Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Flora & Ulysses: the Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by K. G. Campbell Candlewick, 2013.  231 pgs. Fiction      As Flora Buckman watches out her back window as Mrs. Tickham's runaway Ulysses 2000X vacuum cleaner runs amok in Flora's backyard, she sees a squirrel get sucked into the works. A devoted follower of The Amazing Incandesto comic book series, Flora knows she must fly to the rescue. When she pulls the beat-up, partly snatched bald squirrel from the machine's works, he has super powers.  He can fly,  he can understand human speech, and he can type out poetry on Flora's mother's romance-novel-producing typewriter. Flora's mother already thinks Flora is a weirdo, and forbids her to keep Ulysses, the newly-named super-duper but somewhat worse for the wear squirrel. Flora's parents are divorced and her father George loves the squirrel. When Flora's mom instructs Flora's dad to kill and bury the squirrel, the fur f...

Takedown Jeff doesn't know how to control his temper, especially when his little brother makes him mad. Logan, one of the captains of the school's wrestling team, thinks Jeff would be a great wrestler. But can Jeff control his anger long enough to win a match? Soccer Shootout When a new boy joins the Titans soccer team, Berk, who has always played goalkeeper, is challenged for that position and he must decide whether to hold a grudge or act for the good of the team. Tennis Trouble Thirteen-year-old Alexis made the varsity tennis team, and is thrilled. But the older girls are out to make Alexis's season terrible. Can she keep up her self-confidence and step to the net, or will she let the older girls get to her, and lose everything?   Batter Up! Caleb has always batted with the same wood bat until the other team accuses Caleb of cheating by tampering with the bat! Now Caleb is forced to use the aluminum bat. How is he supposed to he...

You Were the First Written by Patricia MacLachlan Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin Little, Brown, and Co., 2013. Unpaged picture book. In the same sweet, nostalgic spirit of Love You Forever , this picture book follows a child's journey- not from babyhood to adulthood, but of their first-time adventures. A young couple experiences the wonder of their first baby's milestones, from first coos to first time throwing a ball. Stephanie Graegin's artwork is precious, with soft pastels that are just the right fit for such a gentle story. This perhaps verges on mushy, but has value as a comforting bedtime read. It would be a wonderful gift for a new brother or sister to remind them that, "You were the first," to ease their new-sibling woes.

Little Burro By Jim Arnosky G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2013. Unpaged picture book. Little Burro is happy in her canyon home, eating dry brush and juicy cactus. When her family decides they want to leave the canyon, Little Burro has a howling fit and digs her heels in in protest. Alas, she has to join the rest of the burro band, and they cross the desert together. They find a beautiful lake, and Little Burro falls quickly in love with this new setting. Author/illustrator Jim Arnosky has created a soothing, lush landscape of words and pictures. This would be a wonderful addition to any classroom, but especially those in Utah schools.

Picture Day Perfection Written by Deborah Diesen Illustrated by Dan Santat Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2013. Unpaged picture book. School Picture Day: the day every child dreads. Not our main character, who has planned for months how great his picture is going to be. On the big day, though, everything seems to go awry. He has a terrible case of bedhead, his shirt is a mess, and there is a syrup incident at breakfast. To add to all this, he comes to school and discovers, "Of all the backgrounds in the world, Mom checked snoring-boring 'Traditional Gray.' No one gets 'Traditional Gray.'" For all these setbacks, will he have the perfect school picture in the end? Read this laugh-out-loud book to see how it develops!

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud Disney Hyperion, 2013. 390 pgs. Mystery    Just in time for Halloween, a scary, SCARY story from the creator of the Bartimaeus trilogy. First in the Lockwood & Co. series, The Screaming Staircase is set in London at a time (in a modern enough era to have televisions) when The Problem is at its peak.  The Problem?  The country is infested with ghosts--Dark Specters, Cold Maidens, Gibbering Mists, Lurkers, and Stalkers, to name but a few. Among the agencies which have sprung up to deal with the threat is Lockwood & Co., three young people with gifts of discernment and warding. Lucy narrates, telling tales of minor hauntings and then the major disaster which almost brought down the House of Lockwood and certainly burned down the client's house. A mysterious locket, a dead girl's rage, a surprise offer of redemption from an eccentric tycoon in the iron-mongering business, all lead to a terrifying confrontation in ...

Henry's Map By David Elliot Philomel Books, 2013. Unpaged picture book. Fastidious, loveable, Henry the pig is very particular about his sty. He likes when there's a place for everything and everything is in its place. One morning, he looks out the window and sees that the farm is just a mess. He decides he shall make maps of where things should go, to help everyone keep their places as clean as his sty. All corners of the farm (woolshed, oak tree, stable, chicken coop) and all residents (sheep, horses, cows, chickens) now know how their homes should look with Henry's helpful maps. And, much to his relief, their shared world on the farm can now be in tip-top shape. David Elliot's clever story and illustrations make this an utterly charming picture book about farm animal life.

When Charley Met Grampa Written by Amy Hest Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury Candlewick Press, 2013. Unpaged picture book. Henry can't wait for Grampa to meet his new puppy, Charley! He writes to Grampa, asking him when he's going to come for a visit. Grampa writes back, "About that dog. Is he friendly or fierce? I've never been friends with a dog before. I'll do my best, but no promises." He arrives on the train, in the middle of a white, fluffy snowstorm.When the wind blows Grampa's hat off, Charley fetches it from a snowbank. This sweet action makes the two instant friends, much to the delight of young Henry. This picture book is beautiful, with its soft pencil and watercolor illustrations. The story begs to be read aloud at bedtime, while snuggled up with some hot cocoa. Hurry up, winter!

Ling and Ting Share a Birthday By Grace Lin Little Brown, 2013. 43 pages. Easy reader. In their second adventure, twin sisters Ling and Ting are celebrating their birthday! Their day is full of fun, from shopping for secret gifts for each other to baking two very different birthday cakes. These two girls look the same, but they are each unique in their own ways. Ling always does things just right, whether it be keeping clean or making her cake perfectly. Ting is a little more disheveled (check out those bangs!) and her cake turns out burned. Overall, a bright, easy reader with a good message. Children will find a fun challenge in spotting the similarities and differences between the twins.

Jorge el Curioso y El Conejito By Margaret E. Rey, Illustrartion by H. A. Rey Translated by Yanitzia Canetti Houghton Miffin Co., 24 pg. Small Picture Book This small book tells another cute story of  Curious George, this funny little monkey is always getting in trouble because of his curiosity. He comes to a cage that has a mama rabit and several little bunnies, he wanted to find out how it would feel to hold a little bunny, so he picks one up and he is so cute, but he gets away and George finds himself trying to find it. He has this wonderful idea that saves the bunny, find out what it is and be happily surprised by the ending. Este pequeño libro nos da otro cuento del Curioso Jorge, siempre este monito se mete en problemas por su curiosidad. Se encuentra frente a una jaula con una mamá coneja y varios conejitos, quiere saber como se sienten los conejitos en sus manos, y decide sacar uno para sentirlo, pero el conejito se le escapa y se corre, Jorge no lo puede en...

Squirrels on Skis Written by J. Hamilton Ray Illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre Random House, 2013. Unpaged easy reader. It began with one skiing squirrel.. then, there were two...then, eighty-five! The people of the snowy town are soon fed up with the squirrels everywhere, skiing down the hall roof, and down the church steeple. The townspeople are desperate for a solution. Sally Sue Breeze, a child reporter, says she will solve the problem of the skiing squirrel infestation. Sally finds the culprit- a rabbit who has cleverly been selling popsicle stick skis and toothpick poles to the squirrels in exchange for acorns. Sally convinces the rabbit to turn his shop into a resort, and the squirrels all flock to it! The ski runs are on the back hill, away from the town. Happiness all around! Ray's story is full of fun rhymes and Seussian spirit. Lemaitre's illustrations are delightful and full of energy. He might be a a contender against himself for a Geisel honor- his other illus...

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop Written by Laban Carrick Hill Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III Roaring Book Press, 2013. Unpaged picture book biography. DJ Kool Herc was born Clive Campbell in Kingston, Jamaica. As a child, he was in awe of a disc jockey named King George. King George owned more records than little Clive had ever seen, and made beats and mixes that kept the neighborhood dancing. When Clive was a teenager, his family moved to the Bronx, NY, where he was surrounded by all the latest music. He was soon the hottest DJ in the neighborhood, and one of the first pioneers in the hip hop music world. He adopted the name "DJ Kool Herc" because he was called Hercules due to his giant size and added the Kool because it sounded right! This biography has fantastic art, full of character. DJ Kool Herc is seriously cool, and proof that you can live your dream. Check out the author's note for more about the history of hip hop and ...

The Snatchabook by Helen Docherty & Thomas Docherty October 1st 2013 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky unpaged picture book The little wildlife town of Burrow Down has a most unwelcome visitor. Someone is stealing everyone's bedtime stories! One little rabbit, Eliza, is determined to solve the mystery. How are little ones expected to sleep without their bedtime tales? The small and lonesome Snatchabook is not quite what she expected. Eliza comes up with a plan to get the books back and make the Snatchabook happy too. The rhyming text is fun to read-aloud. The charming illustrations are delightful to peruse all on their own. This wonderful new picture book is becoming a fast favorite at bedtime in my house! It is destined to become a classic!

The King of Little Things by Bill Lepp illustrated by David T. Wenzel Published September 1st 2013 by Peachtree Publishers  unpaged picture book The King of Little Things is quite content with the size and variety of his subjects. He happily spends time feeding the smallest of ants and admiring the butterflies that flit around him. The same peacefulness can not be found with King Normous. No matter how vast his empire he always wants more. One day he mistakenly proclaims, "I am King of All Things!" His steward timidly reminds him, "I believe you may have missed His Minuscule Majesty...the King of Little Things." Of course, the Large Liege can not leave anything unconquered and he sets forth to battle the kindhearted monarch. Things definitely do not go as planned and King Normous learns that bigger is not always better and might is not always right. The wonderful tale of two very different kings makes a fun read-aloud...

Locomotive by Brian Floca Atheneum, 2013.  Unpaged.  Picture Book      Brian Floca is already one of the greatest living illustrator's of children's books, but he has outdone even himself in this new historical picture book about the transcontinental railroad. Floca conveys a boatload (or should I say "coal car") of factual information about the railroad on the end papers, and in an appendix at the end of the book. He conveys an entirely different sort of information in the text and pictures in the book itself. Different fonts and type sizes accurately recreate the sounds and motion of a steam locomotive. The landscape, particularly through the Utah territory (Devil's Slide, in Weber Canyon; Pulpit Rock in Echo Canyon), is striking and evocative, especially the night scenes. Floca skillfully combines art and science to recreate the Romance of the Rails. He draws and labels the physical components of the locomotive, shows what might happen if the boi...

Wild Born by Brandon Mull Scholastic, 2013.  202 pgs.  Fantasy Our prolific Mr. Mull got the potentially hazardous assignment of writing the first book of Scholastic's new multi-platform book/internet series, Spirit Animals.  Hazardous, you say?  Of course, because the first author has to do all the set up: where do the kids come from, what are they like, why do they have the spirit animals they have, and how will they get along with one another; how does this new world relate to ours, if at all, and is it prehistoric, dystopian future, or parallel universe? All this is a potential action-killer, but Mull manages to convey a lot of information about Conor (a shepherd's son), Abeke  (an African/Niloan hunter), Meilin (an Oriental aristocrat), and Rollan (a street kid) as well as  their "familiars" - a wolf, a leopard, a panda, and a falcon--while moving the story right along to its frightening, cliff-hanging conclusion. Beasts good and bad come into p...

Carnivores by Aaron Reynolds illustrated by Dan Santat San Francisco : Chronicle Books, c2013. unpaged picture book   Nobody seems to like lion, wolf or shark. Nobody understands them and their insatiable hunger for other smaller (but juicy) creatures. They form a support group and discuss ideas for blending in with the other animals. Wolf's idea of going vegetarian doesn't quite work the way they had planned. Shark's disguise method isn't much better. It seems to work at first, lion wears an antelope costume and he is treated "so nicely" until "other antelopes smelled his zebra breath". Finally lion decides to bring in the oldest and wisest carnivore he knows. The great horned owl teaches the animals that it is okay being a meat-eater, that is just how they are. Accepting themselves for who and what they are is the first step to recovery for these animals.  Carnivores is a great picture book for teaching a couple very important concep...

Texting the Underworld by Ellen Booraem Dial, 2013.  319 pgs. Fantasy      Conor O'Neill is a chicken lips about spiders, and is not that fond of other alarms and excursions either. His little sister Glennie, on the other hand, is "a soul-sucking demon warrior."  But it is Conor the Wimp, not Glennie the Bold, who winds up with a banshee in his room. Ashling, as she is known, has come to wail over a death in the O'Neill family, but she doesn't know who it will be and Conor spends much of the rest of the story trying to save maybe his grandfather, maybe his sister, maybe himself. Along the way, Conor dreams of a former life, when his name was Declan and Ashling was his one true love. His grandfather wants to be the one to go, but there is no way to make sure it will be he . . . or is there. When Grump, Conor, Glennie, and Ashling go to the land of the dead to confront The Lady, things take an unexpected turn, and Conor gets a chance to save someone, b...

AH HA! by Jeff Mack Chronicle Books, 2013.  Unpaged.  Picture Book      Four letters, artfully arranged and rearranged, comprise the text of this laugh-out-loud funny picture book about the adventures of a frog.  "AAHH!" he begins, a sigh of contentment which becomes "AH HA!" when he finds a rock in the pond to rest atop, which becomes someone else's "AH HA!" when he is captured in a jar by a boy with a dog.  "AAHH!" he cries in terror as he flies out of the jar, and "AH HA!" again as he climbs atop what he thinks is a rock but which turns out to be a turtle who then has an "AH HA!" moment while the frog is back to an anything but contented "AAHH!"  And so on . . . .  The pictures are bold, bright, and hilarious--perfect for pre-schoolers, and perfect for parents looking for a perfect read-aloud for the little ones.

The Birthday Queen By Audrey and Don Wood Scholastic Inc., 30 pg., Picture Book The Birthday Queen is the most amazing person in the world! This enjoyable book, will take you to a level of maximum birthday planning, we wish we had a Queen in all the birthdays in the family, but wait! maybe.....we do? Read with the family, and enjoy the colorful illustrations that make this book, fun!

El Camioncito Azul By Alice Schertle, Illustrated by Jill McElmurry Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 30 pg. Small Picture Book A cute story about a blue truck, he is the friendliest truck in the farm, all the animals go out of their way to say Hi to him, and so does he. One day a bigger truck comes along the road by the farm and is rude to the animals, he is in a hurry to go by, but there is trouble up ahead. How would the animals react to his troubles? Will they help him? Find out, read this book to show you how being friendly is the best policy. Your whole family would benefit from this cute story! Este cuento de un camioncito azul, que siempre era muy amable y les decía Hola a los animales de la granja donde el trabajaba, y ellos tambien le respondian. Un dia un camión grande pasó por la graja sin saludar, y fué rudo con los animales, gritandoles que salieran de su paso que tenía prisa. Como reaccionarán los animales cuando el camión grande encuentra problemas? Le ayudarán? Ent...

The Life and Times of the Apple By Charles Micucci Presents a variety of facts about apples, including how they grow, crossbreeding and grafting techniques, harvesting practices, and the uses, varieties, and history of this popular fruit. Apple Pie ABC By Allison Murray A story about a girl baking an apple pie and a puppy observing the activities teaches the letters of the alphabet.   We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season By Wendy Pfeffer With accessible, lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, this nonfiction picture book explains the science behind autumn and the social history of harvest-time celebrations.   Awesome Autumn By Bruce Goldstone The author compiles all kinds of sights, sounds, and scents of the autumn season.   Apples By Jacqueline Farmer  Where do apples come from? How do they grow? From rootstock to apple pie, learn all about America's favorite fruit. Recipes, trivia, and fun facts incl...

Colors for Zena by, Monica Wellington Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013 This is a wonderful book for toddlers and young children entering preschool.  In this book little Zena teaches us what primary colors are as she finds objects and animals with those colors.  Then she shows us how those colors mixed together make secondary colors.  There's a color wheel at the back of the book which further educates little ones on the magic of colors.   The drawings and colors are fun, bright and really grab your attention.  A great book for teaching children colors.

Ben Rides On by Matt Davies Roaring Brook Press, 2013. Unpaged.  Picture Book      Ben loves to go to school--now that he has the bicycle of his dreams.  Each morning, like Stephen Leacock's Lord Ronald, he "flung himself  upon his [bike] and rode madly off in all directions."  Sometimes, just for the fun of it, he takes the long way to school.  Sometimes even the long, long way. And occasionally "even the very, very long way." For some reason, Ben is accompanied on each trip by a spindle-shanked, raggedy crow but his bird friend cannot save him when Adrian Underbite, "perhaps the world's largest third-grader" takes a shine to his bicycle and then takes his bike. On his dreary way home, Ben sees his ruined bike hanging from a tree limb, and then someone calling for help: Adrian, hanging from a branch just below the cliff's edge.  Ben likes the idea of Adrian dangling for eternity, but decides to go back and manages to rescue hi...

Pedro, el Valiente By Leo Broadley, Illustraded by Holly Swain Scholastic INC. 24 pg. Picture Book Pedro is a story teller boy, goes around telling kids his adventures on the range, he tells of the time when he and his friends had to confront a hungry wolf, and how Pedro out foxed him  by offering his  famous salsa, w.. wow!! This cute book is worth reading, the pictures are hilarious, and really helps this cute tale! Pedro, es un niño que le encanta contar sus aventuras a los niños del pueblo; esta ves les cuenta de como manipuló al lobo hambriento que quería comerlos, su arma..Salsa! Este relato es tan chistoso, les va a gustar mucho, las ilustraciones ayudan mucho al cuento, vale la pena leerlo!!

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild By Peter Brown Little, Brown and Company, 2013. Unpaged picture book. Mr. Tiger lives in a very proper, Victorian neighborhood. His fellow animals walk on their hind legs and wear buttoned-up coats and top hats. Mr. Tiger begins to get bored with all the manners and proprieties in his world, and decides to just be WILD! He begins by walking on all fours, which feels better already. The wildness snowballs from there. One day (after swimming clothes-free in the fountain), his friends lose their patience with him and send him off to be totally wild in the wilderness. Homesickness eventually settles in, and Mr. Tiger returns to the city...where he finds that things are starting to change among the animals. He happily feels free to be himself here- aloha shirt and all. This is an expressive, beautiful picture book that is sure be appreciated by all wild readers! It's a unique and encouraging story about the freedom of being true to yourself. I predict another C...

Gus, the Dinosaur Bus by Julia Liu, illustrated by Bei Lynn Houghton Mifflin, 2013.  Unpaged.  Picture book.      School buses are cool, but how much better to have a dinosaur pick you up for school? The lucky kids on Gus's route don't even have to come downstairs to the bus stop.  He just stretches up to their rooms and they slide down his neck and they're off. No one sleeps in or pretends to be sick when Gus is the Bus.  But when Gus turns corners sometimes he knocks the roof off a house, and he gets his head tangled in traffic lights, and clogs up overpasses.  Gus has to stop being a bus. So he hides in the school gym and cries, tears so big each one could fill a bathtub.  But the kids know what to do.  Find out how Gus and his friends live happily ever after . . . .