat colony. Especially now that he has the attention of a certain young female... This large-format picture book will surely appeal to young fans of comics and monsters alike. The awesome colorful illustrations are a definite attention-grabber.

Let's Go for a Drive by Mo Willems Hyperion Books for Children, 2012. 64 pages. Easy Reader Elephant and Piggie are back! The best friends decide to take a fabulous road trip together. As they are packing Gerald tries to plan for every possible event. Piggie just happens to have everything Gerald thinks they will need on their adventure. They gather sunglasses in case it is sunny and umbrellas in case it rains! Then their plans come to a screeching halt when neither Piggie nor Gerald have one item crucial to their road trip success! Will their friendship survive this bump in the road? Will this roadblock stop their adventure or will they be able to swerve around it and take a detour? Mo Willems has proved once again that beginning readers can be fun and entertaining for adults as well as children!

H.O.R.S.E.:  A Game of Basketball and Imagination by Christopher Myers Egmont, 2012.  Unpaged.  Picture book.     Anyone who has ever played HORSE, which should be anyone who has ever laid a hand on a basketball, will rejoice in the hyperbolic one-upmanship of the two young men who trade tales of the shots they are going to make, without ever launching the ball towards the hoop.  "Okay, layup with my eyes closed" is met with derision:  too easy--we'll be here all day. So how about a half-court shot, back to the hoop, eyes closed, standing on one foot, over the left shoulder.  By the time this imaginary game of HORSE concludes, the ball has spun three times around the rings of Saturn in "kind of a bounce shot" and swished, nothing but net. Myers captures playground, backyard, hoop on the garage basketball like no one else with his trademark full-of-fun, brightly colored stretchy figures. Don't miss the author's splendid end note on the l...

The Frank Show By David Mackintosh Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2012. Unpaged picture book. A boy (unnamed) is supposed to bring someone interesting to show-and-tell at school. This is a problem, because he's stuck with bringing his crotchety Grandpa Frank. Frank complains about everything, and seems terribly boring compared to the other show-and-tell guests at the boy's school. But the boy and his class get a major surprise when Frank arrives in full military costume and crazy props. For once, he doesn't talk about all the things he hates or how the old days were much better than today. Instead, he tells stories about playing the bugle, his army days, and how he got his cool green tattoo. The class cheers for Frank and his awesome show-and-tell performance! Grandpa Frank is a unique picture book character and a funny old coot. David Mackintosh's illustrations are full of imagination and detail, and the story is pure comedy.

This is Not My Hat By Jon Klassen Candlewick Press, 2012. Unpaged picture book. This is Not My Hat is not a sequel to I Want My Hat Back , but it is an equally fun chapeau caper! This time the story is from the perspective of the hat thief, and takes place in the depths of the ocean.  A wee fish steals a bowler hat from a giant fish, and goes on the lam. He thinks he can hide among the dense plants and the hat's rightful owner will never spot him. The joke is on him, as the giant fish is right on his tail! Klassen's artwork is wondrous, with light colors on a black background. The writing is clear and humorous, and the silly suspense provides a good laugh for all ages.

Nic Bishop Snakes by Nic Bishop Scholastic, 2012. 48 pgs. Non-fiction      Nic Bishop finally gets around to snakes, and with the same powerful and startling effect that characterizes his other wildlife photograph books. The cover has a brilliantly colored African horned bush viper striking right smack at your face (see above). Inside, pictures of emerald tree boas, African egg-eaters, and eyelash vipers are so vivid you dare not stick your finger between the pages to save your place. Bishop's text is informative and easily accessible to young snake fans or to nature-lovers of any age.  Kids can learn how snakes move around without legs, which are the largest, which the most poisonous (of land snakes), and how they unhinge their jaws to swallow prey. One sort of creepy pictures shows a constrictor apparently squishing an unnamed rodent, but Bishop explains that he combined separate pictures for that shot, so is the rodent is perishing, it is not bec...

Check out this Provo Library Children's display featuring a fun selection of ghost pets (don't worry, they are safely housed in their jars), and ghost books! Ghosts in the House By Kazuna Kohara Tired of living in a haunted house, a young witch captures, washes, and turns her pesky ghosts into  curtains and a tablecloth. Sounds Spooky By Christopher Cheng It's dark and there are spooky sounds filling the air. Who, or what, is making them? Bake Shop Ghost By Jacqueline K. Ogburn Miss Cora Lee Merriweather haunts her bake shop after her death, until the new shop owner makes a deal with her. My First Ghost By Margaret Miller  Provides the reader with a ghost of his or her own, as well as instructions for feeding, caring for, and playing with this spectral friend. The Boo! Book By Nathaniel Lachenmeyer Explains how to recognize a haunted book, and what to do when one finds one.

Ready for Pumpkins by Kate Duke Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Unpaged.  Picture Book     Hercules (aka Herky) the Hamster loves his life in Miss MacGuffey's first grade class. He always has enough to eat and drink and the first graders love him. In October the kids hollow out a Herk-o-Lantern with Hercules crawling around inside. The teacher makes them take him out but not before he has snagged a few seeds to save "for later." Herky loves his life but when he sees the first graders plant bean seeds and then harvest the crop he wants something more:  a garden. How Herky has his garden and his perfect life too is the substance of this charming picture book. Not much to do with Halloween, but everything to do with nurturing new life and being nurtured by it, this book is perfect for springtime and fall. 

Lovabye Dragon By Barbara Joose; illustrated by Randy Cecil Candlewick, 2012. Unpaged. Picture book. A lonely little princess wants a dragon with all her heart--and a faraway dragon longs for a princess. When they find each other, they become fast friends and develop a wonderful friendship. This book is written and illustrated beautifully; the text is lyrical and soothing and perfectly complemented with the hatched, blue-hued pictures that manage to be soft and angled simultaneously. The illustrations are thoughtfully designed and composed and manage to appeal to both children and adults. This is a lovely book you won't want to miss!

Actual Size By Steve Jenkins  Discusses and gives examples of the size and weight of various animals and parts of animals. I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean By Kevin Sherry A giant squid brags about being bigger than everything else in the ocean--almost. Tall and Short By Diane Nieker Explains the concepts of short and tall using real-life examples of buildings, plants, and animals, and describes how height is measured. Is it Larger? Is it Smaller? By Tana Hoban Photographs of animals and objects in larger and smaller sizes suggest comparisons between the two. Top 10 Smallest By Ben Hubbard Discover fascinating facts and figures about the tiniest things in the world! From the smallest country to the teeniest mobile phone, find out what makes it into the smallest top ten ever. Top 10 Biggest By Ben Hubbard Discover fascinating facts and figures about the world's biggest everything! From the mammoth mammal the Blue Whale ...

Meltdown! The Nuclear Disaster in Japan and Our Energy Future By Fred Bortz Twenty-First Century Books, c2012. Non-fiction. In March 2011, the fifth-largest earthquake in history hit Japan. The quake (measuring 9.0) resulted in a massive tsunami, which in turn caused major damage to a nuclear power plant. For students who remember the event, or want to learn more about it, Meltdown! is a thorough and informative selection. It begins with the science behind earthquakes and tsunamis, and then focuses on the aftermath of the nuclear disaster. There are also compelling survivor accounts and photographs. Bortz compares this disaster to others in history, like Chernobyl, and also discusses the pros and cons of nuclear energy. This book is possibly geared to a limited audience, but I think it's a nice choice for readers interested in natural disasters or advanced science.

Hit the Road, Jack Written by Robert Burleigh Illustrated by Ross MacDonald Abrams Books for Young Readers, c2012. Unpaged picture book. Hit the Road, Jack was inspired by the journey of Jack Kerouac's On the Road. Here, Jack is a rabbit who crosses the country by foot, train, and car. The picture book captures the spirit of the road and the adventures that await. Rabbit Jack takes the same journey as in On the Road , from Pennsylvania to San Francisco. While Jack travels from the rolling farmlands to the big city, the illustrations and words perfectly partner to describe his surroundings. "Gaze up at glass and steel- but yo-/ There's lots more landscape yet./ The road's still calling 'Jack Jack Jack,'/ And so you gotta get." The rhyming words and 60's jargon give the feeling of Jack bouncing from place to place. Overall, this is a much more family-friendly version of Kerouac's masterpiece, yet it doesn't lose any of the flavor and ve...

The Dead Family Diaz Written by P.J. Bracegirdle Illustrated by Poly Bernatene Dial Books for Young Readers, c2012. Unpaged picture book. In a fun take on Dia de los Muertos, this book is from the perspective of the Muertos! Estrellita ("little star") and her brother Angelito ("little angel") are getting ready to celebrate the holiday, and Angelito is nervous about seeing a living human. Estrellita tells him the Living are squishy and have big, bulging eyes. On the night of celebration, Angelito finds himself in the Land of the Living and befriends a real boy named Pablo. Both boys are surprised to discover each others' real identity! I like this book and its very cute touches, such as "huevos muertos" for breakfast! The illustrations are vibrant and spirited, and the story would be great as a holiday read-aloud.

Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature's Undead By Rebecca L. Johnson Millbrook Press, c2013. 48 pages. Non-fiction. Zombie Makers is a very cool read about the world of insects. The introduction dispels the myth of human zombies- dead people coming back to life. However, although people cannot be zombified, insects can! Creepy! Inside the pages of this book, you will find information about body snatchers, viruses and more. One undead tale features the carpenter ant, which can be infected by a fungus from the forest floor. The fungus kills the ant, but the fungus keep growing and expanding inside its body and uses the ant as its new home. The pictures are amazing! The book is organized in a cool way, with each new story labeled with the name of the zombie maker, its nickname, location, and zombie victim.

Seabird in the Forest:  the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet by Joan Dunning Boyds Mill Press, 2011.  Unpaged. Non-fiction      In 1974 the mystery of the marbled murrelet was (partly) solved. The murrelet, a shorebird, could never be found nesting near the ocean; in 1974, a downy chick was discovered some distance inland in the redwood forest, perched on its little webbed feet, high in a tree. No other shorebird is known to nest anywhere other than near the water.  Why the marbled murrelet does is the remaining mystery. Dunning's beautiful book tells the story of a murrelet chick, born already downy, who is cared for by his parents, and the protective coloration that keeps him safe from predators. When he is old enough, he plucks his own down off, revealing the black and white bird who will shortly fly to the ocean. Seabird in the Forest is a lovely book about the sometimes unpredictable nature of Nature. An excellent read-together for children...

From the Good Mountain:  How Gutenberg Changed the World by James Rumford Roaring Book Press, 2012. Unpaged. Non-Fiction      Rumford's interactive text and gorgeous illustrations tell the story of Johannes Gutenberg, "John from the Good Mountain," who takes paper made from rag and bone, the tanned hides of goats, gold leaf from Africa, ink made from flaxseed oil and pitch, and runs everything through his moveable type press to revolutionize the making of books. The brightly-colored centerpiece pictures are illuminated by medieval designs with extra information rampant. The hard work of bookmaking in the fifteenth century gives way at the end of the book to the digital age when books "written" in invisible ink fly through the air to appear on a screen. A lovely book showing where the idea and the actuality of books for everyone began, and where it is now. What next?

Just Say Boo!  by Susan Hood, ill. by Jed Henry Harper, 2012, unpag. picture book Here is a fun rhyming read-aloud just in time for Halloween. A group of children start off on a trick-or-treat adventure around their neighborhood.  On the way they meet all kinds of scary sights and sounds.  The intrepid children know what to do to drive their fears away.  They just say "Boo!" and their fears disappear. Of course, "Boo!" is not the only thing children say on Halloween night.  When they finally get to a neighbor's door, they also say "Trick or Treat!" and of course, "Thank You." Henry illustrates this rollicking and non-scary tribute to Halloween traditions with cartoonish watercolors, done in autumnal yellows and oranges. This is a great choice to read to a young school class or as a Halloween week bed time story.

The Monster Mash By David Catrow Orchard Books, 2012. Unpaged picture book.  In honor of the 50th anniversary of "The Monster Mash," David Catrow has turned Boris Pickett's famous song into a rousing Halloween picture book. Catrow is the perfect illustrator for Pickett's rhythmic, imaginative tune. The story is simple: a mad scientist creates a monster whose sweet dance moves become a graveyard sensation. There are pages galore of non-scary zombies, gargoyles, vampires and more! The colors are spectacular, and the skeleton band's moves are rockin'. This book would be fun for a read (or sing) aloud, but also for independent reading because there is so much to see on every page. Look for some surprise visitors from Catrow's other books tucked in among the monsters.

B is for Brooklyn By Selina Alko Henry Holt and Co., 2012. Non-fiction picture book. This non-fiction picture book is a vibrant visual guide not just for Brooklynites! Each page features a letter and illustrations about the colorful New York borough. The unique city provides for pages and pages of interesting history- from baseball and brownstones to stoops and street fairs. There are nods to the arts, such as an appearance by Walt Whitman ( Leaves of Grass ) on the "W" page, and little Francie Nolan ( A Tree Grows in Brooklyn ) on the "T" page. Selina Alko has written and illustrated a wonderful tribute to the city she calls home, a picture book that will put anyone in a New York state of mind!

Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble By Tracey Corderoy; illustrated by Joe Berger Nosy Crow, 2012. Unpaged. Picture book. The grandmother in this story is not your standard grandma--she is witchy and magical! But her granddaughter sometimes feels a bit embarrassed by her granny's odd ways and asks her to try being "normal-ish." Sweet Granny agrees to the plan and acts the part of a stereotypical grandma--staid clothes, sedate bun, calm knitting session, and a surprising lack of magical happenings. Luckily, her granddaughter comes to her senses quite quickly and urges her granny just to be herself because that's what makes her special. Granny is all too eager to comply and whisks back to her splendid, witch-like self, and the granddaughter is happy to know that being different is part of what makes a person who they are. This is a lovely story with darling, penned illustrations that are a mix between the styles of illustrators Quentin Blake and Hilary Knight. They le...

La gallina hambrienta Richard Waring Editorial Juventud S.A., 2006, 24 pages, Picture Book This is a story about a chicken and a fox, the fox was so hungry he wanted to eat the chicken, but he did not eat the chicken because he realized it kept gr owing, so he waited and waited, until the chicken was so big he decided to go down from his hiding place to eat it, but the ending is very unspected, and very funny, you just have to read it to appreciate this cute story. Este pequeño cuento trata de una gallina y de un zorro, el zorro estaba tan hambriento que casi no podía esperar a comerse la gallina, decide esperar cuando ve como crecía la gallina tan rápidamente, decidió esperar hasta que esta sea mucho mas grande, finalmente llego el día en que ya lo tenia planeado, pero el final es inesperado y muy chistoso, así es que tendrá que leerlo para saber el final de este cuento gracioso.

My First Ghost By Maggie Miller and Michael Leviton; illustrated by Stephanie Buscema Disney/Hyperion Books, 2012. Unpaged. Picture book. If you've ever wanted a ghost, this is the perfect book to learn all about the care and keeping of your own personal phantom. Learn how to entertain, feed, and love your ghost so you will remain friends forever. Before you open this book, however, make sure you're really committed to having a ghost--because once you turn the pages, a ghost will be yours! This book is really cute with fun, retro illustrations with smiling children and jolly apparitions filling the pages. The simple, friendly language makes ghost care accessible and fun--anyone can manage it after reading this book. Here's another cute Halloween book to add to your favorites!