Provo Library Children's Book Blog

The Cooking of China By Matthew Locricchio Introduces the different culinary regions of China through recipes adapted for young chefs and discusses the basics of food handling and kitchen safety. Elephants and Golden Thrones: Inside China's Forbidden City By Trish Marx For five hundred years, the Forbidden City was the seat of power of China's emperors. Explore its secrets in full-color photographs and lively, meticulously researched stories. From a grand procession of elephants to the golden nail guards that protected the emperor's three-inch nails, details large and small bring this fortress to life for young armchair travelers. With contributions from the Palace Museum (the official museum of the Forbidden City), this is a definitive guide to one of the wonders of the world and the only book on the subject available for young readers. Dragon's Gate By Laurence Yep When he accidentally kills a Manchu, a fifteen-year-old Chinese boy...

Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson Delacorte Press, 2014.  388 pgs. Fiction When Piper comes upon the wreckage of a completely destroyed caravan, she discovers that one person has managed to survive--a young girl with a dragonfly tattoo. A tattoo that marks her as being under special protection of the king, himself. Thinking there might be a big reward for returning the girl to her home, Piper makes herself the girl's protector. The only problem is--the girl has no memory of who she is or where she came from. And there is a very powerful  man on their trail who is determined to hunt down and capture them both. If only Piper could figure out why. Full of magic, mystery, adventure, and even a hint of romance--this is one book you will not want to miss!

Furious Jones and the Assassin's Secret by Tim Kehoe Simon and Schuster, 2014.  325 pgs.  Mystery      Furious Jones has good reason to be furious. His mother has recently been killed in what was supposed to have been a "wrong time, wrong place" drive by shooting in Galena, Ohio, and when he goes to see his father give a lecture, his dad is gunned down in front of him. Furious actually got his name as a baby when he was born swinging and punched the doctor in the face, but now he is both frightened and angry because everyone he loves has been taken from him, and he is on the run from everyone because he doesn't know whom to trust.   Furious Jones and the Assassin's Secret not only strains credibility, it rips it to shreds and stomps on it: could a great group of people in the witness protection program really all be safely relocated to the same small town?  and if those people started dying, one after the other, in gruesome "accidents," wou...

Sparky Written by Jenny Offill Illustrated by Chris Appelhans Schwartz and Wade Books, 2014. Unpaged picture book. A little girl wants a pet, but Mom nixes the idea of a adopting a bird, bunny, or a trained seal.  After a lot of persistence, Mom gives in with some conditions: a pet is welcome, as long as it doesn't need to be walked or bathed or fed. What does that leave? The school librarian helps the little girl find an animal encyclopedia, and she discovers that sloths are low-maintenance. Bingo! When her new sloth Sparky arrives by Express Mail, their mellow adventure begins. Sparky! is a charming story with illustrations to match. Appelhans' watercolor and pencil illustrations are subdued but expressive at the same time, while Offill's story is endearing and funny. Could be an early Caldecott contender!

   The Twelve Dancing Princesses By Mary Hoffman To win a bride and a kingdom, a soldier endeavors to discover why the dancing shoes of the king's twelve daughters are worn to pieces every morning.   The Snow Queen By Naomi Lewis  The strength of a little girl's love enables her to overcome many obstacles and free a boy from the Snow Queen's spell.   Princess, Princess By Penny Dale A young princess and her friends sleep under the spell of a fairy she forgot to invite to her birthday party, until someone comes along to awaken them.   The Twelve Dancing Princesses By Ruth Sanderson Retells the tale of twelve princesses who dance secretly all night long and how their secret is eventually discovered. Bella at Midnight By Diane Stanley Raised by peasants, Bella discovers that she is actually the daughter of a knight and finds herself caught up in a terrible plot that will change her life and the kingdom forever. ...

The Grudge Keeper by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler Peachtree, 2014 picture book No one in the town of Bonnyripple keeps a grudge.  Instead they write down their grievances and give them to the Grudge Keeper, and old man named Cornelius.  As time passes Cornelius' cottage becomes so full of grudges it can hardly hold them all.  Then one day, a great wind comes and blows everything in the little town around, including the grudges.  Poor Cornelius is buried in all the grudges, and as the townspeople dig him out, they find better ways to deal with their petty squabbles. This is a fun and gentle parable about the perils of holding grudges.  The story is whimsical and Wheeler's charming watercolor and ink illustrations match the tone of the text. Great as a read aloud, this is a delightful packet of wit and wisdom.

Como Crece una Semilla Helene Jordan, Illustrated by Loretta Krupinski Aprende y Descubre la Ciencia y Rayo of HarperCollins Publishers, 30pg. Non Fiction (ages 4-7) How does a seed grows? This is a perfect little book to explain this concept. There are plenty illustrations for children to see and grasp this concept. The colors are pleasant and the descriptions are just perfect for children ages four to seven. Enjoy! Como crece una semilla? Este pequeño libro explica este concepto en detalle y ademas lo hace con muchas ilustraciones. Los niños entenderán este concepto sin ningún problema. Los colores son perfectos para ilustrar las flores y las semillas. Este libro es recomendado para niños de cuatro a siete años. ¡Goce!

Olivia Forms a Band By Ian Falconer Olivia decides that a marching band must accompany the fireworks display so she forms one from pots, pans, her brother's toys, and her father's suspenders. Olivia By Ian Falconer Whether at home getting ready for the day, enjoying the beach, or at bedtime, Olivia is a feisty pig who has too much energy for her own good.   Olivia Saves the Circus By Ian Falconer At school, Olivia tells about her summer vacation and how, when she went to the circus and all the performers were out sick, she saved the day, becoming Olivia the Tattooed Lady, Olivia the Lion Tamer, The Amazing Flying Olivia, and more.   Olivia the Princess By Natalie Shaw A royal family comes to town, and when Olivia and Princess Stephanie realize they look exactly alike, they decide to switch places, making Olivia a princess for a day.   Olivia Goes Camping By Alex Harvey  Olivia is super excited to have her best ...

  Dragon Kite By Nancy Luenn A crafty thief constructs a magnificent kite which he hopes will enable him to reach the golden dolphins that adorn the roof of a nearby castle. Love is in the Air By Jonathan Fenske Abandoned after a birthday party, Balloon is beginning to droop when Kite comes by and invites him to join her for an adventure, spinning and playing among the clouds. Asian Kites By Wayne Hosking Asian Kites introduces kids to the fascinating art of kite making. Through the fun and approachable projects in this book, children will learn all the steps for creating beautiful, unique and creative kites with easy-to-find materials.   My Pig Amarillo By Satomi Ichikawa Pablito, a Guatemalan boy whose pet pig Amarillo has disappeared, uses a kite to send him a message that he still loves him. The Funny Ride By Margaret Hillert When his kite lifts him above the ground, a child takes a "funny ride" as he views what is o...

The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in 3 Parts By Richard Peck In rural Indiana in 1904, fifteen-year-old Russell's dream of quitting school and joining a wheat threshing crew is disrupted when his older sister takes over the teaching at his one-room schoolhouse after mean, old Myrt Arbuckle "hauls off and dies."   Firehorse By Diane Wilson Spirited fifteen-year-old horse lover Rachel Selby determines to become a veterinarian, despite the opposition of her rigid father, her proper mother, and the norms of Boston in 1872, while that city faces a serial arsonist and an epidemic spreading through its firehorse population.   Katerina's Wish By Jeannie Mobley Thirteen-year-old Trina's family left Bohemia for a Colorado coal town to earn money to buy a farm, but by 1901 she doubts that either hard work or hoping will be enough, even after a strange fish seems to grant her sisters' wishes.   Bliss By Kathryn Littlewood T...

Poem-Mobiles: Crazy Car Poems Written by J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes What if your hot dog lunch could transform into a car that would take you magical places? In Poem-Mobiles, such things do happen- thanks to the silly rhymes of J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian, and the incredible illustrations of Jeremy Holmes. Anything can be turned into a car, including a bunch of balloons or a shoe. The poems are fun and encourage imagination. There are even little lessons tucked in; in the poem about a caterpillar cab, there are drawings of the stages of caterpillar to butterfly. From cover to cover this is a visual and literary treat. Happy National Poetry Month!