Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins, illustrated by James Proimos Scholastic, 2013. Unpaged.  Picture Book      We know that Suzanne Collins is the off-the-charts successful author of The Hunger Games series, but in this picture book/biography, we learn also that her father was deployed to Viet Nam in 1968 when she was just starting First Grade. Suzy's interest in her father's life--in the jungle, with jungle animals, is clouded as well with worry.  On Halloween a worried-looking lady tells her that her father will be just fine, and then gives her way too much candy. At first her father sends postcards regularly; then, rarely. Newsreel footage of Viet Nam comes on the TV, and Suzy's mother runs to turn it off, but not before Suzy sees helicopters, explosions, guns, and soldiers lying on the ground. Suzy's father does come home, but he is not exactly the same as when he left.  Still, he reads Suzy her favorite poem about Custard the Dragon, "w...

  Fourth Down and Inches:  Concussions and Football's Make-or-Break Moment by Carla Killough McClafferty Carolrhoda Books, 2013.  95 pgs. Nonfiction      Anyone contemplating playing Middle School, High School, or Pop Warner football, or of enrolling a child in any of the above ought to read this well-researched, well-written book on football's greatest threat to the health and well-being of its players. The book begins with a horror story. Von Gammon, a football player at the University of Georgia. In a game against the University of Virginia, Gammon was at the bottom of a pile-up. When the other players got up, he didn't. Although he was taken quickly to the hospital, he died a few hours later from the effects of a brain concussion. This event took place in 1897, and led to a ban on football, not only at the University of Georgia, but at a number of other schools. Von Gammon's mother asked that the ban be lifted because her son had loved th...

Penguin on Vacation  by Salina Yoon Walker Books for Young Readers, 2013, unpag. picture book Penguin needs a vacation from the snow.  He decides to go to a tropical beach, but when he arrives his discovers that he can't do all his favorite activities like skiing, sledding and skating. His vacation seems like a total failure until he meets crab.  Crab teaches penguin that there is fun to be had wherever you are as long as you have a friend.  This is a reassuring picture book about trying new things and the importance of friendship. The bright illustrations, drawn with a few simple lines, and the minimalist text make this a perfect read aloud for even the youngest children.

Louisa May's Battle:  How the Civil War Led to Little Women by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Carlyn Beccia Walker, 2013.  Unpaged.  Biography      Little Women was one of the first novels to be set during the American Civil War, and Louisa May Alcott drew on her own wartime experiences to write the book. She wished she could have fought in the war, but the only helpful occupation open to her--and that, just barely--was nursing.  Women were only accepted into nursing positions if they were unmarried, strong, could produce letters attesting to their good character.  Also, they had to be "very plain."  Louisa May considered herself plain enough, though she had beautiful hair that fell to her ankles. Apparently the Army agreed and she was assigned to nurse soldiers in the old Union Hotel in Washington, D.C.  There she bathed and bandaged the wounded men, sang to them, wrote letters home for them, and read to them. Louisa wasn't able ...

Si Le Haces una Fiesta a una Cerdita Laura Numeroff, Illustraded by Felicia Bond, Translated by Teresa Mlawer Laura Geringer Books, Harper Collins Publishers, 30 pg., Picture Book When you are giving little pig a party, she will ask for balloons, and after that she would want to decorate the house, and then she would put her favorite dress, and she will call her friends and invite them to the party, she will want you to go find them.......and she will start all over again! This cutest little pig will really steal your heart, and the kids would love to hear this little pig's adventures! Si le haces una fiesta a la cerdita, te pedirá globos, cuando le des los globos querrá decorar la casa, y luego se pondrá su vestido favorito, llamará a sus amigos para invitarlos a la fiesta, luego va a querer que la lleves a buscarlos....... ¡y comenzará todo de nuevo! Esta bella cerdita les robará el corazón, y ¡los niños van a querer escuchar todas las aventuras de esta bella cerdita!

Hoky el  Lobo Solidario By Cesar Blanco, Illustrator Blanca Bk Cuento de Luz SL, 32 pg. Picture Book Hoky, is a wolf that was spared from being killed with his pack,  by hidding in a cavern. Hoky is very scared of humans, but Jose a sheppard boy, becomes a friend to Hoky when he gives him food during the winter, Jose feeds him every day, one day the wolf even saves his life. This tender story about wild animals and the environment, shines a little understanding to the food chain. It is a good read for the family and opens-up a great discussion on this subject, it is written with tenderness and understanding, Love it! Hoky, es un cuento de un lobo, que se salva de ser matado por los hombres del valle donde vive, escondiéndose en una caverna. Consecuentemente se siente muy intimidado cuando ve humanos, se esconde de ellos y se va muy lejos a cazar pequeños animales o insectos para comer. Un día José, un pequeño pastor de ovejas lo ve y decide hacerse amigo, le trae c...

Counting by 7s By Holly Goldberg Sloan Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013. 380 pages. Fiction. Willow Chance is a very interesting preteen girl. She is exceptionally intelligent, though lacking in social graces. She has an aptitude for botany, and finishes school assignments and tests in record time. At the start of middle school, she finds her life beginning a new (and very confusing) chapter as she tries to navigate this environment filled with hoards of older kids. Then, her adoptive parents die in a tragic car accident. With no friends or family to lean on, Willow finds herself completely devastated and floundering. With the help of a slacker guidance counselor and new-found friends the Nguyen family, Willow begins to put her life back together. This new family unit keeps her afloat and keeps her from falling through the cracks. Much like last year's hit Wonder , Counting by 7s is an enriching novel that shares the honest point of view of a child with extraordinary abi...

The Heartbreak Messenger by Alexander Vance Feiwel and Friends, 2013.  283 pgs. Fiction  When money gets tight at home, Quentin realizes he needs to help his mom out. Then he stumbles onto an easy way to make money--having people pay him to help them break up with their significant other. There seems to be no end of customers in need of his services. But breaking up is hard to do, especially where the heart is concerned. Quentin soon finds himself with a infamous reputation as  the Heartbreak Messenger and finds himself in a whole lot more trouble than he ever bargained for.

Dino Baby Dino Baby by, Mark Sperring Illustrated by, Sam Lloyd Bloomsbury, 2013 Picture Book This sweet book is full of wonderful things to delight all children.  It is about a little girl who has just become a big sister to a very active little brother.  This book walks through all the rules she needs to follow as a new big sister.  This story would be very good for a child who has just become an older sibling, as it helps them deal with some of the changes they'll experience, especially, "Shhh, the baby's asleep!"  The pictures are wonderful as well.  If you have a child who loves dinosaurs, they will love this book too.

Moo! by David LaRochelle, Illustrated Mike Wohnoutka Walker Books for Young Readers, 2013. unpaged. Picture Book This  tale of a cow run amok in the farmer's car is hilariously told in one word. Who knew the word "moo" could convey so much? Young readers will be giggling out of control as they discover all the trouble one cow can get into. The very last page is the best one of all. Don't miss this delightful book.

The Silver Button by Bob Graham Candlewick, 2013.  Unpaged.  Picture Book      The first thing you need to know about Bob Graham's new book is that the story starts at precisely 9:59 on a Thursday morning on the page before the title page, where Jodie is about to put the finishing touch on her picture of a duck--a silver button on his boot. Just at that moment her younger brother Jonathan manages to stand up and take his first step. In that same moment her mother begins to play "Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife" on her pennywhistle.  Outside Joseph Pascano is avoiding the cracks in the sidewalk so he won't be eaten by sharks, an ambulance goes by, and a blackbird finds a worm. In this lovely picture book, Bob Graham shares all the kinds of life that happen in a moment, in the house, in the neighborhood, in the city. Shortly before the clock strikes ten, Jonathan's mom hugs her newly-ambulatory little boy, and right at 10:00, Jodie puts the last si...

Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi Little, Brown, and Company, 2013.  292 pgs. Horror      More than the zombies take a beating in Bacigalupi's first book for younger readers.  His hit list includes meat processing plants who exploit their workers and put consumer safety last; high-priced, slick-as-snakes lawyers; current immigration law and ignorant public opinion. Rabinadrath Chaterjee-Jones (aka Rabi) plays baseball on a team with friends Miguel and Joe, and enemies Sammy and Bart. Sammy's dad owns Milrow Meats where almost everyone in town works. Mysterious really bad smells having been coming from the factory lately, and some workers seem very fearful.  Others, like Miguel's parents, and then his aunt and uncle, have been deported. Soon Miguel and Rabi are being chased by their zombified baseball coach and then by zombie cows, mooing for brains. Worse still, the boys sneak into the Milrow factory where the zombie cows are being cho...

ALPHA BLOCK ALPHA BLOCK by, Christopher Franceschelli art by, Peskimo Abrams Appleseed, 2013 Board Book This book is a delight for children and adults.  The pictures are created to help children learn their letters by sight, with fun colors and designs.  The book also has a tactile feature, in that the children can feel the cutout letters.  This is a great feature for children who enjoy learning through more than one sense.  A great book for toddlers, preschoolers and their caregivers.

The Invisible Boy Written by Trudy Ludwig Illustrated by Patrice Barton Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Unpaged picture book. Brian is the "invisible boy" in school. The teacher doesn't really pay him any mind, because he isn't loud like Nathan, or whiny like Sophie. He simply blends into the background with his quiet nature, doodling away. Most of the children don't even notice Brian, much less invite him to play on recess teams or come to birthday parties. When a new boy moves to their school, things start to change. Justin is different, and the kids initially tease him, too. But then he and Brian become friends and, slowly, the children all start to mingle. This sweet, subtle picture book shines light on how even the mildest of teasing can have an effect. It's a story told in a gentle way, and in honest language that children will respond to. Barton's artwork is the star of the show here... Her use of details like notebook paper, tape, and eraser marks ...

Skeleton for Dinner by Margery Cuyler; illustrated by Will Terry Albert Whitman, 2013.  Unpaged.  Picture Book       Not too long ago, just around this time of year, Big Witch and Little Witch made a Halloween stew from "shark finds and snake skins, spider silk and centaur's milk, catfish whiskers and banshee blisters."  It was so good they wanted to share so they made a list of friends they wanted to invited to dinner.  When Skeleton saw the list, posted on a tree, he thought he and his friends were going to be dinner, so he ran to tell Ghost and Ghoul that they were on the menu and they all hid in a tall, tall tree. Big Witch and Little Witch are so disappointed that no one is home to invite over that Little Witch begins to cry. Crow figures out what's going on and saves the day by explaining and then bringing everyone to the feast which is so yummy that Skeleton wishes he "had a tummy."  Great fun for the little ones on Hallow...

Ten Orange Pumpkins: a Counting Book by Stephen Savage Dial, 2013.  Unpaged. Picture Book      What a delight! Stephen Savage's glorious graphics highlight the nursery rhyme of a tale that begins with 10 pumpkins that get picked off (you'll excuse the expression) one at a time until only a jack o'lantern is left. One makes a scarecrow's head; one bounces of the truck into a pond full of alligators; one is carried off by skeleton pirates and another by a screech owl against the cold white moon. Pound for pound, Stephen Savage's traditional and digital pictures are the best in the business.  All will be relieved to learn that no pumpkins were harmed in the making of this book. Best new book of the Halloween season in my not-that-humble opinion.

Dusk by Uri Shulevitz Farrar Straus Giroux, 2013.  Unpaged. Picture Book      The inimitable Uri Shulevitz adds a new atmospheric tale to previous titles Dawn and Snow with an equally lovely picture book about the shortest days and longest nights of the year.  "Boy with dog and grandfather with beard go for a walk" as the story begins.  All save the dog have rosy cheeks.  It has snowed and is cold, the pale yellow light of a December dusk illuminates but doesn't warm. Many are out on the city streets, shopping for Christmas or Hanukkah. The rapidly darkening sky is held back by bright street lamps, holiday lights, and the glow from showroom windows. "Dusk" is a lovely, lovely book, tinged with the melancholy of the dark of the year. Not sure the space alien who speaks a convincingly Eastern European nonsense language is that great an idea, but everything else works beautifully.

Patch By David Slonim Roaring Book Press, 28 pg., Picture Book This boy has a cute dog name Patch, he is a nice pet, but sometimes he does not listen, specially when he sees a rabbit, Patch is loved, even when he has flees, or he has an accident. One day his friends tell the boy about a dog contest, he decides to train Patch for this contest, Patch does really good. The day of the contest excitement fills the air, then something happens....This is a great book to read to kids specially to those that love dogs, I liked it! It was a cute and funny book!

Sopa de Zanahoria By John Segal, translated by Teresa M. Lawer Lectorum Publications, Inc., 28 pg. Picture Book Rabits best time of the year is Spring, he can plant a garden and so he gets his plow and prepares the ground. He waters the garden and weeds and waits and waits until the carrots started to grow, when is time to harvest he grabs all his tools, and sets out to get his carrots.  When he comes to the field there are no carrots, where are the carrots? he asks mole, but he does not know where they are, he ask dog but he doesn't know either, he asks several animals and they have no idea, very discouraged he goes home and, What? Surprise!! You have to read this cute book to know what happens, the illustrations are very good and help tell the story. La primavera es la estación preferida de conejo, por que puede plantar su jardín, entonces ara el terreno, planta las semillas de zanahoria, les da agua, y espera y eapera, finalmente comienzan a crecer. Cuando es tiempo ...

Tea Party Rules Written by Ame Dyckman Illustrated by K.G. Campbell Viking, 2013. Unpaged picture book. Cub is playing in the woods, and happens upon a tea party with a very tempting offering: cookies! He pops in in place of a stuffed bear (because, really, what a waste to give cookies to a bear who can't even eat them) and settles in. The little girl who set up the tea party comes back and senses something is different about her stuffed bear. According to tea party rules, he mustn't be grubby, he must be neat. And, above all, he must be fancy and eat daintily! So she sets out to properly fix him up. Cub begrudgingly goes along with it in the hopes of getting those cookies. This is not your average tea party picture book. The illustrations are laugh out loud funny, and all the details (like the expressions on the characters' faces) enhance the hilarious text. A must check-out.

I Wish I Were A... Written by Werner Holzwarth Illustrated by Stefanie Jeschke Translated from the German by Talia Rebecca Ergas Sky Pony Press, 2013. Unpaged picture book. An alert little meerkat at the zoo observes all of the amazing animals around him, and wishes he could be more like them. Oh, to be silly like the chimpanzee, strong like the bear, or mighty like the lion! But then, when a shadow falls over the habitat, the meerkat quickly whistles and warns everyone that potential danger is afoot. This amazes the other animals, who now wish they could be a quick lookout like the meerkat! I love this cheeky story. Each animal (especially Mr. Meerkat) is so lively and expressive. The author's use of repetition is perfect for this style of humor, and children will love the book as a read-aloud.

Pato va en Bici By David Shannon Editorial Juventud, S.A., 32 pg. Picture Book Funny story, a duck decides to try to ride a bike, he goes around showing off to all his friends on the farm, some are upset, others wish they could ride a bike also, well, their opportunity came when a big group of kids come to the farm. The animals go around the farm riding the bikes, did anyone see them? Well read all the fun that happened at the farm when no one was looking! Este cuento es muy chistoso, pato quiere manejar una bici, encuentra una en la granja y comienza a manejar, se va paseando por toda la granja, saludando todos sus amigos, algunos piensan que es un presumido, a otros les gustaria poder manejar una bici tambien. La oportunidad se presenta cuando un grupo garande de niños viene a visitar, esta es la mejor oportunidad, todos los animales agarran una y van apasear por toda la granja, ¿alguien los vió? Bueno, ¡lean este libro para que puedan ver todo lo que pasó en la graja cua...

Su Propio Color By Leo Lionni Lectorum Publicationsn Inc., 30 pg., Picture Book This cute story about a little chameleons, that wants to have his own color, not to change to where ever the color he is standing on. He finds a much older and wiser friend who helps him feel much better. This is a good story to tell children and help them realize who wonderful and unique we all are. Enjoy! Esta pequeño cuento es acerca de un camaleón, que quiere tener su propio color, no quiere cambiar de color de acuerdo a donde se para, como siempre pasa. Un dia encuentra otro camaleón como el, pero de mas edad y por supuesto con mas sabiduría, este nuevo amigo le ayuda a sentirse mejor. Es un buen cuento para leerle a los niños, les ayudará a realizar que todos somos únicos de la manera como somos. Gocelo!

Tap the Magic Tree By Christie Matheson Greenwillow Books, 2013. Unpaged picture book.  In the same spirit of Herve Tullet's Press Here , Tap the Magic Tree is a read-aloud, interactive picture book. This story invites the reader to participate in the evolution of a bare, brown tree through spring, summer, fall, and winter. The actions include tapping the branches to make green leaves appear, patting to make them change color, and blowing on the page to make the leaves fall. Without any technology, this magical book can still hold the interest and fascination of any young reader. Beginning readers can tackle the story on their own, and it can even be used as a fun lesson on seasons and colors.

Author Tom Angleberger is coming to Provo Library! Teen Book Fest October 19th, 11am-2pm Tickets available Saturday, October 5th.   The Strange Case of Origami Yoda Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Darth Paper Strikes Back  Harvey, upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings humiliation, gets Dwight suspended, but Origami Yoda asks Tommy and Kellen, now in seventh grade, to make a new casefile to persuade the School Board to reinstate Dwight. The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee McQuarrie Middle School's students miss Origami Yoda when Dwight leaves for Tippett Academy, but he sends Sara a paper Fortune Wookiee that seems to give advice just as good as Yoda's--even if, in the hands of girls, it seems preoccupied with romance. The Surprise A...

The Invention of Hugo Cabret By Brian O. Selznick  Hugo (J DVD) When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized. The Thief Lord By Cornelia Funke The Thief Lord (J DVD) Two brothers, having run away from the aunt who plans to adopt the younger one, are sought by a detective hired by their aunt, but they have found shelter with--and protection from--Venice's "Thief Lord." Guardians of Ga'Hoole By Kathryn Lasky Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (J DVD)  Embark on a nocturnal journey to meet Soren, a young barn owl pushed from the nest by his brother and adopted by a mysterious school for orphaned owls. When Soren discovers the school is home to a great evil in the owl kingdom, he and his new friends must escape and then set upon a long and pe...

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes HarperCollins, 2013.  229 pgs. Intermediate.      The Year of Billy Miller is a Mr. Rogers kind of book. Nothing too wild or off the wall.  You can just walk into this book, put on your sweater and your slippers, and step into Billy's life at the beginning of his second grade year.  Billy is afraid he will not be smart enough because at the end of the summer he fell over a railing at the amusement park and landed on his head.  But he is smart enough. With his father's help he creates a bat cave diorama; he figures out how to get back into his teacher's good graces when she thinks he is making fun of her; he tries to stay up all night but doesn't quite make that trip. Kevin Henkes' latest is gentle reading which tells the truth about young boys, their annoying little sisters, their guaranteed-to-get-you-in-trouble friends, and the snotty, superior girls who torture them in class. Plus, this is one of t...